Hank McGregor underlined his position as South Africa’s most successful canoeist when he cruised to his 13th win in the Berg River Marathon and added yet another SA title to his collection of championship medals on Saturday.
The “Berg” is one of South African canoeing’s majors and 45-year-old McGregor’s phenomenal record of 13 wins from 16 attempts is made even more remarkable by the fact that he has now won the gruelling 240 km event twice in his mid-40s.
The King of SA Canoeing first won the four-day race from Paarl to Velddrif on the Cape West Coast in 2000, when he was just 22 years old and then went unbeaten from 2005 until 2012 in a remarkable run of eight consecutive victories.
After a tricky start to Day 2, when he was dropped from the lead group after a series of errors in the channels that litter the stage, McGregor fought back to lead going into Day 3.
He started the long 76 km stage on Friday with an advantage of about two and a half minutes over Jeremy Maher and Tom Lovemore, and they all finished in the front group again with fourth-placed David Evans.
The final day was paddled into a strong headwind blowing across the coastal floodplains near Velddrif, and McGregor was once again able to dominate things when it counted. He broke away over the final 10 km to increase his lead, with Maher securing second overall by following McGregor home, while Lovemore eventually had to settle for third.
“It always feels great to get to the finish of the Berg and obviously to win it is always something special,” said McGregor, soon after crossing the line at Velddrif on Saturday. “Win number 13 for me . . . I never thought I would win so many.”
And will there be a 14th win?
“Who knows . . . I may be back next year. I always say I am never coming back, but always seem to find my way back to Paarl and make it to Velddrif.”
In the women’s race 21-year-old Christy Shrimpton was completely dominant, as she led the entire race from Paarl on Wednesday until Velddrif on Saturday.
The Peninsula Club paddler ended the four days with a big victory margin of just over 30 minutes, with three-time winner Bianca Beavitt second and Ansune Basson just over an hour further back.
More information and full results can be found at www.berg.org.za
