Canoeing | Bester riding a wave of success to the Prescient Freedom Paddle

CAPE TOWN – In a Prescient Freedom Paddle field packed with stars of the international paddling world, current women's Ocean Racing World Champion Kira Bester stands out as one of the superstars of the race around Robben Island on April 27.

2024 World Champion Kira Bester from Cape Town will be defending her Prescient Freedom Paddle title on Freedom Day.

The 23-year-old Cape Town resident is literally and figuratively riding a wave of success at the moment, but she is acutely aware that her recent world-beating performances count for nothing on the start line. Surprisngly, after being crowned 2024 Ocean Racing World Champion in Portugal in October last year, Bester says she does not feel any extra pressure on the start line.

"Last year I went through a period of questioning myself whether winning the World Championships would put more pressure on myself," said Bester this week. "I came to realise that it was connected to the idea of having this goal and then striving and working for the goal – you put so much expectation on a goal that you want to achieve; and you think that it's going to enlighten you and it's going to take away all your problems.

"And then I achieved my goal and I realised I still have the same problems and still have everything that was there prior to achieving the goal.

"I realised that it should not put pressure on myself ... it's just a race. Yes, it is a really cool thing to have on my CV because it is a goal that I have achieved, but it's not something that's it's going to to determine whether the end of the world is coming.

"Also, there are so many up-and-coming juniors and U23s, that for me to go in to a race with the mindset that I'm always going to win, just because I am the world champion, is stupid.

"The pressure is there. It was there before and it will still be there. People want to beat me because I am the World Champion, but people also wanted to beat me before.

"If anything, winning the World Championship has kind of humbled me because I realise that there are bigger things out there than just being a World Champion."

Bester is currently preparing for two major events on the Freedom Day long weekend – the South African S1 Championships and the Prescient Freedom Paddle which doubles as the SA S2 Championships.

On Friday, April 25 in Fish Hoek, Bester will be hoping to claim the South African S1 (singles) title and confirm her place in the South African team to defend her World title in Durban in October. Two day's later, on Sunday, April 27, she defends her Prescient Freedom Paddle title and hopes to claim a second national title, paddling with close friend Melanie Van Niekerk.

Bester is looking forward to the weekend of racing, mostly because it is a rare chance to experience her successes with friends and family.

"I really do enjoy the Prescient Freedom Paddle weekend quite a lot, not only because it is such an iconic race, but it is in Cape Town and I really enjoy racing in Cape Town. It's my home ground and there aren't many races here, so having a race that is basically in my backyard is really, really helpful to me. My followers, my support crew and family members can come watch, which I don't usually have at other races around the world."

One friend that Bester is hoping shares her success over the weekend is Van Niekerk.

"It's nice paddling the Prescient Freedom Paddling with Melanie because she is actually one of my best friends. We're a good combo, partly because she's willing to sit in the back, which is not very common. I am bad in the back of a boat, because I'm a bit of control freak with regards to paddling, so I need to sit in the front and she's more than happy to sit in the back."

For more information on the 2025 Prescient Freedom Paddle go to www.freedompaddle.co.za. Entries are open on the Canoeing SA portal at paddler.canoesa.com

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