Birkett snatches maiden title

ANDY Birkett snatched a sensational maiden title at the N3TC Drakensberg Challenge Canoe Marathon last Sunday.

Racing on a low uMzimkulu River, Birkett and Hank McGregor began the 23km final stage from Callaway Bridge to Hopewell Farm side by side, with McGregor having won the psychological advantage of winning the first stage.

The pair challenged each other through the final stage, but they were still locked together as they entered the lower gorge, just 20 minutes from the finish.

McGregor raced to the bottom of Mkhulu Rapid and became stuck, while Birkett took another line which allowed him a 50m lead on McGregor.

“For the next two kilometres I looked back over my shoulder at every corner and every rapid to see if Hank was chasing me. Only when I realised that he had given up the chase did I start thinking about the fact that I might win the title,” said Birkett. “I am really stoked with the win because it helps me prove to myself that my paddling is improving, and that I can mix it up with Hank McGregor and the flat water marathon paddlers,” said Birkett. Last year he also won the U23 World Marathon Championships title in Copenhagen.

“It was a tough race. We weren’t giving each other an easy time out there but that is what racing is all about. So I am a little surprised but very chuffed with my win,” added Birkett.

Defending champion Grant van der Walt (Varsity College/Team Jeep) grabbed the last spot on the podium from K1 Dusi champ and top Under 23 Lance Kime, with Len Jenkins holding off the gutsy visiting Australian Josh Kippen for the fifth place.

The women’s title was won for the fourth time by Abby Adie. “I started in elapsed time and Robyn (Kime) was in the first batch, which made it very difficult to keep track on where she was relative to me,” said Adie.

She can now turn her full attention to her bid for the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon title, as her partner Ana Adamova has just arrived back in South Africa for the final run-in to the big race in February.

The field of 750 paddlers enjoyed the challenges of the low level river, in stark contrast to the flooded N3TC Drak Challenge last year.

Overall

1. Andy Birkett 2:53:45

2. Hank McGregor 2:54:39

3. Grant van der Walt 2:57:09

4. Lance Kime (U23) 2:57:11

5. Len Jenkins Jnr 3:00:30

Women

1. Abby Adie 3:15:18

2. Robyn Kime 3:18:20

3. Michelle Burn 3:24:29

4. Alex Adie 3:27:40

5. Jenna Ward (U23) 3:28:07

Under 23 Men

1. Lance Kime 2:57:11

2. Siseko Ntondini 3:02:03

3. Owen Gandar 3:02:08

Under 23 Women

1. Jenna Ward 3:28:07

2. Brittany Petersen 3:29:00

3. Jordan Peek 3:35:37