Hank and Saskia shine at world champs

North Coast paddlers Hank McGregor and Saskia Hockly brought home ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships silverware from Perth, Australia.

Seasoned veteran McGregor clinched silver in the overall men’s competition and gold in his age category (masters 45-49).

Hockly, a rookie U23 campaigner, claimed bronze in her age group and seventh overall in the women’s race.

This after winning the world junior title at the previous two championships.

Race day on November 30 produced a 20-knot south-west wind and loads of sunshine – ideal conditions for the 20km ocean race up the Australian West Coast from Freemantle’s Bathers Beach to Perth’s Scarborough Beach.

McGregor said he had a reasonably good start, positioned in the top 15 at the first turn after one kilometre of paddling into the wind.

The remaining 19 kilometres was a downwind battle where McGregor’s surf ski skills and experience gave him the upper hand.

“I used my local North Coast surf ski skills – our ocean here is quite unforgiving. I chose the right line and managed to pull back into second place.”

Hitting the beach neck and neck with fellow South African, Joshua Fenn, the minor podium placings came down to a fiercely contested run up the beach with McGregor pipping the 25-year-old Fenn across the line by less than half a second. Australia’s Cory Hill won the men’s race in 1:11:46.

“This is my third silver medal and obviously I’d love to get a different colour, but I’m stoked with my performance and to bring home a medal for my country,” said McGregor.

It was double gold for the Aussies in their own back yard with Jemma Smith winning the women’s race in 1:22:35. South Africans Michelle Burn and Kira Bester took overall silver and bronze.

Hockly said she had a very good start, going around the first turn in third place. However, with about two kilometres to go and in the running for fourth overall, disaster struck.

A piece of weed got stuck in her rudder which slowed her down and allowed some of her competitors to pull away.

Nevertheless, she crossed the finish line in a time of 1:26:59 which secured her an U23 bronze medal to add to her two junior gold medals.

“It is my first year competing in the U23 category and I am very happy with my performance,” said Hockly, who was stoked to race against athletes she has looked up to for years.

While canoe ocean racing is not an Olympic sport, McGregor and Hockly have set their sights on competing in the Olympic sprint kayaking event.

McGregor has his gaze set on the 2024 Paris Games while Hockly is working towards 2028 in Los Angeles.

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