Michelle Eder gets Varsity College Marine Surfski Series Challenge under
way on Friday night
Durban -
Michelle Eder will start her first race in the summer Varsity College Marine
Surf Ski Series, eager to get her challenge for the series title under way in
the Hansa Surfski Challenge on Friday night.
The tenacious 24 year old Amanzimtoti resident has been a consistent force to
be reckoned with in the KwaZulu-Natal surfski scene in recent years, and
after missing the summer series pipe-opener a fortnight ago, she is eager to
make her mark and close the overall ranking headstart that women's leader
Donna Winter currently enjoys.
Winter downed Danica Vorster to win the Billy The Bums Surfski Challenge,
with schoolgirl Jenna Ward securing the last spot on the podium.
The
Varsity
College student feels passionately that the smaller number of women competing
in surf ski events is changing, and should be supported by a fair balance in
the prize money.
"The top females put as much effort and training in as the men and this is
shown in the many close sprint finishes," says Eder. "Often there are only
two minutes between the top three females. The smaller numbers of females
competing should therefore not affect the total prize money."
Eder, who finished second in the last Dunlop
Surfski World Cup in
Durban last July, is eager to encourage novice women’s to get into the sport,
and to use the Varsity College Marine Surf Ski Series as an easy starting
point.
"The series seems geared up for beginners so you will not be the only one out
there," said Eder. "Get in a double or a nice stable single. Don't be
de-motivated when you feel you can't do it. We all started off exactly the
same - it just takes time and determination."
"All the races are held at Marine ensuring calmer conditions for those just
starting out and for the more social paddler whose surf skills are not great.
Distances are similar to a weekly dice making the pace fast for the leaders
but also more manageable for beginners," said Eder. "The shorter distances
help get paddlers ready for the paddling season ahead," she added.
Eder has been competing since her days as an
emerging schoolgirl, and is a passionate supporter of the Friday night
format.
"It’s a great way to start the weekend. You feel good after a hard race.
There is nothing better than going in the sea after a long week at the
office!"
"There are more and more surfski races on the calendar every year and it
becomes difficult to take part in all of them," said
Eder. "I feel you need to be selective and chose which races you intend doing
and go from there."
"The Varsity College Marine surfski series is a great starter to my training
program after having some time out over December. It's another excuse to race
in your surfski without the distance being too far that it leaves you too
exhausted to train the following day."
"Of course, the more time you spend racing in your ski, the better you will
become at it, and at the same time your wave riding skills and surf skills
will improve. It forms a great part of my weekly training getting me ready
for the winter series and other World Series races," Eder said.
ENDS
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Michelle Eder in action |
Anthony Grote/
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Michelle Eder in action |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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Michelle Eder in action |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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