Catherine van Rensburg ensured there was a South African winner at this year’s aQuellé Midmar Mile, claiming top honours in the elite women’s race while New Zealander Louis Clark just edged out the local contingent in a thrilling finish to take the men’s title.
Competing in her first ever aQuellé Midmar Mile, Van Rensburg led from the start, pulling away from the pack along with teammate and lane-mate at TUKS, Callan Lotter. The duo battled choppy conditions to remain out front and it was Van Rensburg, who had reached all three hotspots at the 400, 800 and 1200m marks just ahead, who made the decisive move in the final metres to cross the finish in 19 minutes 49 to take the title.
Lotter was second in 20:06 and, for the first time in aQuellé Midmar Mile history, there was a tie for third with 2022 champion Stephanie Houtman and New Zealand swimmer Ruby Heath crossing the finish in exactly the same time of 20:32 leaving officials unable to separate them even after reviewing video footage
“This is my first Midmar race so I’m so happy with it,” said Van Rensburg afterwards. “The conditions were a little bit choppy but I just pushed through. Callan and I are best friends so we swim together the whole time and we just tried to push each other to see how far we could get.”
Lotter added: “It was quite tough with all the waves – you could hardly see where you were going so I was just trying to follow Catherine the whole way.”
Heath also found it tough going but was wowed by the scale of the event.
“It was amazing, choppier conditions than we would have hoped for but that’s open water swimming – you can’t dictate the conditions but this one is certainly going to be with me for a while and I hope to come back again next year and swim it again,” she said.
“In New Zealand we don’t have anything like this. So to be here and witness this many people getting involved in open water swimming is really amazing and the level of competition is something next to none so it’s been a really great experience and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Heath’s compatriot Louis Clark took to the water in the elite men’s race. The duo had earned their tickets to the aQuellé Midmar Mile by winning their respective 5km titles at the New Zealand national open water championships, thanks to an arrangement between race director Wayne Riddin and former SA national coach Graham Hill, who is now New Zealand’s Olympic coach, and also a former winner at Midmar.
Clark, who is a world champion in lifesaving, put his ocean swimming skills to good use in the rough conditions, admitting he was grinning broadly when he saw the waves in the dam. He took the challenge to the strong pack of South Africans, surging ahead at 400, 800 and 1200m to claim the hotspot prizes.
A group of six swimmers were still in contention for the title in the final 400m of the race and it all came down to a frantic final sprint – Clark showing his experience to edge ahead and take the win in 19:07 in what was one of the closest men’s races in Midmar history. Henré Louw was runner-up after finishing just two seconds back with Matthew Caldwell third in 19:12.
“I got to about the last gate [1200m] and thought I’m feeling pretty good, I think it’s time to go so I put the foot down and tried to leave everybody and it worked and I held on for dear life at the end so it was good,” said a thrilled Clark afterwards.
Louw added: “It was a really tough race and a lot of fun. My tactic was to go out strong and try and stay in front… but Louis had a really good tactic. He stayed in the slip really well so it was really competitive in tough conditions.”
Earlier in the day, two-time Olympic gold medallist and 2023 Midmar champion Sharon van Rouwendaal decided to swim in the 31-40 age category rather than in the main race, winning easily in a time of 20:15
And there were several milestones celebrated as Gary Albertyn completed his 200th aQuellé Midmar Mile, also winning the men’s 51-60 age category in what was his 20th mile of the weekend in the process.
“I’m quite relieved actually. It’s been a few years of looking forward to this so I’m very happy with achieving it,” said Albertyn, who suggested he might now set his sights on the 250 mark.
Also receiving a rousing welcome on the banks of Midmar Dam was 87-year-old Paul Chalupsky, the oldest finisher of the race, who swam his first-ever mile with his son Oscar – the 12-time world surfski champion and cancer warrior.
Asked whether he’ll be back next year for a second one at the age of 88, Chalupsky snr reckoned: “It looks like it. I’ll definitely have to do that… But they should put lanes in there so you can see where to go.”
Top 10 women:
Catherine van Rensburg – 19:49
Callan Lotter – 20:06
=3 Stephanie Houtman – 20:32
=3 Ruby Heath – 20.32
Kirsty Andraos – 22:09
Zuria Venter – 22:09
Katie-Peta Marcelino – 22:12
Megan Shepherd – 22:13
Cassidy Sinclair – 22:14
Taylor Kassebaum – 22:14
Top 10 men:
Louis Clark – 19:07
Henre Louw – 19:09
Matthew Caldwell – 19:12
Ruan Breytenbach – 19:15
Connor Albertyn – 19:16
Sven van der Linde – 19:20
Barnard Wolfaardt – 19:56
Damien Angel – 20:26
Reino von Wielligh – 20:29
Jedrick James Geleta – 20:29