Visiting
British star enters GT Drak Challenge
Underberg - Top
British wild water canoeist Ben Oakley has added his name to the strong
field that is assembling for this weekend's Global Trader Drakensberg
Challenge, encouraged by the 2007 victory on the same race by German wild
water ace Max Hoff.
Oakley comes into the race with a top wild water racing pedigree, having
notched up a string of top five finishes in recent World Cup races, and an
overall world ranking of eight at the end of last season.
He has spent the past week in Underberg training with six times champion of
the race Ant Stott, and enjoying the luxury of being able to train on the
Umzimkulu river in both low and full conditions with one of the the race's
icons.
The tough 21 year racer from Bath has promised to give everything he has
during the popular two-day race. "I am going to give it a good shot, for
sure," said Oakley. "I am a pretty competitive chap so I wont be holding
back at all."
Oakley is spending the European winter months racing in Australia, where a
series of wild water World Cups was held in Tasmania, and continuing his
training in South Africa. He is also buoyed by stunning victory of Max Hoff
in low conditions three years ago, the first person ever to win the race on
debut.
"It's that sort of river really," said Oakley. "There are so many rapids
that it is impossible to learn all the lines. You just have to read what you
see in front of you and figure out the flow of the water, which is
particularly difficult in a hectic race environment."
Oakley had arranged to stay with friend Mark Ussher in Durban, who put him
onto the race. "He told me there was this absolutely must-do race at the end
of the month in the Drakensberg. I was able to connect with Ant Stott, and
spent a week up in Underberg, and I am really looking forward to being back
there a few days ahead of the race. It's an amazing place!"
"The river is a bit like the middle section of the Bala river in Wales," he
added. "The volume of water might be different, but it is just as rocky and
technical."
Oakley's training in Underberg last week hit a snag when he capsized in the
nasty Glenhaven rapid, and wrapped his K1 on a rock at the bottom of the
channel. "It caught me by surprise," he admitted. "I went into the second
hole, and the water flipped the tail of my boat to one side and I flipped. I
tried to roll it up, but couldn't."
Fortunately Stott was on hand to help rescue the craft pinned in the rock at
the bottom of the rapid, and to help the British paddler repair his damaged
kayak.
"The hospitality I have enjoyed here has been just amazing. People have been
so good to me. Mark Ussher has lent me a good boat, and all the kit I need
which I otherwise would never have brought with me," said Oakley. "it's
going to be loads of fun, and I can promise you I will be pulling hard to
try and stay with the front guys."
The Global Trader Drakensberg Challenge takes place in Underberg on 27 and
28 February. More information can be found at
www.drak.co.za
ENDS
