Current World 10km World Cup Series Champion, Chad Ho, is looking forward to trying to achieve a hat trick of wins at this month’s SPAR Redhouse River Mile which takes place on the Sundays River. Ho, from Kwazulu Natal, was in Port Elizabeth over the past weekend taking part in the international gala and confirmed that he is keen to return on the 27th to tackle Africa’s oldest open water swimming race. 2011 will be the 87th anniversary of the River Mile which was started in 1924.
Ho, South Africa’s most successful open water swimmer who spends most of his season taking part in 10km World Cup races around the world, will be hoping to achieve a hat-trick of wins following run-away victories in 2009 and 2010. The hat trick has only been achieved twice in the past 45 years, with Kevin Richards domination between 1979 and 1982 and Kyle Main between 1998 and 2001.
Contrary to the Men’s Mile, the Ladies Mile has only had 14 winners in its short 24 year history, with the now retired Velia Janse van Rensburg dominating between 2000 and 2008 with 8 wins. When she retired in 2009, Western Cape’s Dominique Dryding was quick to take over the reigns and repeated her win in 2010. Whether she too can achieve a hat trick of wins remains to be seen as EP has strength in their ladies open water swimming and the likes of Carmel Billson, Lauren Billson, Michaela Barnes, and Jessica Roux will certainly fancy their chances this year. Such is the depth of talent amongst our local ladies that any one of the talented youngsters currently in training could produce a surprise win come the 27th February.
The fun and excitement of the River Mile has received a welcome boost this year with the Rotary Club of PE Sunrise teaming up with Quali Juice to provide an awesome Kids Entertainment Zone on race day. For a nominal donation to Rotary, parents will be able to leave their kids to play in the Kids Zone with face painting, jumpy castles, a dump tank, DSTV and lots more.
Normal entries for the SPAR River Mile and Stormforce Prelim Kids races will close on Sunday 13th February. All entrants who enter by this date will receive the event t-shirt. An incentive for schools where each school receives a R1,000 for the class with the most entries has also been introduced this year to attract more families to the event. Late entries after the 13th will still be possible but an additional admin fee will apply.
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