Top women paddlers for Fish
28 September 2007
The Powerade Fish River Canoe Marathon gets under way today, with a strong international women's team set to test the best of South Africa's river marathon paddlers.
Classy Czech star Micha Mruzkova headlines a team that includes her compatriot Jana Blahova and world-class Austrian racer Petra Schlitzer.
Mruzkova, who made history last year by becoming the first foreigner to win the race's K2 title, enters the event with an excellent season in Europe behind her. Her successes included winning the European wild-water title, and finishing fifth in the 500 metres K2 A final at the World Sprint Championships with Blahova to secure qualification for the Olympic Games.
Blahova will also provide a strong challenge for the women's title in this year's Fish, along with
ace Austrian Schlitzer, who just missed out on a medal in the women's 500m World Champs K2 A final.
Experience the key to success
The trio of sprint and wild-water stars will form an ominously strong group on the river, with Mruzkova's experience over the last two editions of the two-day 82-kilometre marathon providing the key to success for all three, who are certain to work together over the tactically crucial 48-kilometre first stage.
"I really want to win the gold medal at the Hansa Powerade Fish," said Mruskova, whose bubbly enthusiasm has made her a popular competitor at the Eastern Cape event.
Her victory in the K2 race last year came in record-breaking fashion as she and fellow Czech Katerina Vacikova left the women’s record in tatters.
"This race is such a great experience for me," explained Mruskova.
"It's not just about racing through beautiful countryside, but it is also about trying to push our physical
limits during an exhausting race."
Positive experiences
She added that her positive experiences had rubbed off on many top European paddlers, who have a new respect for the race.
"The organisation is truly excellent, and this race is a chance for us to meet new people from different countries, and see their lifestyle on the other side of the Earth."
Mruzkova's experience will put pressure on the top local women, with the Czech's wild-water and sprint racing pedigree making her a real contender for the Hansa Powerade women's K1 title.
In 2005, when she made her debut, she astounded the spectators with her gutsy and skilful line down Keith's Flyover, which allowed her to erase the lead that eventual winner Abbey Miedema had earned. Had she not underestimated the demands of the tough 48-kilometre first stage, she would have been in a stronger position to challenge Miedema's stranglehold on the race.
Speed and
skill
In Blahova, she has a close friend and ally, with the speed and skill that took her to the A final in the women's 200m K1 and 500m K2 at the recent world champs in Germany.
Schlitzer also comes off a formidable sprint training base, combined with vast experience as a wild water-racer as a member of the Austrian national wild water squad. After being convinced to concentrate on trying to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, she scooped a world championship silver medal in the women's 500m K2.
"The Hansa Powerade Fish will be great fun for me, and the perfect start to the new season," she said.
"While I have good wild-water experience, it will be a first time racing a flatwater kayak in a river race, which I am really looking forward to."
Men's challenge
Apart from the strong international challenge in the women's race, Europe's top river marathon canoeist Jaka Jasbek will be contesting the men's event for the
first time.
The 28-year-old Jasbek, who hails from Torino in Italy, has won the famous Ardeche marathon K1 title for the last four years, and is a key member of Italy's national sprint and wild water teams.
He enthusiastically confirmed his participation as part of Team Hansa Powerade International, after hearing a lot about the race from other Europeans that have taken part.
"I grew up racing on rivers, and have only more recently been concentrating on my flatwater racing. To do well in a race like the Hansa Powerade Fish you need both skills," said Jasbek.
Unbeatable
Jasbek has been unbeatable in the Ardeche Marathon in France, widely regarded as one of Europe's top river marathons, and a competition that always attracts a very high quality field.
"I understand that the Fish is a lot like the Ardeche, and another river race that is popular here, the Verona in Italy," he added. Jasbek has won the K1 title in the Verona for
the last three consecutive years as well.
He has used his sprint base to extend his training to longer distances to enable him to be competitive in South Africa.
"I have spent so much time racing flatwater this year that I can't wait to get onto a river," Jasbek commented.
Big rapids
"I understand that there is always a good water release, so I am looking forward to some big rapids."
He will be encouraged by the superb showing of the internationals at last year's Hansa Powerade Fish in which Micha Mruzkova and Katerina Vacikova won the women's title, while Germans Max Hoff and Stefan Stiefenhoefer claimed second in the men's race.
Stiefenhofer has confirmed that he will be back to contest the K1 championship, but Hoff has unfortunately been sidelined by a knee injury.
Source: Canoeing South Africa
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