Jenkins teams with Matt Bouman for Hansa Powerade Fish

Monday, 27 September 2010 16:43

User Rating: / 2
PoorBest 

Jenkins aims at record seventh Fish

Cradock – World Marathon Championship medalist Len Jenkins is jetting home from Spain this week to challenge for an unprecedented seventh victory in the Hansa Powerade Fish river canoe marathon, and has enlisted powerhouse paddler Matt Bouman as a partner for what is shaping up to be a ferociously competitive title race.
Jenkins, who has won six back to back K1 titles since 2001, and won the K2 title with Hank McGregor in 2006, won a bronze medal in the senior men's K1 race at the world marathon championships in Banyoles in Spain on the weekend.

Jenkins and a number of elite marathoners in the South African squad that finished fifth overall at the world marathon championships will fly back on the first available flights to be able to be on the startline for the Hansa Powerade Fish River canoe marathon that starts on Friday morning.

The Pietermaritzburg based speedster, who has spent much of his year training with the national sprint squad has earned the title "King of the Fish" from his peers of his uncanny ability to outstrip all challengers over the three hour first stage, and knows the tactical demands of the race better than any other paddler.

Word has been circulating in canoeing circles that Jenkins has been without a partner for this year's race, and he even put out feelers on his Facebook profile looking for potential partners for the race.

"We haven't done that much time in the boat together," said Bouman. "But we have paddled together before and went well, so I am really looking forward to the race."

Bouman anchored a K3 that tore through the field last year to finish in the top ten overall, helping to build the credibility of the unusual three seater craft to the point that they have been included as a formal class for the first time in this year's race.

"I have been concentrating on surfski and lifesaving events, so the Hansa Powerade Fish is an extra for me," said Bouman. "But it is a really great event and I am looking forward to the race. It's going to be very, very competitive this year," he added.

Jenkins will be joined on the startline by another South African medal winner from last weekend's world marathon champs, teenager Brandon van der Walt, and a number elite local racers who just missed medalling at the world title decider at Banyoles in Spain.

Brandon van der Walt had to settle for the silver medal in his attempted defence of the U18 world title, and is looking forward to his Fish challenge with talented Cape paddler Ivan Kruger, where they will start as the hot favourites to take the junior title.

His older brother Grant van der Walt, who came away with a fourth place in his bid to defend his Under 23 world title, will team up with Hank McGregor. The 2008 champs will start as the favourites to retain their title in this year's Hansa Powerade Fish.

Also jetting back from Spain just in time for the big race in Cradock this weekend is Eastern Cape star Michéle Eray, who had to endure being muscled off the podium twice in two days, finishing fourth in the tightly contested women's K1 race, and adding another fourth in the women's K2 title decider with Bridgitte Hartley the following day.

Eray has enlisted river racing pacesetter Robyn Kime as a partner for the Hansa Powerade Fish, pooling the top two paddlers in last year's K1 championship race into a crew that is being widely tipped to take the title, and for Eray.

Eray, as a full time sport coach, feels it is perfectly reasonable to expect a top athlete to be in peak shape for two consecutive weekends, but added that the problem often lay in the time spent travelling abroad.

"Staying at a peak for two weekends is fine, but it is the flying and travelling that is often the problem," says Eray. "Long hours in airport lounges and on planes can often leave an athlete with a cold, especially in the days after a big competition. So the trick is to make sure the athlete takes every possible precaution to avoid this, rests well during the travel legs, and then it is simply a case of re-awakening the explosiveness before the race."

The Hansa Powerade Fish river canoe marathon takes place in Cradock on 1 and 2 October. More information can be found at www.fishmarathon.org.za

< Prev		Next >