Bridgitte’s WC Gold a 1st for SA

Bridgitte
Hartley paddled her way into the canoeing history books on Sunday, when she won
South Africa’s first ever gold
medal at a sprinting World Cup regatta, when she won the women’s 1000m A final at
the third Canoeing World Cup, at Poznan,
Poland.

Following
hot on the heels of her silver medal in the Duisburg World Cup earlier this
month, Hartley raced the race of her life to win the final by a massive margin,
and in the process ensconced herself as one of the canoeing world’s fastest-rising
stars.

Hartley, who
hounded the other star of South African women’s sprint canoeing Jen Hodson for
the right to race the K1 in the women’s 500m at the Beijing Olympics, had
focused on the non-Olympic 1000m races after losing her bid to snatch the
Olympic berth from Hodson.

"I have
discovered that I seem to thrive under pressure," said Hartley. "Even
though I get very nervous, as I did in the last two World Cups, I actually have
exceeded my own expectations."

Hodson in
the meantime remains right on track for her Olympics dreams after another
fourth place in the 500m A final, repeating her result from the Duisburg World
Cup.

Completing a
stellar weekend for the Lotto backed team South Africa, the women’s K4 crew
posted a sixth place in the A final of their 500m event.

The SA team
will return to South Africa
for a short rest before returning to Szolnok for
a final training camp before jetting to China for the Olympic Games in
August.