Keri-Anne Payne and Chad Ho Take 39th Midmar Mile

MIDMAR DAM, South Africa. February 12. Keri-Anne Payne and Ashley Twichell went stroke-for-stroke, literally, for 1,600 meters in the 39th Midmar Mile, the world's largest competitive open water swim.

After a crazy mass start on the shore of the Midmar Dam, they both shot out like a canon. "We occasionally bumped into each other," recalled 22-year-old Twichell who was visiting South Africa for the first time.

They mirrored each others stroke and each others pace. Facing a mean oncoming chop due to strong winds, the 6-time defending champion from Great Britain was in a real battle against the newcomer from Duke University. "This is the most exciting, closest women's race in the history of the Midmar Mile," commented race director Wayne Riddin.

At the 400-meter hot spot, the women were swinging wide but no matter, they were ahead of everyone else and they were only eyeing each other. At the 800-meter mark, they were still going stroke for stroke … and the same at the 1200-meter hot spot. Each woman was desperately trying to make a break, but each break was matched by her rival. By the 1400 meters, their backs and shoulders were visually pink under the brilliant skies, flushed because of the high-pace they were holding.

Twichell gave a push with 200 meters to go, but with 50 meters left, Payne counter-punched with an ever-so-slight move to the front which her Twichell could not match. One stroke ahead of her, Payne stood up at the shoreline and took a few steps to etch her 7th consecutive victory at the Midmar Mile.

Interestingly enough, Payne wore reportedly the new Speedo FASTSKIN3 Racing System.

On the men's side, 2008 Olympian Chad Ho took his traditional position on the left side of the starting line-up at the Midmar Dam. Calm, cool and collected, he knew all eyes would be on him.

Facing a strong oncoming chop under sunny skies, Ho punched through the turbulence like a boxer manhandling his opponent. By the 400-meter hotspot, he clearly had the race wrapped up. He continued to maintain the pace and finished over 20 seconds faster than second-place fellow South African Troy Prinsloo and Italian Federico Colbertaldo.

But his sights are on a different stage. "Things are going well in the preparation for the Olympics [marathon swim]. I have been doing some 10K swims on the World Cup and working out hard," said the man who was the youngest teenager at the 2008 Beijing Olympics marathon swim.

Top Ten results:

1. Chad Ho (21) 18:47
2. Troy Prinsloo (26) 19:09
3. Federico Colbertaldo (23) 19:23
4. Riaan Schoeman (22) 19:30
5. Henri Schoeman (20) 19:52
6. Danie Marais (19) 20:01
7. Abdul Malick Railoun (19) 20:02
8. Filippo Ton (25) 20:04
9. Jasper Venter (23) 20:29
10. Nicholas Kieck (20) 20:39

1. Keri-Anne Payne (24) 20:44
2. Ashley Twichell (22) 20:46
3. Danielle Hall-Jackson (17) 21:03
4. Kayleigh Dawson (18) 22:17
5. Rene Warnes (20) 22:23
6. Michelle Weber (15) 22:24
7. Lucy Charles (18) 22:28
8. Nicole Brits (17) 22:29
9. Megan Stephens (21) 22:37
10. Jasmin Agnaeito (20) 22:38

Courtesy of Open Water Source

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