Eray conquers Berg River
Text by Candice Ludick
“Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.” (Author unknown.)
These appropriate words quoted on Plettenberg Bay paddling champion Michèle Eray’s blog, eloquently describe her achievements.
Eray won her maiden women’s title in the Berg River Canoe Marathon, a tough four-day race from Paarl to Velddrif, amid a field 350 paddlers who competed in this years fiftieth anniversary race.
“I am very happy with my win. A lot of planning, time and preparation went into this race, and on the day, everything went perfectly,” said Eray.
Eray secured a twenty minute victory over defending double women’s champion, Robyn Kime. She completed the race in a little more than two hours behind the men’s champion, Hank McGregor.
Eray started each day or leg alongside Kime and lightning fast sprinter Jen Hodson, before slowly pulling away from her competitors and then racing home solo, only meeting her second at pre-determined points along the route for energy-boosting snacks, liquids and any other necessities.
“My mom was my second (Colleen Eray) and she was awesome. You can’t do this race without a good second, and she was the best,” said Eray.
Eray, who was the first female home in a time of 04:45:31.90, described day one (62km from Paarl to Zonquasdrift) as “pretty smooth racing for me”. She came 34th overall for this stretch of the challenge.
On the second day stretch Day (45.6km from Zonquasdrift to Bridgetown) she finished 33rd, once again the first female in a time of 03:37:40.93. Although she was racing competitively, this did not stop her from appreciating her surroundings. “There is a stretch of river on the second day, where you paddle in these green fields with a snow-capped mountain in front of you – absolutely beautiful,” enthused Eray.
On day three Eray maintained poll position in the women’s league and placed 34th overall in 05:48:45.63 through a gruelling 73km from Bridgetown to Zoutkloof.
On day four, “the homeward stretch,” 61km from Zoutkloof to Port Owen, she completed the full race in a total time of 19:06:02.19, making her the new women’s champion.
“This is not a race for sissies,” explained Eray as she recounted the final magical moments of the race. “The last 3km people are screaming and cheering for you, and you realise that the four days of racing is finally over, [it is] a great sense of achievement,” said Eray.
Eray regularly shares accounts of her training and racing on her blog.
“Doing the 50th Berg River Marathon was always on my hit list of things to do. Any race that is celebrating its 50th edition has to be special… Once you got on the start line, there was only one way to the finish 244km down the river at Port Owen… 100% commitment,” wrote Eray.
Visit http://micheray.com/ to read more about her adventures as she lives her dream.
Source: Knysna-Plett Herald
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