FOLLOWING South Africa's participation in the World Goldpanning Championships in Poland earlier this month, it is hoped that some of the international participants will live up to their promises to attend the South African national championships to be held at Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga in November.
So says Rene Reinders, a member of the SA Goldpanning Association and a member of the Bid Committee which travelled to Poland to present South Africa's bid to host the 2004 World Gold event.
South Africa was unsuccessful in its bid for the 2004 championships but Reinders says the committee will present another bid to host the 2005 event at the World Championships in Australia next year.
"The 2004 bid was given to the Slovak Republic, but we are optimistic that South Africa will be given the right to host the 2005 championships," she said.
With 20 member countries participating in the championships, literally thousands of international tourists could descend on Pilgrim's Rest in 2005, should the bid prove successful.
"Member countries have been known to privately charter a large jet airplane to transport participants and interested parties to the annual World Championships."
The SA Championships will be held from November 8 to 12, an event becoming increasingly popular with tourists.
Reinders explains that goldpanning was revived by Finland in the 1970s, when the World Goldpanning Association was formed. Only countries with a history of gold mining may become members.
(Adéle Mackenzie)
