Holly Smith has been crowned the overall race week girls junior champion in Australia, going against the world’s best rowers to win it!
South Africa (29 November 2023) – Camps Bay High School Grade 11 learner and Hout Bay resident, Holly Smith, has stunned again with an outstanding performance in the lead-up to the highly anticipated 2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in Perth, Australia.
Amidst a fiercely competitive field of over 400 participants at the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, Holly showcased remarkable skill and determination, claiming multiple titles.
The Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, a convergence of events held over a week in Perth, Western Australia, witnessed Holly’s exceptional talent and determination, earning her the titles of Overall Shaw and Partners Junior Girls Race Week Champion, Shaw and Partners Doctor Champion, and The Fenn West Coast Downwinder Champion.
In a dazzling display of skill and resilience, Holly Smith secured a victory in the Fenn West Coast Downwinder, triumphing in the Junior Girls Ski category with a remarkable time of 01:40:49.2. The challenging 26 km course, starting at Port Beach in Perth and culminating at Sorrento Beach, tested participants with steep walls and demanding conditions.
Holly further showcased her unwavering determination in the Shaw and Partners Doctor, a gruelling 27 km Surfski race from Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach. Battling scorching temperatures and minimal wind, she exhibited exceptional skill, securing another first-place finish in the Junior Ski Category with a time of 2:13:33.1.
“Holly’s unwavering determination and sheer resilience were on full display as she persevered through blister-covered hands, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to surpass top Australian and international competitors, ultimately securing the Junior Girls Title for the Shaw and Partner Doctor and the prestigious Overall Junior Girls Shaw and Partners WA Race Week Win. As she prepares for the 2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships beginning on 30 November, Holly, an already acclaimed World Champion K2 ICF Canoe Marathon titleholder, stands as a powerful asset to the South African team. The whole of Camps Bay High School will be cheering her on in support!” – Ms Busi Ngcwama, Camps Bay High School’s Head of Sport