As she sets her sights on a hat-trick of victories in the Windhoek Berg River Canoe Marathon, Stellenbosch University student Robyn Kime knows this will be the most competitive women’s race she has been involved in, and is relishing the prospect of a fierce tussle for the title.
The 50th anniversary race takes place from 13 to 16 July. It is preceded by a time trial on 12 July.
A final year engineering student, Kime has not been able to dedicate as much time as she would have liked to her training because of her study commitments, but now that she has completed her exams she has returned to her home in Pietermaritzburg to prepare for the race in warmer weather.
‘Very different’
“It’s going to be a very different Windhoek Berg for the women this year, for a number of reasons,” she said. “The winner’s prize money is equal to the men’s winner, which is very important, and a trend that other major races follow.
“The women’s rules have changed and we will basically start in a batch together every day, which is going to make the racing very tight.
“The first two days will be critical because any lead you pick up there can be banked and you just need to stay with the bunch to preserve that.”
She is itching to race against the powerful Plettenberg Bay-based Olympian Michéle Eray, who beat her in the Swartland Marathon last month that covers a third of the Windhoek Berg course.
‘It’s going to be a great race’
“Mich (Eray) might be stronger than me in flatwater speed, but maybe I have an edge in the swirling water and in the trees, so it is going to be a great race.
“If I do manage to get a gap on her on the first day or two, she will try and drop me when the race gets into the long sections of flatwater,” she added. “I just have to be able to hang onto her slip.”
Following the departure of Abbey Miedema for Canada, Kime stepped in to fill the void as the Windhoek Berg’s female pacesetter.
Now, with her degree almost complete, Kime is contemplating a Masters’ year, which would allow her to keep up her paddling commitments, and continue making her mark on the race.
Since Cheronne Botes won the first women’s Berg title in 1978, six women have won three or more titles. Kime will be aiming to become the seventh to achieve that feat.
