Veteran paddler Hank McGregor from Durban and durable women’s star Bridgitte Hartley from Pietermaritzburg have been confirmed as the winners of the inaugural MyLife Dusi Series that surrounded the recent Dusi Canoe Marathon.
The series was established to put more emphasis on the pre-Dusi seeding and build-up races, with three pre-Dusi races and the Dusi counting towards the paddlers’ overall series scores, with the Dusi counting for the most points.
In the Dusi, McGregor came second in the men’s race and Hartley third in the women’s section.
The MyLife Umpetha Challenge, the Kindo Covers Inanda Dam to Durban and the Lighthouse Design Ozzie Gladwin were the three races that counted alongside the Dusi, and it was ultimately McGregor who collected the most points.
He ended the series with 525 points, while Dave Evans from Pietermaritzburg finished second with 425 and Thulani Mbanjwa from the Valley of a Thousand Hills ended third with 400 points.
For Euro Steel’s McGregor to have a series that adds value to more than just the Dusi is a good way to encourage top paddlers to take part in the build-up events.
“What the series has done is create a race within a race, which increases the appeal to take part in as many pre-Dusi races as you can,” McGregor said.
Hartley said, “With an incentive to come and race in the build-up races to the Dusi, paddlers from out of the province will also see those races as an opportunity to get more points for the series,” she said.
Men’s Top Five:
1. Hank McGregor 525 points
2. Dave Evans 425 points
3. Thulani Mbanjwa 400 points
4. Stewart Little 335 points
5. Msawenkosi Mtolo 265 points
Women’s Top Five:
1. Bridgitte Hartley 485 points
2. Jordan Peek 375 points
3. Saskia Hockly 375 points
4. Christie Mackenzie 370 points
5. Jenna Ward 275 points