Michelle Burn regains confidence with South African surfski title victory

Michelle Burn's triumphant return to form

Michelle Burn found immense satisfaction in her South African surfski championship victory, a feeling rooted in overcoming a challenging eighteen-month period in her racing career.Her recent struggles included a COVID-19 bout in 2022, which hampered her performance at the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week in Australia, where she was set to compete against Jemma Smith and Danielle McKenzie. The following year, despite peak fitness, her return to Perth was marred by windless conditions. Although she secured a silver medal at the ICF World Championships a week later, it was at the national event that she finally felt everything click into place.Speaking to The Paddler, Burn expressed her joy at regaining confidence. She noted that competing on a familiar home course allowed for a relaxed and enjoyable experience, free from overthinking, a welcome change after personal challenges.While Burn doesn't track her numerous national titles, she considers this latest victory particularly special due to the exceptionally strong women's field in Durban, which she called "one of the strongest" at a South African championship.

The race unfolds

The 23-kilometer course from Durban Point to Umdloti saw improving conditions, but a flat start necessitated a rapid beginning.Burn described a strong warm-up that allowed her to take an early lead. She navigated towards optimal runs, with Kira Bester closely following, using Burn as a guide. This intense rivalry, reminiscent of the 2023 ICF World Championships, saw Bester constantly challenging Burn's lead. "Kira stayed right behind me throughout the entire course," Burn recounted, describing a repeated pattern of pulling ahead only for Bester to close the gap. In the final 100 meters, Burn secured a slight lead, successfully navigating a tricky shorebreak to claim the win, expressing immense satisfaction at winning again.Burn finished in 1:36:29, 35 seconds ahead of Kira Bester...

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