McGregor continues winning ways
Hank McGregor takes huge stride to retaining his Varsity College Surfski Series title after third victory of the challenge.
NO surf and magnificently flat seas saw Friday evening’s Thule Surfski Challenge, race four of the 2014 Varsity College Marine Surfski Series, turn into a raw, unforgiving 8km sprint which played right into the hands of the remarkably fit Hank McGregor and Michelle Burn. The respective men’s and women’s series defending champions extended their lead at the top of the 2014 standings while hundreds of others enjoyed getting back on the water. (Race 1 results) (Race 2 results) (Race 3 results)
With two wins under the belt from the series’ first three races to date, triple Canoe Marathon World Champ Hank McGregor notched up his third race victory when he narrowly edged out perennial rival and uMhlanga resident Matt Bouman after a tightly contested affair throughout the two lap dash around Durban’s bay.
The win sees McGregor halfway to achieving yet another series title with paddlers’ best six results from the 10-leg series counting towards the final standings, however there is still plenty to race for McGregor, particularly as he prepares for the upcoming Dusi Canoe Marathon.
“It’s great to get another win,” said McGregor. “I will obviously have to start taking it easy for the next couple of weeks before the Dusi so it’s nice to be able to get another win under the belt before then.”
With no assistance from Mother Nature, McGregor and Bouman were left to square off against one another in the high tempo frenzy where just a single mistake could well end one’s challenge. “Matthew (Bouman) and I got away from the start so it immediately became a bit of a two horse battle. I then managed to open up a bit of a gap on him at the start of the second lap and by the end had about 150 meters, so I was happy. With no assistance from the conditions it was just a good, hard slog the whole way,” he added.
Michelle Burn was the shining light in the women’s race once more as she, like McGregor, claimed her third win of the series, finishing exactly a minute ahead of Nikki Russell who in turn was a minute ahead of Mt Edgecombe’s Jenna Ward.
While the conditions created tight, high intensity racing at the front of the field, the respite in the testing surf participants have had to deal with in the first three weeks of the series was welcomed by most and saw numerous novices head out and complete their first 2014 series race, a first race ever for some.
Race Results
1.Hank McGregor 34.30
2.Matt Bouman 34.56
3.Lean-Luc Mauvis 36.53
Women
1.Michelle Burn 40.48
2.Nicole Russell 41.48
3.Jenna Ward 42.50
Junior Boys
1.Keagan Kok 40.02
2.Jordan Clauson 40.13
3.Brett Wilken (U16) 42.06
Doubles
1.Mark Mulder/Dave Chaplin 35.00
2.Wayne Wilson/Shaun Dias 35.06
3.Lee McGregor/Allan Hold 35.46
Mixed Doubles
1.Ryan Atkins/Julie Cornelius 37.55
2.Paul Scruby/Angela Scruby 38.59
3.Derek Hauptfleisch/Lynne Hauptfleisch 44.04
SHORT COURSE
Singles
1.Sipho Luthuli 22.59
2.Tyron Hudson 23.04
3.Gareth Hazell 23.20
Doubles
1.Terry McDougall/Michael Lyon 20.48
2.Trent Baird/Sandile Shange 21.39
3.Thando Thusi/Lareun Coleby (Mixed) 22.16
