Bester heads up field packed with world champions

EAST LONDON – A strong field of world beaters – headlined by three recently crowned World Champions – will line-up to compete for the women’s title at the Biogen Pete Marlin Surfski Race in East London on Saturday and Sunday.

Heading the field and defending her race title will be overall and U23 ICF Ocean Racing World Champion Kira Bester, along with Michelle Burn and Georgia Singe, the senior and junior world champions respectively. The trio are among five paddlers at the Pete Marlin who finished within the top 10 at the World Championships in Madeira Island earlier this month.

Bester won the World Championships overall, with Burn second, Melanie van Niekerk fourth, Singe seventh and Jade Wilson ninth.

In a field packed with world-beating stars, top paddlers like four-time winner and East London local Nix Birkett, and Cape Town visitors Candice Starr and Christy Shrimpton, will have to be at their best to finish within the top five.

Bester will be supremly confident following her impressive victory at Madeira Island earlier this month, but can expect a tough battle against current South African Champion and three-time race winner Burn, who revels in big wave conditions and could be marginal favourite if the surf is big on Saturday.

Van Niekerk is also no slouch in big downwind conditions and recent form suggests these three will be battling for the 2024 Biogen Pete Marlin victory and the healthy R15 000 first prize.

When asked about the strength of the field, Bester said the potent lineup was not unusual for South African surfski events.

“I don’t specifically think the field is stronger than usual for South Africa because our races are generally very, very strong,” said the recently crowned World Champion, before adding: “That was evident in the results coming out of the world champs.

“(At Pete Marlin) there is a wide open field and everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. It’s going to be very dependent on the day’s conditions – if it’s a downwind the ladies that have a bit more experience will probably come into play, whereas if it’s a bit flatter, the marathon work horses are really going be able to challenge any one … basically I don’t think there’s anyone specific I am worried about, but the field as a whole is just very, very strong.

“Winning the World Champs does add a bit of pressure, but I have kind of worked through that over the past few weeks and I have realised that after the race is done it’s a new opportunity. I don’t put any pressure on myself any more, because it’s a new race, in a new place, with new conditions, so it’s going to be a completely different experience.”

Bester also explained why this weekend’s race is one of her favourites.

“I think the Biogen Pete Marlin is such an awesome race. The community is really lovely and the people are just amazing. It’s really well run and it’s along that beautiful coastline where I don’t think a lot of the paddlers actually venture. But I think the biggest thing for me is that the field is really strong and so you know you’re getting some proper racing with the proper distance, so it’s preparing you very well for the next races throughout the season.

“For me and Melanie, going to Hong Kong for the Dragon Run and WA (West Australia) Race Week after the Pete Marlin, I can confidently say we’re prepared, because we have done a proper mileage race. I highly recommend it to any paddler that’s wanting to try something new. It’s an awesome, awesome, awesome race.”

As an added incentive, this weekend’s race is the final leg of the inaugural Euro Steel Surfski TRPL Crown series, with Bester enjoying a slender lead over Burn after the opening two events in this series – the Prescient Freedom Paddle in April and South African Championships in July. Burn will need to beat Bester by more than two minutes and ten seconds to catch the current World Champ if she wants to win the series.

Saskia Hockly is currently third in the TRPL Crown, but exams have forced her out of the Pete Marlin, which means talented junior Singe is likely to move up to third, although Van Niekerk is not too far behind.

The final course options will be decided later in the week, dependant on weather and wind conditions, with the singles race due to be paddled on Saturday and the doubles on Sunday.

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