Salt Rock’s McGregor claims surfski victory

Salt Rock resident and World Flatwater marathon champion Hank McGregor got his winter surfski season off to a great start with a win in the first race of the four leg Bay Union Surfski Series last weekend.

Alongside him on the podium was novice Jenna Ward, who won the women’s race.

Over 200 paddlers had to take on challenging surf conditions at the Marine Surf Lifesaving Club at Addington beach. Organisers arranged for a deep water start and a revised course, which gave competitors a smooth start to the race.

McGregor had to settle with sharing the Varsity College Marine Surfski Series title with fellow Epic Kayaks team mate Matt Bouman earlier in the year and he was eager to defend his winter series title win a win in the first race.

“I have 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 will miss the next couple of weeks’ races so it is really nice to leave South African shores with a win under the belt,” he added.

McGregor’s race was not without fault though as he and doubles race leaders Lee McGregor and Allan Hold took a mid-race detour on the second lap which forced them to work a little harder towards the end of the race.

“Conditions were fantastic. There was a bit of chop, a bit of swell and a bit of wind,” explained McGregor.

While the younger McGregor claimed the win over regular training partner Grant van der Walt and Adam Nisbet, his father and Hold were narrowly beaten to the post by Quinton Rutherford and Byron Taylor in the doubles division.

“They say you should never follow you son! Plus I was the navigator on the yacht, not Hank, so I do not know what I was doing following,” said Lee afterwards.

The second leg of the series, the Lion of Africa Surf Challenge, gets under on Sunday May 11 at the Marine Surf Lifesaving Club at 8am. More info can be found at www.pitchandpaddle.co.za