Team SA wins Gold and Silver at ICF World Champs

Andy Birkett and Brandon van der Walt
congratulate each other having taken Gold and Silver

Andy Birkett and Brandon van der Walt you beauties!
Racing at the ICF World Marathon Championships, in the Men's U23 race, the pair took Gold and Silver in a race in which the South Africans dominated.
Having decided before the race to do what they could to help each other and "see what happens" (to quote Brandon), they raced flawlessly.
Off the start a bunch of approximately 20 boats lead away, trimming down to 11 at the 1st turn.

The 2 then dominated the crucial portages at the start of every lap to trim the bunch down to 8, and then 6, and then 4. Visibly smiling at each other all the way, the 2 were clearly enjoying the hard racing.
In the last lap the race for the medals was down to 3, with both Andy and Brandon using masterful tactics and increasing the pace. Andy lead into the last portage hard, and pulled away leading from the final put-in- Brandon on his wave, and only 1000m to go. The South Africans taking huge advantage of their portaging skills honed on river races at home where portaging is frequent.
After having made the outnumbered Norwegian paddler Mathias Hamar work hard to stay in the mix, they then made him pull around the last turn.
With 200m to go, Andy hit the afterburners. Hamar fell off the wash quickly leaving Brandon to try and make up the half-boat-length it would take to get across the line ahead. Although Brandon did edge Andy in the last 50m, Andy's nose crossed the line 1st, with Brandon 2nd.
Gold and Silver to Team South Africa!
This photo is taken just after the finish. What a picture it is! 2 athletes that have given everything in racing each other all the way to the finish, and have done so with great respect.
I am very proud to have played a small part in helping them get there, and have grown in respect for both of them.
Well done both of you. Your greatest achievement is the spirit in which you competed.
You have done your country and your sport proud.

All the best to Andy who races the K2 World Champs on Sunday with 2008 K2 World Champ, Cam Schoeman.

Brandon van der Walt heading for World Marathon Champs

With just 4 days to go before the South African team leaves for the ICF World Marathon Championships in Denmark, and only 10 days to go before the U23 K1 race, Brandon van der Walt is looking leaner and meaner than ever before.

A previous Junior World Marathon Champ, Brandon finished 5th last year in a race which his brother Grant lead the field home.  With Grant now racing with the seniors, Brandon has dedicated himself to achieving a podium finish this year. My bet is that he should aim for the top step.

Having made several very wise changes to his training program, Brandon has done a significant portion of his training on his own this time around. And having shed a whopping 9kg he really is looking fast and mean. No longer can his friends and training partners call him by the nickname "Stomach"- it quite simply is gone! Amazing what a few small changes to training and diet can make.

Having started working with Brandon in January 2012, the changes in his body are marked over the last few months, and the speed readings on the GPS are going in the right direction with every week closer to race day.

All the best "Stomach", I know you will be racing with someone special in mind this year.  Whatever the result, he will be watching you train and race with pride.

All you have to do is go 'faster than everyone, for longer than everyone'.

I look forward to reading the results.

Unlimited Dusi 2013

The River canoeing season is already in full swing, but the big event on the calendar at the start of the year in undoubtedly the Unlimited Dusi.
This year Andy Birkett has joined the stable of Chirosport athletes as he attempts to make it 4 Dusi titles in a row.

The pundits have Andy as firm favourite this year, unlike in the previous 3 years in which he has started as an underdog.  After 3 consecutive titles, it seems they have finally gotten the message. Andy is singularly focussed on 1 event per year, and plans meticulously for his assault on the course 1st negotiated by Ian Player back in December 1951.
Andy has taken the art, science and commitment of Dusi preparation back to the levels achieved by Graeme "The Pope"-Ellis, and the "Dusi Duke" Martin Dreyer.  Over the last 3 years, none of the "jack of all races" competition has been able to overcome the young PMB phenomenon.
Hopefully the work we have done in the Chirosport office will help him on his way to Durban in a week.
Perhaps to another title...?

Personally my own training for the race has gone well and I'll be gunning for a silver medal (11th to 50th). As far as athletes I'm hoping that 4 Chirosport athletes will fill Gold Medal positions in the race this year.
In what he says is his last "competitive" Dusi, Ant Stott is hoping for a top 10 despite a lack of running training subsequent to recovering from his long term achilles injury.
Both Hank McGregor and Len Jenkins will be trying to topple Andy from the top step of the podium.
I'll be shouting for all of them.
All the best everyone.
Enjoy it!