Spent the last week in Cape Town, stayed with good friend Megan Kelly (see www.holisticvet.co.za ). The wind blew, as it always does. Although on my first training paddle with the boys, it didn’t blow at all, making the 30 odd km’s seem more like 40 odd! Great to meet with old friends, I also forgot how beautiful CT is.

The plan was to get some solid training in, with an increase in intensity, as well as 2 races of the Discovery/Men’s Health CT Series.

Photo by Justin Vellacot/Gameplan Media

Both races went well, the first being a 3 lap affair in Fish Hoek, with some headwind, downwind, and 9 surf turns! Great fun! The second was an epic from Fish Hoek to Buffel’s Point in the Cape Point Nature Reserve, held in a seriously strong NW. The above picture is of the 3 lap Race in Fish Hoek.

Surprised with my fitness levels after only 2 weeks of training (or relieved ) Back in Plett now, with one more week of prep before the Knysna Sedgefield race, and then off to Hong Kong and Dubai. Not much time to train this year, going to have to rely on some great race tactics…

One week done, many more to go…

Summer is approaching, and the extra light hours are making getting up early a real treat. Low tides have made for some classic beach runs, and Bongo seems to be coping with the longer distances better:) Strength training has left me a lot more stiff and sore than usual, maybe that comes with turning 30? Otherwise, thoroughly enjoying being back on the water.

First ski session on Saturday, and there were at least 5 Southern Right Whales along the way, and then again, was within 50m of them on the beach run. Bongo kept stopping every time they would bellow out, and look at the sea. Not sure if he could see them, or if he just didn’t know what was making that noise.

On the Keurbooms River, which has been glassy (Yes Glassy Robbie-no wind )I spotted a troop of baboons on the bank, and the Fish Eagle was guarding his valley as usual. I am so lucky to be able to train here. Now just need to get the body to agree!

Today was a magic day in Plett. Walk on the pristine and untouched Keurboom’s Beach with my mom and the dogs Bella and Bongo. They were so pumped to get out there. Bongo had the most fun chasing after some sand flies! The small things! We live in such a beautiful place, and are so fortunate to have the opportunity to do what we do.

The Mad Mutts

Postponed my trip to Cape Town as I am still on a break, and totally enjoying not having to wake up and train. Although on a day like today I missed not paddling! I’m still pretty tired, so it’s good to rest and I am happy knowing that I am recovering for the hard season that is to come.

I I have been included in the “New Look” National Sprint Squad. It’s very positive that the Squad will now be getting financial and medical/sports science support. The past few years where we slogged it out have paved the way for the future generations, and I am glad to have contributed to this.

Racing to a win in the 2008 Hong Kong Dragon Run

Today was Travel Admin Day and I have just been booking flights for my upcoming Hong Kong/Dubai trip where I need to go and defend my titles. I was also Coach, and planned my training for the next 6 weeks “The Dragon-Dubai Plan”. Hope it pays off. Different approach to last year, as I was coming off a massive base after the Olympics. This year has been good, just long, so I’ve tried to keep the Dragon-Dubai plan full of fun and variation, not forgetting lots of HARD work:)

Hope this great weather sticks around until I start my training…

Click on the link below:

Cape Point Ad

Photo by Gameplan Media

The Fish River Marathon has to be one of the Greatest Races in the world! The organisation is superb, excellent safety, fun After-Party with awesome South African bands (think Prime Circle), good friends, and a GREAT river full of exciting rapids, man-made weirs, and some flat sections to test your endurance (and mental strength!)

My Race:

Good start in the mist, the same mist that caused half of B Batch to get lost. I got across the dam pretty quickly, and led the portage over the dam wall, and back into the river. We had caught up to a lot of the guys who got lost in the mist ahead of us, and there was quite a people-block at the second put in after Collett Weir. As I was paddling away, a male paddler hit my paddles, pushing them under my boat, and causing me to have a very unfortunate swim. I went from my hard-earned 1^st to about 5^th. I pushed hard and managed to catch up to Robyn and Abie at Keith’s Flyover, and had a great portage and managed to put in ahead of the girls. Robyn hopped on my wave and we were now in 2^nd and 3^rd place. We tried pulling at a constant pace and managed to catch up to Katerina just above Katkop Portage. Then, I put in a bit of a surge and managed to drop her, but Robyn stayed on my wave. Last 2 obstacles coming up were Glen Alpha Bridge which was negotiated successfully, and then finally, Knudtsford Drop. This did not go well, and I think fatigue must have been setting in as I stuffed it up properly, opening up the door for Robyn to take the stage win, and even for Katerina to catch up and pass me. So that meant that I had to start Day 2 about 2 minutes behind Robyn and about 1:10 behind Katerina.

Albert, his wife Michelle and I after Day 1

Day 2: Elapsed Time start

I started hard, and managed to catch both Robyn and Katerina fairly quickly, after about 35 minutes into the stage. I rested up on the wave, and tried to focus on recovering as quickly as possible. After Gauging Weir I put the burners on and managed to drop Katerina, and then just above Marlow Shoot I managed to drop Robyn. One more major obstacle to go and my first Fish victory would be realised. Not sure why I panicked, but I shot it a little too far to the right, and had a major swim. The lifeguards got me out, although it felt like I was there for ages. The suck back is really strong, and made me remember why man-made obstacles are so dangerous. My boat on the other hand, had a real ‘mare of a time. It got held under water for at least 4-5 minutes, while I waited in the bank. My paddle eventually popped out, then my boat. By now both Robyn and Katerina had passed by, and with the finish only just over a kilometre away, there was no chance of catching them! If I had only had a quick swim, and my boat hadn’t been held for so long, or if only I had shot it properly, if only, if only… That is river racing for you. Well done to Robyn Kime for having a flawless day, showing that “no mistakes” wins the race!

I have never won the Fish, and the last Eastern Province paddler to win it was the late Daniel Conradie, who was my coach and mentor. To say the Fish means a lot to me is an understatement. I  am super proud of being an Eastern Cape paddler, “Oos Kaap” rocks, and I will definately be back next year to make ammends and try my hardest to claim a victory.

Thanks to my mom for being a “Super Second” and driving for me, and making me some power food!

Below is how I should have shot the weir

Eray targets Hansa Powerade Fish to end her best season ever - Written by Dave Macleod Friday, 25 September 2009

Cradock – Cape canoeing star Michéle Eray has her sights firmly set on the Hansa Powerade Fish river canoe marathon next weekend for three reasons. She has never won the race, she regards it as the years paddling highlight, and the 82km marathon will mark the end of a long year and the start of a well earned rest.

Michéle Eray will be focusing her energies on sharpening her river skills ahead of the Hansa Powerade Fish river canoe marathon, which is also deciding the SA K1 river championships for 2009. (Justin Vellacot/ Game plan media)

The cheerful 30 year old former Plettenberg Bay resident now living in Cape Town has three second places and a third place in this key race to her credit, and wants to add the K1 title to the long list of victories that she has notched up in the past twelve months. She has been unbeaten in surf ski races since snatching international titles in Hong Kong and the lucrative Dubai Shamaal last year, and went on to win the prestigious Drakensberg Challenge on the technically demanding Umzimkulu river in February.

Eray has just jetted home after taking part in the world marathon champs, where she raced well but was unable to reproduce her medal winning performance of her last outing at that level. With the Hansa Powerade Fish deciding the SA K1 river championship titles this year, Eray is aiming for the two day event in Cradock as a final peak before a well earned rest. “It has been a long, long year, and my body is telling me that I need a break,” said Eray. “I am genuinely feeling tired but there is absolutely no way that I am going to miss this race.”

Eray will start as one of the favourites in the women’s title, alongside Czech Republic ace Katerina Vacikova and another Olympian Jen Hodson, KZN ace Tiffany Kruger and Maties student Robyn Kime, while the current national K1 marathon champion Brigitte Hartley will not be on the startline as she is holidaying in France. “It’s hard to tell who is going to be a factor in this years women’s race,” Eray added. “There will be the usual frantic dash to Keith’s Flyover, but the first day is a long, long way, and that usually sorts the contenders out.”

Eray is eyeing Vacikova with interest. The Czech wild water ace has won the K2 title twice in succession with Micha Mruskova, and is focusing on her K1 skills as she makes her singles debut on the Fish. “She will probably shoot Keith’s and make it, while a lot of other girls opt for the portage. We will have to see whether she has the distance in her after that. It’s going to be very interesting.”

Apart from the attraction of the SA championship medals, Eray has a deep seated desire to win the Hansa Powerade Fish title, particularly as she has spent much of her competitive life in the Eastern Cape. “It’s easily the best race of the year, and you can see that in the size of the entry again. But I have come second and third too often and I am a little sick of that,” she said impishly.

She will be focusing her training on river skills in the build-up to the Fish, and after a weekend training on the Bontebok, she will spend several days in Cradock preparing on the race course. “I actually haven’t been on moving water since the Drak Challenge, so that is my priority now,” said Eray. However this echoes her sentiments before the Drak this year, where her cool head and technical river skills saw her win that race on debut while all her challengers succumbed to the challenges of the mountain river. “A good result in this year’s Fish would be the perfect end to a long, long year, before I have to get to form again for the defence of my Dubai Shamaal title” said Eray. The Hansa Powerade Fish starts at Grassridge dam on Friday 2 October and ends in Cradock on Saturday 3 October.

More information can be found at www.fishmarathon.org.za

So the K2 race didn’t quite happen. I woke up feeling well recovered from the singles, and pretty pumped to give the doubles a good go. Bridgie and I felt solid in the boat, and we were really getting excited at teh thought of a god fight. We had a great start, and got onto a nice diamond behind the Portuguese crew. Then disaster struck. The boat veered right, I managed to control it and tried to get us back on the diamond, but suddenly we veered left. That’s when I realised the steering was gone! The T-Bar mechansim had come loose. We stopped and went to the bank, where I managed to sort it out, but the gap was now massive. We started paddling again, and considered chasing the group down. We were so disappointed, and the thought of a long, solitary paddle wasn’t helping, especially after the day before’s effort. Also, we knew we should be in the front bunch, not right at the back. After half a lap, we bailed.

 Shaun and Ant had a great race and ended up 2nd to a very fast Spanish crew. Hank and Grant had probably the race of the day, and came back after a terrible start, and finished up 5th. 

Just a quick report back on the race:

Not a great start, but had Hank´s words ringing in my ears, “Don´t worry if you are off at the start, you have 5 laps to catch up”. So I took it easy, until after the first portage. A German woman had a bad takeout, so I hopped on her wave, and she pulled me up to Bridge, and within striking distance of the 2nd bunch. The front bunch was made up of 3 boats-Hungarian Renata, a British paddler and local hero from Portugal Beatriz Gomes.

Anyway, I messed up the turn, getting a little squeezed at the turning cans, ending up losing my ride tothe 2nd bunch. Spent the rest of the race in good company with one of Polands marathon legends, and we ended up catching Bridgette, and finished 8th, 9th, and 10th. Beatriz won for Portugal!

Shaun finished 4th, behind Busto, Ben Brown and a Portuguese guy, with Len in 10th. More later, plus  photos.

Now its time to recover for the K2 with Bridge tomorrow.

Loving this place so far, the people are super friendly, we are staying in a top hotel (thanks CSA), our team is doing well (more on that later).

The course is pretty tricky, with a very steep portage, on a slippery jetty, then onto sand for the downhill to the beach. I am unfortunately racing at low tide (1245 Sat K1 and 1100 Sun K2), which makes that jetty even steeper, and exposes some obstacles, but its the same for everyone in my race.

Grant van der Walt won the Mens U23 and his brother Brandon “Stomach” won the Junior Mens K1! Awesone stuff!

Tomorrow its the Junior K2 in the morning, then the Senior Men and Women K1 events from lunch.

 Its been great catching up with old friends from around the world. Now its time to race!!

If you would like to watch the event live, there is video streaming on the ICF website – www.canoeicf.com

I am back in Plett, after an epic 12.5hr drive through the most amazing part of South Africa-the Transkei.

Training on the Keurbooms River

 Forgot how beautiful Plett is. The weather has been great so far. On my first day back I had a run along the beach, and spotted a Southern Right Whale just 10m from the shore! Awesome

Bit of a monstrous coldfront pulling through as I type, going to test my dedication to a paddle today. The spin bike could be a good alternative…

Leave for Portugal on Monday coming, here is the race website for more info:

http://www.canoemarathonwc2009.com/

Here’s a picture of the stunning Keurbooms River (doubt it will look like that today…)