Micaela Beers, only in Grade 10, won the mixed doubles Fish River Canoe Marathon. Her partner, Graham Bird aka Tweet, is one of the members of the South African Adventure Racing Team having attended World Champs on several occassions…….Micaela is hanging around with the big guns!
The Fish River Canoe Marathon is held over two days and covers a distance of 84kms. It is an extremely intense race with fast flowing water and massive rapids……”this race really gives the meaning of pure adrenalin!”
Micaela’s experience!
Day 1: 48km. Tweet and I started in the low Q batch! We were just going to take it easy and take a steady pace since it was my first Fish…..I laughed to myself as we are the two people where the words “take it easy” doesn’t exist! By the end of Day 1 we were in 3rd place with no swims and zero boat maintenance!
Day 2: 36km. Today was different…..we were in it to race……and race we did! We got off to a flier and portaged at speed, blessed with no swims……and before I could think of what the strategy was we were over the line and had won!
Graham Bird (Tweet) is an amazing and experienced paddler and we worked well together. It was a privilege to race with him!
Michelle Eray (World Champion and old Oakhillian) won the ladies singles……so all round our “big three” put Knysna on the canoeing map in a big way!
Michelle……it would be worth keeping a look over your shoulder…….Kaylee Beers might just be catching you!
Report: Dave Pryke
