McGregor and Ward victories kick-start winter surfski season
Hank McGregor and Jenna Ward took the tops spots in the first leg of the Bay Union Surfski season.
DURBAN’S winter surfski season got underway on Sunday 4 May with the Bay Union Season Starter, race one of the four leg Bay Union Surfski Series.
Regular front runner Hank McGregor and top step of the podium novice Jenna Ward got their 2014 campaign underway in ideal fashion with victory in the men’s and women’s races respectively.
Challenging surf conditions greeted more than 200 strong field in front of Marine Surf Lifesaving Club at Addington Beach however a deep water start and a revised course sent the paddlers on their way smoothly and got the widely anticipated season of ocean paddling underway.
Having shared the Varsity College Marine Surfski Series title with team mate Matt Bouman earlier in the year, McGregor was eager to start the defense of his winter series title well.
“I’ve been doing a fair amount of distance training recently ahead of next week’s Molokai so it was nice to be able to come here today and get the win in a slightly shorter format,” said McGregor. “With me going to be in Hawaii I’ll miss the next couple of weeks’ races so it’s really nice to leave South African shores with a win under the belt,” he added.
The win wasn’t without fault for McGregor though as he and doubles race leaders Lee McGregor and Allan Hold at the time took a mid-race detour on the second lap which forced them to work a little harder than they would have hoped at the tail end of the race.
While the younger McGregor managed to still claim the win ahead of regular doubles and training partner Grant van der Walt and Adam Nisbet, his father and Hold were narrowly pipped to the post by Quinton Rutherford and Byron Taylor in the doubles division.
The women’s race was a tightly fought affair as U23 rising star Jenna Ward and in form Nikki Russell enjoyed a ding-dong tussle throughout.
With Russell having lead the way for the first of the 6km loops, Ward then surged to the front midway through the second lap and never looked back as she claimed her maiden surfski race victory of her career.
The rapidly expanding short course category saw Lauren Coleby and Paul van Achterbergh victorious in the singles events while Luke Chalupsky and Mark Spencer won the doubles race.
Sunday 11 May sees the Lion of Africa Surf Challenge, race two of the 2014 Bay Union Surfski Series, take place at Marine SLC at 8am.
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