Hilary Pitchford (RSA) is the current winner of the ICF Classic Marathon World Series. Athlete in several disciplines, she started paddling in 2001 and spent many years testing every type of water and adventure sports, from rafting to Kayak Polo, just to name two disciplines where she has been representing South Africa internationally. But she got more involved with marathon and river paddling in 2009 and found herself competing at international level with great results.

Part of her achievements, just to name a few, are victories at some of the great South African Marathons (Fish, Umkomaas, Non-stop Dusi) and at some international races that last year gave her the ICF World Series title: Avon Descent (AUS), Adige Marathon (ITA) and the Ardèche (FRA).

We had the opportunity of a small talk about her recent success and how she is facing this year’s season after her broken hand while training for the Dusi last February. A fact that didn’t let her paddle the first great race of 2012.

Élite Kayak (EK): First of all, Hilary, are you fully recovered from your injury? We have already seen you paddling again the Umkomaas and the Green Kalahari marathons in the last two weeks.

Hilary Pitchford (HP): I am paddling again but not fully recovered, I have a problem with my pointing finger knuckle and it does still hurt quite a bit, but at least I can train again.
When I fell, I had strained my entire hand, but we focused on the broken bone, so the bone is repaired but there is another problem with my knuckle that we are hoping to get fixed soon. When I broke my hand the doctor had to put 2 screws in the bone to help to hold it straight, these screws have to be taken out – when? I am not sure but this will put me out for another month or so.

EK:  You have a very successful career as a marathon and river paddler, but we know that you have been involved in many other sports, how did you finally make a choice?

HP: It’s hard to answer this, but I do think I just really enjoyed this and found something I was good at and enjoyed doing, it always helps doing a discipline that you really enjoy as doing well seems to come easier.

EK:  Winning the ICF World Series should have been a demanding challenge for you, did you have a specific preparation or it wasn’t really an objective from the beginning?

HP:  There was a lot of preparation that went into and organising, Avon Descent is not an easy race by all means, its very long so my preparation in SA started in May 2011 with training for the Berg river marathon, doing Avon and Berg gave me a very good base for the Fish River Marathon, I had to focus on my speed work as both Avon and Berg are long distance races and I must say I did find the shorter faster races quite tough, namely Adige and Ardèche.

EK:  You earned the points for this victory at four very different races over four different countries: Dusi Unlimited (RSA), Avon Descent (AUS), Adige Marathon (ITA) and the Ardèche (FRA). Being local at the Dusi we are not going to ask you which one is your preferred… but what different characteristics have you found on the other three?

HP: The Avon is a very long race and it has no dams so is rain dependent, it was a risk going over to race not knowing the water level, but this is what I love most in river paddling, it is so unpredictable and this makes it exciting! Thankfully 2011 showed for perfect conditions for race day! I spent more time in Australia than the other countries so to spend time on the river and to get over jet lag, which was the worst part. I’d been focusing on Avon since Dusi in February 2011, so winning it was very special. Up until then I hadn’t thought of going to France or Italy – this was all organised when I got back to SA – very exciting but very daunting, I had to fit in training, racing and writing my final 2 exams at university – last year from September – December is a blur to me now.

At the Adige, oh, what super people!! Italians really know how to make someone feel welcome, they took me in and just made everything so easy – this is where I met Kiko Vega, thank goodness for him, as he lent me his boat for the race, I wouldn’t have done as well if it weren’t for him! This was a very fast race, I wasn’t prepared for it at all, as I had raced SA K2 Champs the weekend before at Fish, had a 10 hour drive, got home, packed and went straight to Italy, so yes, on race day I was very tired! A good race anyway.

On the other hand, the Ardèche is crazy!! Having everyone starting together was chaos but a good experience and very happy I went over to race.

EK: At the ICF World Marathon Series is also included the Sella Descent, a very popular race in Northern Spain which has always seen many South Africans competing and winning. Maybe in the future we may have you going for it, too?

HP:  Sella, a race I am dreaming to come and do! I will definitely come and race it soon, unfortunately I can’t come in 2012, due to other paddling commitments but yes sometime in the future you will see me on the start line!

EK:  The participation at all these races, all year round in three different continents, involves lots of travelling and must be a great expense. Do you have any sponsoring or special support to afford it?

HP: Yes it was very expensive but worth while, by doing this I did sacrifice other commitments but very happy I did it anyway, I have a small support base in SA that made it a little easier namely Matelec, my canoe club Natal Canoe Club, PeptoPro (my race and recovery drink), Active Physio (all my physiotherapy and treatments)  And winning the Avon Descent helped me to afford the tickets for Italy and France otherwise I don’t think I would have been able to afford to have gone at all. I believe that if you really want something you can make it work, a saying here ‘where there is a will, there is a way’

EK: But not everything is about paddling of course. What other hobbies or sports do you enjoy?

HP: No, It’s not all paddling, having fun and enjoying sport is my main aim, I love trail running (this week we did an 7:30 hour run in Drakensberg for training) we have a beautiful country and can experience the beauty through many disciplines of sport! I also do mountain biking and adventure racing when the time and money allows it and will be doing the surfski series this winter. Being outdoors makes me happy in whatever sport – we as sports people truly get to experience the country in a very special way, I appreciate every day I have that allows me to travel and experience new places!

EK: Reading about your outdoor activities, people may think that everything is fun down in sunny South Africa, but you also work as a kindergarden teacher, isn't it?

HP: Yes, this is true, in both aspects we have loads of fun here in SA. Work hard and play hard, the two go hand in hand. I do love my job and my sport.

EK: Talking about the future, are you considering a more specific focus on Marathon to go for further goals in your career after these successful last three years?

HP: Wow, coming out of last year, I am so motivated to do well in marathon paddling, I would love to be able to compete in Flat Water World Marathon Champs one day, but one step at a time, I have a couple more goals that I want to achieve and I know its going to take a lot of hard work and dedication but I know I want it very badly so yes there are goals in the future that I hope to achieve.

EK: The women scene in South Africa looks to be improving a lot with the irruption of a new generation including the Adie sisters, the impressive Robyn Kime, Tiffany Kruger, yourself… in addition to the more experienced and world known Ulansky, Hodson, Hartley, Eray, Walder… What’s the feeling from inside this exciting new generation?

HP: There is positive and negative, we need to focus on the juniors and all the focus  seems to be on sprinting, one thing I think we have come to notice is that South Africans are very good marathon racers, and we get results in this discipline, its almost like South Africans are bred to race long distance! Its great to see juniors coming up but I wish they would spend more time in the rivers or marathon paddling and focused on what they are good at.

We are very excited for Bridget who will be representing South Africa at the Olympics and wish her the best of luck – very proud of her, I have been friends her for a number of years now and I have seen the dedication, determination and hunger to succeed in her, I hope this will be a good year for her!

EK: Maybe we may see yourself in future Olympics, too? Would you try Sprint?

HP: hmmmmm, I’m more of a river marathon paddler I must say, It was a dream of mine but I think I can fulfil many other dreams that would satisfy my needs. Realistically I’m not genetically built to be a sprinter.

EK: A wish for the future...

Only one??? haha
I would love to win my hometown race – The Dusi Canoe Marathon
      - Compete at World Marathon Champs
      - Race Sella & Liffey,
     
In terms of paddling within South Africa, it would be nice to see South Africans realising that the majority of our paddlers have strength in River and Marathon paddling, to see more South Africans experiencing the World Rivers, of course to see more Internationals coming to South Africa to experience and enjoy our unique rivers and country!!