Three female Olympians
confirm entries for Drak Challenge
Underberg- Three women who
represented South Africa at the Beijing Olympians have confirmed their
entries for the Drakensberg Challenge canoe marathon next weekend, setting
up what promises to be a highly competitive dice for the title vacated by
Abbey Miedema.
Johannesburg based Olympic sprinters Jen Hodson and Carol Joyce have just
added their names to the entry list, along with fellow Olympian
Michéle Eray, who will be part of a large
contingent of very competitive Cape paddlers that will be making the trip to
Underberg for the prestigious race.
“I am really looking forward to the Drak Challenge!” enthused Hodson, who
relocated from Pietermaritzburg to Johannesburg to train with the elite
sprinters under national coach Nandor Almasi. “I love the river, but it will
be a test of my river confidence for sure.”
Since her return from the Beijing Games, Hodson has quickly adapted to the
demands of river racing, winning the Canon Breede3 and Vaal Challenge titles
with K2 partner Carol Joyce, and finishing third overall in the tough Bell
Ithala Challenge with boyfriend Jacques Theron. However her races on the
Hansa Powerade Fish and Lowveld Croc left her questioning her river skills.
“I am fit and ready to race but I do worry about the way that I attack the
rapids,” said Hodson frankly.
Of the thee Olympians Carol Joyce boats the most experience on the Umzimkulu
river. She won her last outing on the Drak Challenge in testing full
conditions in 2006, and is eager to make her mark on the 2009 race this
weekend.
“I absolutely love this race,” she enthused. “Everything, from the
challenging rapids to the clean, clean waster and scenery in the Berg around
Underberg makes it special. But I expect the level of competition from the
other women to be really high this year.”
Plettenberg Bay based Olympian Michéle Eray will
be making her debut on the Drak Challenge, and is itching to get to grips
with the Umzimkulu river. “After a bad Dusi experience, I can’t wait to race
on a clean river,” said Eray, who has recently had surgery on her forearms
to ease muscle problems encountered during her Olympic sprint training.
Eray has enjoyed a great deal of success since the Beijing Games, winning
the Dubai Shamaal and Hong Kong Dragon run surf ski races, in addition to
domestic victories in the Cape Discovery Men’s Health Surf Ski Series, Cape
Point Challenge and the SA Single ski champs in Knysna.
The three Olympians will have to get the better of a very high class field
of female elite river racers if they want a share of the podium places,
amongst them Alexa Cole, Tiffany Kruger, Hillary Pitchford, Robyn Kime, and
the Adie twins.
The Drakensberg
Challenge takes place in Underberg on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 February.
Entries close at 6pm on Friday 13 February. More information can be found at
www.drak.co.za
ENDS
