Hank McGregor set for world surfski title push
Pippa McGregor was also among the top names, finishing 5th in the women's K1 short course and third in the women's K2 long course with Bridgitte Hartley.
Salt Rock’s Hank McGregor has earned his chance to compete for yet another world surfski title, the only one still missing from his glittering trophy cabinet.
McGregor again proved himself as a dominant force in South African surfski paddling when he won the qualifying race for the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in St Francis on Sunday.
Despite the absence of Kenny Rice, last year’s world champion, McGregor still had to best a stacked field of the country’s best to earn the qualifying spot.
“The conditions were pretty passive out there today and I managed to get into the lead group of five after about eight kilometres,” said McGregor.
“The route was a triangular course, which was pretty fair, and fair is what they want for a national trial. On the way back with about four kilometres to go I managed to get away with Matt Fenn.
“We had a slight headwind and going with a bit of a swell I was able to get ahead of him at the wave line coming into the finish and get the win.”
Fenn pushed hard throughout the race but had to settle for the runner-up position, nine seconds behind McGregor’s time of 1:27.57.
With qualification sealed, McGregor now looks toward adding to his gold medal collection, after finishing runner-up in the world surfski champs twice in 2017 and 2022.
“I have never been shy to tell everyone that that is one title not in my trophy cabinet that I really want to win, so hopefully I can fix that in Perth in December,” he said.
Earlier in the weekend, McGregor raced in the South African Canoe Marathon Championships, also held in St Francis.
He started well last Friday, winning the K1 short course race in 21:27, before taking fourth in the K1 long course and second in the K2 long course with partner Mark Keeling.
Pippa McGregor was also among the top names, finishing 5th in the women’s K1 short course and third in the women’s K2 long course with Bridgitte Hartley.
For a full list of results, visit canoesa.org.za.
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