Purchase and Peek lining up mammoth Dusi challenge
Our Lady of Fatima pupil aiming for podium finish at Dusi 2016.
IT has been a busy 2016 FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon build up for the junior pair of Cana Peek and Kyeta Purchase who have sounded a few formidable warning shots to the other ladies crews that they will be pushing for an overall podium spot at next year’s Dusi.
The U18 pair have performed well in the initial seeding races that have come up for the Dusi and have, strangely, been one of the only finalised K2 crews that have been taking part in the early races.
For Our Lady of Fatima pupil Purchase, combining with Peek has been simple.
“I always thought that we would always make a good combination because we blend together so well. Our personalities are so similar which has made it easy for us. We became good friends at World Marathon Champs in Hungry recently so that has carried over to our partnership in the boat where we don’t have any arguments.”
Getting the partnership right and combining well as a combination on the water is one of the toughest challenges for a new crew however Purchase feels that her and Peek have managed that without a hiccup.
“Blending as a crew together in the boat has not been a problem because we are both paddlers. It’s not like we are two amateurs with poor paddling styles so it has been easy for us in that regard because we know what we are doing. As a pair we complement each other really well because she is an incredible runner and I am a strong paddler.
“Her paddling is strong but I would say that she is a stronger runner so I think that where I lose on running she makes up for it and where she loses on paddling I make up for it,” she added.
Despite still being among the junior ranks at the Dusi the pair have set their ambitions higher than that and Purchase is confident that they can achieve their goal of a senior podium spot.
“We obviously want to win the Under 18 category but if we can do well overall then that should take care of itself. The crew to beat will be Abby (Solms) and Anna (Kožíšková) without a doubt and we all know that but with Jenna’s (Ward) partner only coming out in January it is going to be a good race for the rest of the podium. It is going to be a great race and at the end of the day we are just hoping to get through it as well as we can and let the results take care of themselves,” concluded Purchase.
