BRIDGITTE Hartley starred at the South African Sprint Canoeing Championships at Nagle Dam recently as the Olympic bronze medallist ticked all the boxes in her long term strategy aimed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Hartley comfortably won the Senior Victrix Ludorum title after a weekend of winning all her K1 races and also contesting several K2 finals against a field that showed plenty of highly competitive talent coming through the ranks. “I have had a really good build-up season and off-season, in the swimming pool and skiing. I have been working a lot harder in the gym and challenging myself more, so so-far-so-good. I am really looking forward to the serious racing season.”

“I was hoping to try and break my 1 minute 52 second time from the KZN Champs a few weeks ago because the conditions were pretty much the same. But I know that when it comes to the international season I will be able to push myself harder. I saw that in the 200m final with Timea.”

Hartley was put under pressure in that 200m K1 final by Hungarian ace Timea Paksy, who has relocated to South African with plans to qualify for the Rio 2016 Games for South Africa.

“As far as women’s racing in South Africa is concerned, Timea being here is a big boost for the sport,” said Hartley. “She is a natural 200m racer and I understand that she is here to race in a K4, which is good news.”

Under 23 stars Kerry Segal and Mt Edgecombe resident Jenna Ward took the second and third places on the overall women’s points table.

Cape speedster Alasdair Glass outclassed a strong field of KZN locals to scoop the Victor Ludorum title, edging out Dusi champ Andy Birkett, Under 23 star Stu McLaren and two former marathon world champs Cam Schoeman and former Durban North resident Brandon van der Walt.

The Peninsula Canoe Club racer won a tough 1000m K1 final and then finished second in the 500m K1 final to on-form Greg Louw, while he also grabbed key points in the K2 finals with his partner Ant Collopy to secure the overall title.

Results: Senior Men
1 Alasdair Glass PEN 57.0
2 Andy Birkett NAT 53.5
3 Stuart McLaren UCT 48.0
4 Cam Schoeman NAT 47.5
5 Brandon van der Walt PEN 46.0

Results: Senior Women
1 Bridgitte Hartley KZN 72.5
2 Kerry Segal KZN 48.0
3 Jenna Ward VAR 46.0
4 Brittany Petersen KZN 39.5
5 Esti van Tonder ACA 36.0