NATIONALS OPEN WATER

Ho and Weber Claim National Titles

Midmar Mile champion Chad Ho continued his domination of distance swimming when he claimed top honours at the 2013 Swimming SA National Open Water Championships held this weekend.

In the women’s races Michelle Weber also made it a clean sweep as she powered to victory in both the 10km and 5km Open Water events.

The championships which took place over Saturday and Sunday were held in near perfect conditions at the Elgin Grabouw Country Club, on the banks of the Eikenhof Dam which is set in the beautiful Elgin apple-growing valley outside Grabouw in the Western Cape Province.

22-year-old Ho from KZN claimed the Men’s 14 and over 10km Open Water title in a time of 1:56:00.44. He beat his KZN team mate Troyden Prinsloo (1:58:13.24) to second and Western Cape swimmer Danie Marais (1:58:21.98) settled for third.

In the women’s 14 and Over Open Water event Michelle Weber (KZN) finished first in an excellent time of 2:10.33.87.  Her KZN teammates Clarice Le Roux, and Sasha-Lee Nordegen fought it out to the finish, with Le Roux (2:11.01.59) coming in second and Nordegen (2:11.05.45) third.

On Sunday the Ho and Weber continued their sterling performances in their respective 5km Open Water events despite stiff competition from the field.

Ho (59:43.29 14) just pipped Marais (59:45.01 10) to the podium with 20-year-old Abdul-Malick Railoun (1:01:00.34) of Northern Tigers Swimming clinching third a few seconds behind.

In the women’s 14 and Over 5km Open Water, Weber (1:01:04.59) beat her KZN teammates Kyna Pereira (1:01:09.77) and Carmen Le Roux (1:01:14.76.)