Abby Adie and Anna Adamová powered to an impressive 21-place finish overall for victory in the women’s division of South Africa’s premier one-day canoeing race, the Ozzie Gladwin, presented by Parklane Superspar, on Sunday.
The cool and windless conditions meant a flat Albert Falls Dam, making for a very fast start to the event over the 4km lap, that led to the 1km run around the dam wall, but no teven a bent rudder at Cascades Rapid and the loss of one or two minutes put winners Adie and Adamová under pressure.
“We’ve had a good day,” said Adie. “It was quite relaxed, especially on the dam. We just hung with the other girls and then just before the portage we put in an interval and broke ahead. From the portage there was no looking back and we pulled away.”
“It was so hard,” Adamová laughed as she described the portage. The Czech star recently finished second in the K1 division and third in the K2s at the Marathon World Championships, and based upon the pair’s early season form, they are going to very tough to beat in the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon.
Natal Canoe Club Chairman and Race Organiser Paul Firman declared himself very happy with the big entry of 632 boats and said he was especially pleased with the number of development paddlers competing. The quality of the field was pleasing too, he added.
Firman also paid tribute to race sponsor Cameron McKenzie of Parklane Superspar. “We’re very grateful. Cameron has done a huge amount for canoeing,” he said.
Leading Results at the Ozzie Gladwin, presented by Parklane Superspar, on Sunday, 10 November, 2013: 1. Abby Adie/Anna Adamová 2:06:32.00 2. Jenna Ward/Kerry Segal 2:12:58.93 3. Hilary Bruss/Donna Tutton 2:14:27.46 4. Debbie Germiquet/Carmen Donald 2:18:04.07 5. Kelly Howe/Hayley Arthur 2:18:27.70
More info can be found at www.ozziegladwin.co.za
(With editing by gsport)
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