Jeannie Bomford and Speights Coast to Coast
January 25th, 2008 by Dan Hugo
The current icon and pin up girl of South African multisport Jeannie Bomfordset off to New Zealand today to represent South Africa at the World Multisport Champs - the Speights Coast to Coast. Despite rolling the Landy two weeks back, she’s in fine form I’m confident she’ll go a lot better than I did last year and a lot better than any South African has to date.
(Jeannie heading out to bike at the first Jeep Msinsi at Albert Falls - Photo by Jon Ivins)
I’ll try to track her progress leading up to the event on the 9th of February which traverses the South Island and end in Christchurh, where Jeannie will be based in her final preparations.
After winning everything she’s started, for as long as I can recall, fate cost her the Totalsports Challenge in Kleinmond after a crash on the N2 just outside of Mosselbay. Miraculously no more than a few deeper scratches, but stitches prevented enough movement to paddle. She’d have been close behind me with the form she’s in, so was grateful for her ill fortunes…
(Totalsports Challenge morning - 12 Jan 2007)
The Coast to Coast experience was incredible last year, and I’m envious to see her go, yet have a far more cautioned excitement than a year ago. Its such a hard race, demanding physical and mental strength like nothing I’d tempted before, as well as specific course knowledge. I placed 13th last year, in somewhere round 12hours.
(Myself and Jeannie at the Triple Challenge last year)
(Jeannie on course to win the Triple Challenge)
(A summery clip of what awaits from Coast to Coast)
| Freezing a moment | Duel Ultra Triathlon Race Report |
January 25th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Hi Dan,
Kiff website, I really enjoy your updates.
Just a bit of trivia that you may or may not know is that the Coast to Coast has been won by a South African before - Rockley Montgomery in 1992. Back in the 80’s and early 90’s, this guy was the king of the fledgling sport of “canoe triathlon”, which was huge back then.
He along with guys like Henk Watermeyer, Nick Bester, Ben Janse Van Vuuren, Eddie King etc were flippin quick in their day in events like the Leppin Ironman etc. Good allrounders these guys, who could hang with the top guys in the seperate sports of canoeing(Henk), cycling(Eddie King - Rapport Toer) and running(King, Bester of course).
Good luck for Shongweni - hope you kick butt.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Hey Jason,
Brilliant to have your input. I was privileged enough to spend quality time paddling beside Tom Pryde, Chairman on Triathlon New Zealand, and someone who had completed 22 of the 24 Coast to Coasts. I had no choice to hear about Rockley, I was gladly told the story at length. I should hear a South African version though, as they did not give him much credit for winning the one year it was a duathlon, and not fairing nearly as well the year after.
I have heard some frightening stories of the guys back in the day, of training to bonk, then training some more. I grew up watching Bester run, and heard stories of my father’s paddling days with Henk featuring.
Perhaps you’ll have to write me a South African version of Rockley’s two years at Coast, and I’ll do a post on it?
Hope to see you at Shongweni.
Dan
January 25th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Hi Dan,
I was getting all nostalgic. Rockley actually emigrated to NZ many years ago if I remember correctly. I think he was a teacher in Joburg. I’ll try and find my old magazines at home with that race reports amongst others.
Regards.
January 27th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
dg…
your blog is looking awsome and i like the way you inclued other athletes in the mix.
best of luck jeanns…backing you all the way!