Birthday boy McGregor wins surfski race
All the action and results from race 3 of the Varsity College Marine Surfski Series.
victory in the McCarthy Toyota Kingsmead Durban Surfski
Challenge, giving himself the perfect birthday present in
the process. PHOTO: Anthony Grote (Gameplan Media)
CANOE Marathon World Champion, Hank McGregor, gave himself a perfect birthday present on Friday evening when he romped home to a resounding victory in the McCarthy Toyota Durban Kingsmead Surfski Challenge, race three of the 2014 Varsity College Marine Surfski Series. (Race 1 action) (Race 2 action)
The series’ defending champ made light work of the choppy conditions as he cruised past the world class field that assembled for the popular weekend-starter at Addington Beach in Durban.
“Its nice to clock up a second win early on in the series. All the big guns were here tonight so it was nice to be able to win with everyone here, especially on my birthday.
“There wasn’t much assistance out there and, with there being no wind at all, it was really hot, almost like sitting in a heated room the whole way, so you just had to put your head down and work hard,” he said.
uMhlanga’s Matt Bouman did his level best to stay with McGregor however a lapse in determination midway through the clash saw him fall off the pace and then a packet getting stuck on his rudder late in the contest put pay to any hopes he had of maintaining the gap between himself and the uncatchable leader.
Durban North’s Grant van der Walt made his first appearance of the 2014 series and, off the back of his remarkable third place effort at last weekend’s N3TC Drak Challenge, again made the bottom step on the podium his own while Quinton Rutherford and Wade Krieger rounded out the top five.
Series’ seasoned star Michelle Burn once again claimed victory in the women’s race as she cruised home ahead of a strong women’s field bursting with talent and, astoundingly, was the fifth single across the line behind Rutherford.
Durban North’s Danica Bartho made a welcome return to the series, claiming second, with Mt Edgecomber resident Jenna Ward finishing third.
“It was so much out there this week,” said Burn. “I managed to get onto a nice wave early on and then picked up a couple of runs here and there but I just so enjoyed it the whole way.
“I definitely am feeling a lot stronger now that we’re a couple of races into the series and I think Drak also really helped get my fitness back up there again,” added the 2014 Drak Challenge women’s third place finisher.
