{"id":48767,"date":"2024-05-01T04:00:10","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T02:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/districtmailhelderberg\/paddlers-mark-memorable-win-20240430-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T09:19:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T07:19:39","slug":"paddlers-mark-memorable-win-20240430-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/districtmailhelderberg\/paddlers-mark-memorable-win-20240430-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Paddlers mark memorable win"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Helderberger Kira Bester and her paddling partner Pippa McGregor were in a class of their own in a strong women\u2019s field at the Prescient Freedom Paddle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair notched-up a win in the women\u2019s 27 km race around Robben Island on Saturday (27 April).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was their first victory together, although both paddlers have won with different partners in the past. McGregor and Bester, the current South African women\u2019s singles champion, were never seriously challenged as they powered home in 2:13:43. They finished 02:44 ahead of defending champions Saskia Hockly and Michelle Burn, with Jenna Nisbet and Christie Mackenzie third, and world junior canoeing champions Holly Smith and Georgia Singe fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s winners established their dominance early in the race on the downwind paddle to Robben Island, and then had to hold on in the headwind paddle back to the start\/finish at Oceana Power Boat Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had a great paddle today,\u201d said the 46-year-old Hank McGregor soon after claiming his fifth win in the seven-year history of the race. \u201cFrom the start we managed to get in the front group, and then once we got away from the mainland we started picking up some little bumps (waves).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Male winners<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUli Hart and Wayne Jacobs set a really fast pace and then we sort of split off after about three kilometres, and it was every boat for themselves to the island. We managed to open up a buffer by the time we got to the harbour wharf at Robben Island and I could see Wayne and Uli doing a big surge to try and bridge the gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe sort of let them come as close as about 50 m, and then we opened the taps and I think we snapped the elastic. Then it was all about getting back to back to Cape Town \u2013 and you know, the finish just never seems to get any closer \u2026 Table Mountain just seems to stay just as far away the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josh Fenn (24) was ecstatic to have picked up his fourth win in five years with his vastly experienced partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure how many we have won together, but I know it\u2019s always great to win. Hank is obviously so experienced and knows what he is doing, so it\u2019s quite easy just to follow him,\u201d Fenn related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t say it was a comfortable win. This is always a hard race, but a win is a win, so we\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good, strong paddle back<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The women\u2019s race went almost perfectly to plan for McGregor and Bester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe went in with a game plan that was to go super-duper hard on the downwind to the island, and hopefully have some strong men who would help pull us around and back into the wind,\u201d said Bester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe arrived at the island with two good men\u2019s crews, but as we got to the harbour they managed to sneak away from us. Then some guys from behind caught us and we worked together. The other women\u2019s boats are very strong, destined to be with a bigger bunch of guys, so they probably would have more support coming back into the wind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe knew the only way we could put a dent into the distance between us and them was to milk the downwind to the island. Luckily we had people we could work with. Looking back, there was a massive group of guys with the girls chasing us; without initial distance they probably would have caught us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

McGregor added: \u201cI am very stoked with that. We just smoked it all the way and had a good, strong paddle back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"

<\/p>\n

Strand local Kira Bester (left) and Pippa McGregor celebrate their victory in the 2024 Prescient Freedom Paddle on Saturday (27 April).Photo: Graham Daniel\/Gameplan Media <\/div>\n
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Helderberger Kira Bester and her paddling partner Pippa McGregor were in a class of their own in a strong women\u2019s field at the Prescient Freedom 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