Erin Blanch will compete in the Burleigh Swim Run in honour of her late father

Erin Blanch will race for a spot on the podium in honour of her late father when she competes in the 10th Burleigh Swim Run.

ERIN Blanch will race for a spot on the podium in honour of her late father when she competes in the 10th Burleigh Swim Run.

The 21-year-old has featured at the event every year since its inception in 2011, starting with a teams race with her father Craig Blanch, who died in 2016 at the age of 48 after a six-month battle with brain cancer.

Blanch has gone on to compete with the best in the elite fields at the Burleigh Swim Run and her motivations to keep race continue to be for her father.

“That is the main reason I keep doing it,” Blanch said.

Erin Blanch at High Tea fundraiser for Kayak Championships at Burleigh Heads/Mowbray Park SLSC, Burleigh Heads. Picture: Regina King (copyright restrictions apply 07 55322193). Pic for Faces and Places GC Bulletin use only.

“We started off together in the teams events when I was really little and he was always doing the event and always getting as many people as he could to do the event. It’s pretty special.”

Blanch has won multiple category races and finished third in the elite field in 2018 while she is also a high-level canoe competitor, previously representing Australia on the world stage.

“I am still kayaking but I have had a year off competing in events,” Blanch said.

“I’m back into it all now and we will start racing around mid-year.”

The Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park member has a bachelor of psychology to her name and is about to start her honours in the field.

It adds a new element to racing where the battle of the mind is equal to the body.

“It does help a bit but when you are actually racing it all goes out the window a bit,” Blanch said.