Many champions have graced the podium in the 50-year history of the aQuellé Midmar Mile and numerous characters have emerged as stalwarts of the iconic event.

One such swimmer, who has gone somewhat under the radar despite her enormous success, is Rita Townsend.

The 66-year-old is the mother of 2004 Olympic relay champion and former world record-holder Darian Townsend but has also notched up an impressive record of her own.

The Pietermaritzburg swimmer first competed in the aQuellé Midmar Mile in 1981, when she and husband Ted moved to the city.

They didn’t return to the event until the 1990s though, once their children were older, and Townsend then began her triumphant run at Midmar. Her age group victories have spanned a remarkable four decades (three in the 31-40 category, seven in the 41-50, eight in the 51-60s and three so far in the 61-70s).

Victory wasn’t necessarily Townsend’s main motivation over the years, however. “I enjoy keeping fit and following a healthy lifestyle,” she explained. “Swimming is the easiest way for me to exercise. My main aim is to keep healthy and keep the bulges at bay but I don't have the time to put in the mileage that I would like to.”

Much of Townsend’s time is taken up by teaching and coaching others and many a young Pietermaritzburg swimmer has come through her ranks.

“As a swimming teacher and coach at junior school level, I am hugely satisfied when I have instilled a love of swimming in the children I teach who go on to swimming competitively at club level or enjoy participating in our Midmar Mile,” she said.

“Competitive swimming keeps youngsters constructively busy, away from too much TV and computer games, and off the streets. Swimming at Midmar Dam and the beach over the weekends were our go-to places when our children were growing up.”

Asked what brings her back to the event each year, Townsend explained: “Partly because Midmar is right on our doorstep but mainly because [race director] Wayne

Riddin puts on such a spectacular swimming event each year. It becomes an exciting event to take part in and for spectators to be there. Also, it is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and swimmers from all over the country.”

As for the chances of winning a 22nd age group title this weekend, Townsend admits she isn’t too certain.

“I’m not terribly confident of winning this year. I didn’t win it last year. I’ve never actually won an entire decade. As you get to the top of a decade, you’re racing against people much younger than yourself… that’s how it happens. I don’t always win and that’s ok.

“This year I think I’m just going to be happy to get on the podium because I know there are a lot of good swimmers out there that are actually better swimmers than myself… the bottom line is – do your best on the day and hope you swim the straightest line so that you don’t swim any extra metres. I’m pretty sure there’ll be stiff competition out there with this being the 50th anniversary of the Midmar Mile so I’m looking forward to seeing a whole bunch of blasts from the past and we’ll see how it goes on the day.”

The aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place from 9-12 February 2023 at Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal. Online entries are now closed. Those still wishing to swim can enter on the day at the dam but should arrive two hours before their race. For more details, head to www.midmarmile.co.za

Photo credits: Action Photo SA

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South Africans may be more familiar with spotting former Bafana Bafana star Mark Fish on a football field. But come this weekend he’ll be taking to the water for the 50th anniversary aQuellé Midmar Mile.

The 1996 Africa Cup of Nations champion is a regular at the KwaZulu-Natal dam and will be taking on the mile for a sixth time, while also raising money for charity.

“The Midmar is an event that is close to my heart as I have competed in five, going on six and they all have been different experiences,” said Fish, who has just returned from the African Nations Championship in Algeria where he was working as a member of the CAF Technical Study Group.

“The event is fantastically organised and competitors are friendly and all self-motivated for different reasons.

“I have swum a few by myself, others with friends and the last one with my daughter and am slowly dragging family and friends to do this event with me.

“The environment, the atmosphere, the swimmers, and most importantly the organisation make this event what it is, so well done to all involved,” added the aptly named Fish.

Meanwhile, two of South Africa’s Olympic gold medallists won’t make it to the dam this weekend but have hailed the event and wished swimmers well.

2004 Olympic 4x100m freestyle relay champion Ryk Neethling won the men’s elite race at Midmar in 1994 and 1995, and then again in 2001.

“Obviously being the biggest open water swimming event I think that makes it special – and the history of it. I remember as you approach the event on the Sunday morning, you see the traffic and then the butterflies start so it’s always a special feeling being there,” said Neethling.

“It’s a great weekend and obviously it’s a healthy event, you meet lots of old friends and teammates and make new friends, there’s nothing bad about the experience. It’s only positive,” added the 45-year-old who still trains three to four times a week but now focuses much of his time on playing polo at Val de Vie Estate, where he works as marketing director.

Also wishing swimmers well for the weekend ahead was 2012 Olympic champion Chad le Clos. As a butterfly swimmer, Le Clos has never won the elite race at the aQuellé Midmar Mile but started swimming the event as a youngster.

His foundation is also one of the official charities which benefit from the event.

“It’s really amazing that it’s already the 50th anniversary of the Midmar Mile. A huge congrats to [race director] Wayne Riddin for everything that he’s done. It’s crazy to think how far we’ve come in the last couple of years. I’m very honoured for the Chad le Clos Foundation to be part of this. It’s an absolute honour for me and everyone involved.

“Unfortunately this year I won’t be able to be there… I have other commitments in Europe, racing the Euro circuit with my coach in Frankfurt. But I want to thank Wayne for everything he’s done for me and for the foundation and thank Julian Taylor and the Chad le Clos Foundation team for all they’ve done. We will have representatives there but one day I hope to swim this amazing event again when my schedule allows.

“It's a huge accomplishment and the biggest open water swimming event in the world so for me it’s an absolute honour to be involved in this and congratulations to everyone. We will be watching online and keeping a close eye,” added the four-time Olympic medallist.

The aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place from 9-12 February 2023 at Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal. Online entries are now closed. Those still wishing to swim can enter on the day at the dam but should arrive two hours before their race.

For more details, head to www.midmarmile.co.za

Photo credits: Action Photo SA

Pictured here: Mark Fish and daughter Isabella finish Midmar Mile in 2022.

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As we head into a brand-new year, this is the ideal time to splash out on some home upgrades to give your interior space a much-needed revamp.

Kim Williams, a top Cape Town interior designer, behaviour specialist, and owner of the Kim Williams Design studio, unveils the top trends which every homeowner should know in 2023.
1. Colour is back with a bang
South Africans enter the new year in the throes of a bright and hot summer. The muted tones that had a calming and healing affect over us during the pandemic are being replaced with brighter colours and bolder designs.

We are likely to see a big uptick in rooms filled with mood boosting colours that reflect personal style and taste. Yellow shades are especially associated with feelings of happiness and optimism, and Plascon’s colour combination for 2023 really captures the different stages of light and cheerfulness of this time of year.

 2. Create an experience and not collect things
Thanks to social media, we are now all mini celebrities, with our own individual brand and aesthetic, and the best way to articulate this is in our interior décor. It’s a trend mainly driven by a much younger generation wanting to express themselves but also comes off the back of isolation and lockdown restrictions which brought mingling and memory making to a grinding halt.

Expect to see bold art pieces and expressive accent colours on fabrics and wallcoverings. They might not conform to typical design and interior décor conventions, but they are effective in adding pops of colour, an element of intrigue and interest, and celebrates the different voices, cultures, and individual personalities that make up life.

3. Repair, Recycle and Repurpose
Deepened healing is a huge behavioural trend which I have spoken about at length in the first edition of my report, ‘Behind the Design’. This inclusive design essentially looks at the desire for humans to always want to be connected to nature and it continues to gain constant traction.

One reason for this is the strong drive to repair and repurpose items and reduce waste, especially given the recent supply and demand constraints caused by the war in Ukraine. I have also been seeing a fantastic emerging trend where old, cherished memories from past generations are brought to life in beautiful quilts and wall hangings, that then act as bespoke décor pieces in the home. It is such a unique way to tell a story and invoke interest.

4. Embracing outdoor living
As temperatures rise, so too does our desire to be outside, barefoot, and carefree, sipping drinks and enjoying garden games with loved ones. Merging our outdoor and indoor living space is going to be huge this year, as it brings in light, improves flow and balance and keeps our living area feeling bright and spacious.

Remember, an outdoor space only works if it exudes a bright and breezy feel, so don’t add too much. Transparent ghost chairs are a great practical outdoor solution, and you can easily swap out the cushions and throws from season to season. From a décor perspective, this is where you can properly express elements of deepened healing. Consider adding repurposed or repaired items of furniture, previously loved design pieces in soft curves and shapes, and appealing pieces of artwork.

5. Be water wise
Next year is all about reconnecting with all aspects of planet earth and we don’t just mean dotting a few plant pots around. Our connection with water continues to be a rising phenomena all over the world and especially in places like Cape Town where cold-water swimming and general ocean awareness is growing in popularity.

Expect to see plenty of water features next year, both in the home, and the garden, that promote feelings of calmness, tranquillity and balance.

6. Conscious materials
Our desire for sustainable, eco-conscious living transcends to all parts of the design and décor sphere. We are likely to see more use of locally sourced materials, such as rattan, wood, stone, and weaves that are interspersed with soft furnishings and décor pieces made by local craftspeople.

There is also going to be a stronger effort to be deliberate with décor, with every item carefully considered for the value it will add to the overall objective, feeling or experience before it is added to a room. We’re likely to see people not just using décor for its aesthetic appeal, but to help create or contribute towards the entire energy and experience of the space.

For more tips from Kim Williams, sign-up for her blog at www.kimwilliams.co.za or follow her on Facebook and Instagram @kim_williams_design.

Photo credit: Decorex

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Fires damage property. It also causes injuries or death, and can even result in loss of jobs since many buildings destroyed by fire are not rebuilt. Proper fire safety training, as well as being fully aware of the different fire hazards and having the correct Safety Equipment in place is vital.

That old saying "Knowledge is power" certainly applies here... know what to do in the event of a fire, but even better, know what to do to prevent a fire!

The end of January already, but as they say, time flies when you’re having fun, and we most certainly have been having a fair amount of that.

The first rounds of our mixed pairs club competitions have continued with Colin and Pat Norris playing against Colin Brown and Ann Chacho. Well done to Colin and Ann for advancing to the next round.

Another great day of bowls took place at our monthly SG Knott Construction Nominated 2 Bowl Trips which was held on Friday, 27th January. We had sixteen teams entered and as always at UWBC, there was a fair amount of laughter and joviality on the greens. All teams played 2 sessions of 8 ends, followed by a last session of 10 ends, and the overall results were as follows:-

Winners: Craig Whitby, Tara Janse Van Rensburg, Mark Taylor
Runners Up: Fred Palmer, Bob Mitchell, Tor Andersson
Third Place: Colin Burden, Mark Schraader, Kevin Palmer
Plate Prize: Ed Sharp, Shayne Knott, Rick Olivier

Congratulations to the winners, and well done to all our bowlers for an awesome day on the greens! Also, a BIG thank you to Shayne Knott of SG Knott Construction for the generous prize sponsorships, as well as to Pippa Griffin of Dormehl Phalane for the tea time treats.

In other news, we say goodbye to Graham Sharp (aka Sharpie) who after many years of hard work and dedication as our greenskeeper has handed the reins over to Steve Smith. Thank you, Sharpie, for all your input over the years; a greenskeeper’s job is never-ending and always a bit of a thankless one, however, you’ve steadily continued doing a wonderful job of looking after our greens and it has been much appreciated. Good luck to Steve; we look forward to growing in your new role and have the utmost confidence that you will continue to maintain our greens to a high standard.

Lastly, we’d like to say good luck to Lisa Nagel, and all the inter-district players who will be playing their first tournaments this weekend. Good bowling and may the NIBA flag be flown high!

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, 1 February : Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips. Tabs In 13h15
Saturday, 11 February : Greendale Spar 3 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 13h15
Tuesday, 21 February : J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2 Nominated Mixed Pairs. Tabs In 08h15
Friday, 24 February : SGK Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 08h45

Regular tabs in times are:-
Tuesdays at 08h15
Wednesdays at 13h15
Saturdays at 13h15.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact Wendy on 071 353 2866

Coaching by registered coaches is available: Contact Colin or Bernice on 071 164 3162 for further information.

Picture Caption – (L to R) Graham Sharp and Steve Smith.

More about Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club

Please be aware of opportunistic theft. There have been several incidents where doors and windows were left open or unsecured and alarms were not set. Copper pipes, bicycles, outdoor furniture, tools, electronic items, cell phones, diesel and TV’s have been targeted. Please also note that criminals have been going into houses while residents are at home, so please be vigilant about security, even when you are at home.

More about Knight Security Solutions.

Holiday makers give the KwaZulu-Natal economy a R2,4 billion boost for the festive period.

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN) welcomes the announcement by Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Mr. Siboniso Duma that some 520 000 domestic tourists and 51 000 international tourists visited KwaZulu-Natal for the festive period, providing a R2,4billlion injection to the provincial economy.

Preliminary figures show that KZN’s occupancy rate from 26 December 2022 to 1 January 2023 soared to an average of 81% across the province against an early forecast for an average provincial occupancy rate of 69% at the peak of the holiday season.

TKZN Acting Chief Executive Mr. Nhlanhla Khumalo said: “It is pleasing that the province’s districts beat festive season expectations as this indicates that holidaymakers took time to explore other experiences offered across the region.”

“The closure of some Durban beaches due to the pollution, saw TKZN implement a strong summer season media campaign telling holiday makers that only some of eThekwini’s beaches were closed, and that KZN had 600km of coastline with many beaches including blue flag beaches on the south and north coasts. Moreover, the province has an array of other excellent tourist destinations from the Drakensberg to big-five safaris.

“The sharp increase in occupancies in the week from Christmas to New Year particularly in the northern and southern KZN districts suggests that our message hit home. The opening of popular beaches during December and Umhlanga beach on December 23 may also have encouraged last minute holiday bookings,” said Mr. Khumalo.

The tourism trade in the KZN hinterland also reported doing well. South Africa’s fastest growing hotel group, Anew Hotel has accommodation in Kokstad, Newcastle, Hilton as well coastal said it experienced an 80% plus festive season, which was a far better performance than 2021 and slightly better than 2019. Moreover 90% of the tourists were domestic, as people clearly wanted to “just get away.” It was also reported that there was an improvement in international tour groups coming to experience KZN’s big five safaris, however, this was not yet at 2019 levels.

The above hotel occupancy table indicates KZN’s district tourism preliminary performance. The 2019 occupancy figures provided are used as a comparison and a broad overview of the festive season performance.

In line with South African Tourism, we are using 2019 as a base line, however, a lot has changed because of the Covid pandemic, including travel patterns and available accommodation and length of stay.

Post Covid we have noticed that the holiday season has become a lot shorter starting on 16 December 2022, peaking over the week from Christmas to New Year and then dropping sharply in the first two weeks of January 2023 to 40% and 15% respectively, as holiday makers headed home. It must be noted that the provinces festive season figures reflect performance for the December period only and bode well for the final tally when the summer season draws to a close at the end of March 2023.

“Over the next two months we will welcome visitors for the popular Midmar Mile on February 11 and the Dusi Canoe marathon from February 16 to 18 and an array of business tourism events. We are also confident that we will achieve our projected economic impact for the summer season of R4.1 billion, based on a projected final occupancy rate of 70% by the end of the financial year,” concluded Khumalo.

Photo credit: www.drakensberghikes.com

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Bowling in this heat is not for the faint of heart, so we’d like to start with a thank you to all of our members who have continued to play despite the soaring temperatures!

Our monthly J Leslie Smith & Co Nominated 2-4-2 competition was played on Tuesday, the 17th of January, with a number of bowlers braving the heat. What a fantastic morning of bowls and some very interesting results. A mention must be made of one particular game with Kevin Palmer and Wendy Smith playing against Steve Smith and Arlene Malloy. Kevin and Wendy picked up a full house on the 3rd end, putting the score at 9-2 to them. By the end of the 9th however, the score was peeled on 11 shots. The last 10 ends saw the two teams battling it out and despite the full house, a big congrats must go to Steve and Arlene who won not just that game with an overall score of 21-18, but were the winners of the day! Well down to both of them!

Well done also goes to Peter Storm and Darlene Ferreira who came 2nd overall, as well as Ken Hooper and Stephanie Crause who won the plate event.

A big thank you to J Leslie Smith & Company for their fantastic sponsorship!

Wednesday the 18th of January saw a fantastic turnout, with tabs in at 1.15pm, followed by the Midlands Hillbillies playing social bowls from 4.30pm and the Howick Darts League playing at 6.30pm. What perfect weather for another busy afternoon and evening at UWBC.

Saturday the 21st of January was the start of our club mixed pairs competitions with Colin Burden and Chantal d’Hotman going through to the next round after playing against Lisa Nagel & Neil Wright.

A fun evening of Bingo was held after bowls with Steve Smith doing a great job of calling and entertaining all those who participated. The bingo evening was a fundraiser for Lisa Nagel who will be playing in the inter-districts in Joburg in March, as she’s been selected for the NIBA B Squad. Thank you so much to all those who supported us; it was a real bingo bonanza!

We also had the Midlands Sharks Supporters in house to watch the Sharks game. Whilst the game had an unfortunate ending, the supporters club finished their evening with laughter-filled a bring and share braai.

And so ended another wonderful week at UWBC.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Friday, 27 January : SGK Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 08h45
Wednesday, 1 February : Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips. Tabs In 13h15
Saturday, 11 February : Greendale Spar 3 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 13h15
Tuesday, 21 February : J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2 Nominated Mixed Pairs. Tabs In 08h15

Regular tabs in are:-
Tuesdays at 08h15
Wednesdays at 13h15
Saturdays at 13h15.

Visitors are always welcome.
For more information contact Wendy on 071 353 2866

Coaching by registered coaches is available: Contact Colin or Bernice on 071 164 3162 for further information.

Picture Caption – (L to R) Steve Smith, Lisa Nagel of J Leslie Smith & Co, Arlene Malloy

More about Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club 

And into February we go, with a relatively quiet week!

Our mixed pairs club competitions are almost through the first rounds. During the course of the week the following games were played:-

Graham Sharp & Melanie Ross won against Koos Marais & Sheridan Schraader. Well done to Graham and Mel, who picked up an 8 on their 17th end which put enough of a shot difference between the teams to make catch up quite a challenge.

Colin Burden & Chantal D’Hotman won against Neil Wright and Lisa Nagel. Theirs was a very close game with the teams going into the last end peeled on 17, however Colin and Chantal picked up one shot to win.

Well done to all players on great games!

The snooker club is starting to take shape with games being played on alternative Friday's and also on Wednesday evenings. As we get more players we'll formalize things a bit more and start running some competitions.

Friday Night Lights is also starting to come along nicely with our next game coming up this Friday at 5.15pm. That’s definitely going to be a fun one.

Our new greenskeeper is settling in nicely with only one hiccup…. GOATS! Only in Africa do you have to chase goats off the greens!

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, 8 February : Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips. Tabs In 13h15
Saturday, 11 February : Greendale Spar 3 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 13h15
Tuesday, 21 February : J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2 Nominated Mixed Pairs. Tabs In 08h15
Friday, 24 February : SGK Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 08h45

Regular tabs in times are:-
Tuesdays at 08h15
Wednesdays at 13h15
Saturdays at 13h15.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact Wendy on 071 353 2866

Coaching by registered coaches is available: Contact Colin or Bernice on 071 164 3162 for further information.

Picture here: Our new greenskeeper in action chasing goats!

More about UWBC

Join in the fun of an entertaining family styled market on the field between Holmes and Patterson Road on Sunday 26 February 2023 to support the African Raptor Centre's fundraiser. For any questions about the market or to book a site you can connect with Leanne on 084 662 2400.

Description of the African Raptor Centre sanctuary and their work:

The African Raptor Centre strives for the preservation of indigenous birds of prey through creative education, scientific rehabilitation, conservation breeding and practical research. The Sanctuary serves as base to ongoing research, breeding and rehabilitation projects for birds of prey.

The raptors housed at the Sanctuary are either captive bred or they are non-releasable rehabilitation birds which, due to the permanent nature of their injuries, can no longer survive in the wild. These birds now serve as “conservation ambassadors” for their wild counterparts.

Education about birds of prey, and the threats that they face, is an important part of raptor conservation. No amount of research can be effective unless the results of the projects are shared with the greater public. Neither can conservation methods be successfully implemented unless people know and understand what both the raptors and related conservation projects are all about.

One of the primary roles of the African Raptor Centre is to introduce raptors, in all their magnificence, to the general public. To facilitate this, a specially trained group of raptors are flown in daily flight displays. These demonstrations allow the raptors themselves to become both teachers and ambassadors for their wild counterparts, so that members of the public can experience these normally rare and elusive birds first hand.

We Educate in order to Conserve.

Pictured here: White Backed Vultures with chick.

Since 2010 Harvard Electrical Wholesalers has grown three fold, thanks to the support of their loyal client base. This rapid growth has allowed Harvard Electrical to move to larger premises in Howick. They believe in offering excellent customer service, a wide range of diverse products at very competitive prices and most importantly, they listen to their clients.

Harvard Electrical supply products which are manufactured both locally and internationally and are fully compliant with recognised safety standards and specifications.

Harvard Electrical is the only ELECTRICAL WHOLESALER in the greater Howick area.

Do you remember this Kudu calf...?

Well he is doing just fine. Still on a bottle, he has just started supplementing his milk by feeding on lucerne and leaves. Last time we showed you how we introduced him to a bottle feeder so as not to imprint on the person feeding. We'll post an update shortly of just how well this is working. This calf is wild, not imprinted on people, and will be fit for release as a wild animal, in a few months time.

We love what we do, and how we do it...

But we can't do it alone. Please visit our website for ideas on how you can help: www.freemewildlife.org/support-us

More about FreeMe Wildlife

As preparations for the 2023 Absa Cape Epic, Africa’s untamed mountain-biking race and the premier mountain bike stage race in the world, get underway, with the 19th edition taking place from 19 to 26 March 2023 across eight days, 658 gruelling kilometres with 15 775 metres of limit-testing climbing, the proudly African bank, Absa, hosted their annual Team Absa Training Camp at Karkloof Country Club in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands from 26 to 29 January 2023.

As part of the training camp activities, key Absa stakeholders and colleagues, clients and riders and the Karkloof community members, including local municipality delegates, visited Yarrow Intermediate School to hand over a stationary Absa bus, which is now converted into an engagement space that can accommodate up to 60 children from Grade R to Grade 7 at a time. This project is part of the bank’s focus to play its role in empowering communities through education.

“Our sincere gratitude to Absa for the donation to Yarrow Intermediate School, children will now enjoy story time in the comfort of the stationary bus, which will also serve as a research centre for projects. In the future, we would like to extend the use of the library to include adults in the community. This will be for information sharing where we could invite guest speakers and share valuable information," says Mary Gray, Yarrow Intermediate School Project Coordinator.

Sydney Mbhele, Group Chief Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, commented, “Absa aims to enable meaningful impact in the communities in which we operate. This legacy project at Yarrow Intermediate School is another milestone for the bank and aligns to our strategy of enhanced access to education. We pride ourselves on bringing possibilities to life and through this project, we aim to contribute to improving our country's literacy rate."

This Absa Legacy project includes the upkeep of the library at the school for years to come.

Photo credit Erin Nel of Benhouse Media for Alta Pax Media

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The 50th anniversary of the aQuellé Midmar Mile received a massive boost with the confirmation that open water world champion Sharon van Rouwendaal will compete in next month’s event.

The Dutch star is the current world champion over 10km after claiming the open water title in Budapest last year and is also a former Olympic champion – having taken gold at the Rio Games in 2016. She followed that up with silver in Tokyo in 2021.

Van Rouwendaal is relishing the prospect of a first trip to South Africa and is eager to see what she can achieve over the shorter 1.6km distance across Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal.

“I haven’t been in South Africa before but I’ve heard about the Midmar Mile a lot because I saw all these big athletes going there every year,” said the 29-year-old. “It’s super-famous and it’s also known as one of the biggest events with the most people participating.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and trying to motivate or help all the people there. I hope I can inspire them and have a positive vibe and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere.”

Van Rouwendaal is heading to Pretoria for 10 days of high-altitude training before travelling to Midmar, but there’s also one other thing on her to-do list during her time in South Africa.

“The biggest thing I want to do while I’m in South Africa is to go on a safari and see the real-life animals somewhere.”

As for competing in the aQuellé Midmar Mile for the first time, the Dutch star isn’t entirely sure what to expect, particularly over the shorter distance of 1.6km compared to her usual 10km.

“I don’t know who is participating in the event so I’m not super-confident about winning but of course you want to win it when you come over. I will give my 100 per cent and try to win it but I think the main thing is to have a good time with everybody and enjoy the moment.

“I feel good about swimming just 1.6km. It’s going to be a really fast race from the beginning on, I think. Normally when we do a 10km we try to build it up and pace it until the end. But not with 1.6km – you’re probably going to start at a high pace and keep it up until the end.”

Defending aQuellé Midmar Mile women’s champion Stephanie Houtman is looking forward to being put to the test against an icon of open water swimming.

“I have always admired Sharon because she’s such a professional and consistent performer at the highest level,” said Houtman.

“So I think it would be such a privilege to be able to swim in the same race as her,” added the Pretoria swimmer, who claimed her first Midmar title last year, winning in a time of 19 minutes 37 seconds.

For the first time, the winners of the Walmart OZ Mile Swim in Arkansas, USA will travel to South Africa to compete in the aQuellé Midmar Mile while, as part of the reciprocal agreement, this year’s Midmar winners will travel to compete in the next Walmart OZ Mile later in the year. That means Catherine Breed and Chad La Tourette will be lining up on the start in KwaZulu-Natal next month. Both swimmers have represented the USA in swimming.

Meanwhile, also providing some tough international competition to the men’s field are two UK swimmers, who were regulars at the event before the Covid pandemic, Ashley Hogg and Bailey Hairsine. Both have finished in the top 10 on several occasions – and Hogg as high as second in 2019 – so will be looking for podium performances once again this year.

Also in the mix are a team of Slovakian swimmers including national 5km champion in 2021 Tomáš Peciar and fellow national team members Samuel Čekan, Krisztián Gálik and Daniel van Wyk. With them will be Tomáš Vachan – head open water coach of the Slovak national team.

The aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place from 9-12 February. Pre-entry to participate in the event closes at midnight tonight, 25 January. Those still wishing to enter should head to www.midmarmile.co.za for all the details.

Photo credits: Images supplied by Sharon van Rouwendaal

Supplied.

When planning a funeral, one of the first decisions that you'll need to make is whether to choose cremation or burial. Both options have their own unique benefits, and the decision ultimately comes down to personal preference and cultural or religious considerations.
Cremation is an increasingly popular choice because it is often more affordable and also allows for more flexibility in terms of funeral planning. Cremated remains can be scattered, buried, or kept in an urn and displayed in a special place. It also eliminates the need for a casket or burial plot.

Burial, on the other hand, offers a traditional and more permanent way to remember your loved one. Burial allows for the use of a casket and the possibility of visiting a grave site to pay respects, it also offers a sense of continuity and connection to the land and community.

It's important to consider the wishes of your loved one, and also consider your family's own beliefs and preferences. You may want to also consider the environmental impact and any legal restrictions. A reputable funeral home can assist you in making the decision and can provide guidance and options on each of these alternatives.

Remember that what's important is to make sure that the service is meaningful and honours the memory of your loved one in a way that feels right to you and your family.

More about Oakleigh Funeral Home

The final seeding swim before the aQuellé Midmar Mile took place at Prime View Adventure and Leisure in Midrand over the weekend.

The event, which doubled as the Prime View Water Festival, gave swimmers the opportunity to achieve good seeding times before the aQuellé Midmar Mile, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary from 9-12 February 2023.

Making the most of the idyllic venue in Midrand were Henré Louw and Megan Shepherd, who claimed the respective men’s and women’s titles in the 1.2km swim.

Louw powered to victory in a time of 14 minutes and 43 seconds, with Rogan Shepherd well back in second in 17:15 and Ethan Kotze third in 18:12.

Megan Shepherd was second overall but the first woman out the dam in 17:14, with Rachel Smith second in the women’s event in 17:18 and 15-year-old Cassidy Sinclair third in 17:29.

Speaking after the race, Louw said he’s set his sights on victory at the aQuellé Midmar Mile next month.

“Training is going really well. I feel really good. We’ve been putting in some hard mileage in the last few weeks so I’m definitely going to go for the win at Midmar and give it my all and just see how fast I can do it,” he said.

As for the prospect of having more international competition in the mix for this year’s race, the Pretoria swimmer added: “The more competition the better it is, and the more fun the race will be. It’s always nice having some people that can push you to see how fast you can go.”

The battle for women’s honours was a much tighter affair with Shepherd just edging out Smith by four seconds in a sprint finish.

“That was hard work. Hard, hard work,” admitted Shepherd after the race. “I was pushing from the beginning... from the get-go we were all in a line, all of us going round. In that back stretch, I just kept pushing, just kept kicking.

“The water was a bit choppy so I just had to make sure I did long pull strokes to account for the choppiness and then at the last two buoys I just pushed it, I went flat out for as long as I could hold.

“I was hoping to win but my main intention was to better my time.”

Speaking about her ambitions for the aQuellé Midmar Mile, the Johannesburg swimmer added: “I would like to be among the top 20… I’m hoping to get top 10, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Pre-entry for the 50th anniversary aQuellé Midmar Mile closes on Wednesday, 25 January 2023. Those wishing to be part of the event should head to www.midmarmile.co.za for all the details.

Photo credits:
Henré Louw: Action Photo SA
Megan Shepherd: Photo by Roxanne Martin

Supplied.

As the aQuellé Midmar Mile heads for its 50th anniversary next month, there’s one swimmer who still holds a unique distinction.

Patricia Butcher remains the only female swimmer to have beaten the entire men’s field in the race – a feat achieved when she was just 15 years old.

Butcher stormed to victory in the 1980 race in a time of 18 minutes 13 to claim her first Midmar Mile title. Not only had she taken 1 minute 15 seconds off the previous women’s record, but she was also 7.6 seconds under the men’s record at the time.

Butcher, who went on to become the first woman to claim three straight aQuellé Midmar Mile victories, was no stranger to securing swimming titles. She was at one stage the South African record holder in the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle and won numerous national titles between 1980 and 1982, also winning the Best Women’s Performance award at the South African National Championships for three years in a row.

After claiming her third Midmar Mile title in 1982, Butcher never returned to the race, heading to the USA in 1983 on a full scholarship to North Carolina State University.

Now 58, she is still based in the USA – living in Boulder, Colorado and running an age group swim team, Flatiron Swimming, with her partner – former international swimmer and triathlete, Wolfgang Dittrich.

Looking back on her remarkable achievement in 1980, Butcher said: “I am very proud of that swim. I remember racing really hard that year. I also think I was fortunate that I took a really direct route that year too.

“Back in those days sighting your race was quite tricky. There were very few markers along the way. I remember sighting a large buoy/float close to the middle of the route and once I passed that marker, I would start sighting the finish ramp.”

Having started swimming the famous race at the age of 13, Butcher has fond memories of the event, despite not having been back since 1982. “I loved swimming the Midmar Mile. My memories of swimming the race are some of my fondest memories of swimming growing up in South Africa.

“I think what is also special about the Midmar Mile, is how it started off as just this really fun small local event (decades before open water swimming became an Olympic event) and has grown into one of the biggest open water swimming events in the world, drawing many top international swimmers.”

Butcher plans to travel to South Africa to be part of next month’s 50th anniversary celebrations for the aQuellé Midmar Mile but will not be swimming the race.

“It is just incredible how this event has grown. I am in awe of what Wayne Riddin has done with this event. I would never have imagined such an event could grow so big, but I loved swimming the Midmar Mile and I guess many others do too,” she said.

Speaking about her trip back to South Africa for the celebrations, Butcher added: “I am most looking forward to seeing old swimming friends I have not seen in 40 years, some of whom are still swimming the event today. I'm also very curious to see how big this event has grown.”

The 50th aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place from 9-12 February 2023 at Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal. Entries to be part of this exceptional event are still open. Head to www.midmarmile.co.za for all the details.

Photos: Patricia Butcher in the 1980s and present day – supplied by Patricia Butcher