The 2022 World Gold Panning Championships in Zlotoryja, Poland, held more in store for the SA team than just competing in the event. Every team member was also an ambassador for WOZA 2023 – the World Gold Panning Championships being held in Pilgrim’s Rest in 2023.
SA Gold Panning Team Competing in Zlotoryja
The first gallery shows our gold panners in action at the 2022 World Gold Panning Championships. Among the 45 members of the SA team a good number reached the finals against the stiff international competition.
- Prof Men – 2
- Prof Ladies – 5
- Traditional Batea – 2
- Veterans – 6
- Juniors – 4
- 5-person team – 5
- 3-person team – 4
- 2-person team – 4
The South African Medallists in Zlotoryja
Paul van Rooyen, won silver in the night panning event.
A 5-person team won Bronze. Team members were: Joseph Mashaka, Bennie Kruger, Linda Traill, Sendra Nsimba and Surprise Mdluli.
Click on a photo below to enlarge the image or to scroll through the gallery.
Promoting WOZA 2023 and Other Activities
The next gallery shows the many other activities, besides the actual gold panning competition, that the South African team were involved in. The long trip to Poland, the street parade and opening ceremony, a team building dinner, and the South Africa evening to promote WOZA 2023. Although there was not much spare time, the South Africans could fit in some local sight-seeing.
The South Africa evening to promote the coming 2023 World Gold Panning Championships in South Africa was a highlight. First, the SA team joined a group of cultural dancers from South Africa on stage to entertain the crowds on the Zlotoryja village square. This was followed by a presentation dinner for all the participants and organisers of the 2022 World Gold Panning Championships.
During the closing ceremony the World Gold Panning Association flag was formally presented to the SA Gold Panning Association for safe-keeping until the 2023 championships in South Africa.
