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With another massive field converging on Cradock for this weekend's Hansa Fish River Canoe Marathon, local stars Greg Louw and Michéle Eray will be carrying the regions hopes of keeping the silverware in the Eastern Cape.
Louw, who was raised in the Cradock region and learnt to paddle on the Fish River, has been in superb form this season and has taken his paddling to a new level since his commitment to the national sprint squad where he quickly rose through the ranks of the Olympic aspirants competing in the new 200m K1 event.
"Things have gone well the past couple of weeks for me," said Louw. "I’m definitely feeling a bit fitter after pre-Fish but I haven’t been on the river too much since then with varsity taking up a lot of my time. All the big guns are here in town and many of them have been out on the river so it should be a great race."
"The Pre-Fish race went well for me, until I took a bit of a tumble at Cradock Weir which meant I finished third," said Louw. "Pre-Fish is basically just a tripping opportunity though, it’s not a very serious race, so I was happy how things went for me there and the nice thing about swimming at Cradock Weir during pre-Fish is it just wakes you up a little bit before Fish and gets you ready for the big one."
"If we could somehow get a local onto the podium in both the men’s and women’s race it would be absolutely amazing," said Louw. "So much can happen on the river though and for it to be achieved in both races a lot would need to happen."
"Having a look at the start list there are at least fifteen guys who will be right up there this year so it will definitely be a huge contest," said Louw. "I think if you can make it through Keith’s safely and still be in the mix after that then you’ll be in with a shout because not a lot changes after that."
"For once I’m actually looking forward to the flats later on in the race a whole lot more this year," he added. "I’m a lot fitter this year than I have been the past few years and I enjoy riding wave so I’ll definitely make sure I try get to the flats with someone else and try work our way up together."
Eray hit the headlines in 2010 when she won the women's K2 race with Robyn Kime, making her the first Eastern Cape local to win the coveted Fish title since the legendary late Daniel Conradie in 1997.
"This is our major, our big one, and to be sure we would love to keep the title in the Eastern Cape," said Eray, who has just returned from a successful showing at the world marathon championships in Rome, where she finished 9th in the K1 race and 4th in the women's K2 race with Kime.
However she is only beginning her comeback from a debilitating wrist injury that sidelined her for 18 months.
"I haven't paddled on a river like this for a long time and my plan is to try and stay upright for the entire race!" she said.
She also said the women's race was easily the most competitive line-up that she has taken part in. "It has never been this competitive. It is unbelievably good for women's paddling to have so many girls going so well. Robyn Kime is really on form, and you have to watch out for Jen Theron as well."
She added that two factors will count in the first stage of the women's race on Friday - endurance over the long 49km stage and the gains to be had from shooting the notorious Keith's Flyover 10km into the race, an obstacle normally portaged by the top women.
"It is a long way on the first day," said Eray. "I don't think anyone has done the miles for 49km so it is going to be tough at the end of day one."
"Normally there isn't a lot to be gained in the women's race by shooting Keith's Flyover but this year things might change because it is so tight. I am not committing now, I will make up my mind on the day,” she added.
The Hansa Fish takes place in Cradock on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 October 2012 and will decide the SA K1 River Championships. More information can be found at www.fishmarathon.org.za
