Reigning champions Chad Ho (Morningside, Durban) and Michelle Weber (Franschhoek) together with Danie Marais (Clifton) will lead the charge at the 5th annual Sanlam Cape Mile brought to you by Sanlam Investments at the Eikenhof Dam (Elgin Grabouw Country Club) on Sunday, 17 February 2019.
In 2017 Ho secured his first Sanlam Cape Mile title in an impressive time of 17 minutes 48 seconds. In 2018 he successfully defended his title crossing the finish line first in 19 minutes 08 seconds.
“The Sanlam Cape Mile is an awesome event,” says Ho. “The setting is beautiful and the atmosphere is fun. I really enjoy seeing people take part in open water swimming, no matter what their level of expertise. The 2019 prize purse is fantastic. There is no other swim in South Africa that has such a great prize purse or incentive to swim. It definitely draws both elites and aspiring open water swimmers. We are all going for the same goal which will only grow the competition. The event caters for all levels of swimming from open water newcomers to that of the masters, triathletes and elites.”
Ho will face tough competition from Danie Marais. Marais claimed gold at the inaugural Sanlam Cape Mile in 2015 in a lightning fast time of 17 minutes 41 seconds. According to Marais, the Sanlam Cape Mile is one of the best organized swimming events in South Africa. “The event is professionally organized and has an amazing atmosphere,” says Marais. “My 2019 goal is to win the Sanlam Cape Mile for the second time. Every single person in the water during the Elite Race is considered to be competition. The impressive prize purse means a lot to elite swimmers. A lot of effort is put into training to succeed. It also encourages healthy competition, in so doing helping the sport to grow.”
Weber holds the record of the most victories at the Sanlam Cape Mile having claimed victory three out of four times (2015, 2016 and 2018) in the women’s Elite Race.
“I always keep my calendar open for the Sanlam Cape Mile,” says Weber. “It’s the largest open water event in the Western Cape. It is extremely well organized, it’s well supported and it features an elite race. Winning for the third time last year was overwhelming. The event attracts a lot of entries and has a separate event for the Elites, making the win extra special. My goal for 2019 is definitely to win. The 2019 event also boasts an impressive prize purse that is sure to result in a lot of competition, giving spectators an interesting race to watch.”
The 2019 Sanlam Cape Mile Elite Race will start at 10:45. Be sure to arrive early for a front row seat to the action!
