Durban – Mark Keeling ended the second ICF Ocean Racing World Championships in Tahiti on a high note by snatching the junior boys world crown on a day that saw Team South Africa add a further silver and bronze medal to their haul.
The Fish Hoek youngster comfortably dispatched the challenges from Frenchman Hector Henot and Fergus Morgan of Australia to claim the top step on the junior men’s podium, a day after Durbanite Jenna Ward won the women’s Under 23 world title.
In the senior men’s race, the race for the title held by Capetonian Shaun Rice going into this event was decided between two Australians, with the impressive Cory Hill prevailing over the veteran Clint Robinson.
Jasper Mocké (Epic Kayaks) bagged another medal for Team SA by finishing third, just ahead of Rice (Think Kayaks) in fourth, with marathon world champ Hank McGregor (Jeep Team/Epic Kayaks) a minute further back in sixth, and Barry Lewin (Jeep Team) finishing in the top ten as well.
Kenny Rice added a silver medal in the Under 23 men’s race, finishing a minute and a half behind Australia’s Mackenzie Hynard.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
OCEAN RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, TAHITI
SENIOR MEN
1 Cory Hill AUS 1:58:06.04
2 Clint Robinson AUS 1:58:35.36
3 Jasper Mocké RSA 1:59:07.73
4 Sean Rice RSA 1:59:32.13
5 Michael Booth AUS 2:00:19.27
6 Hank McGregor RSA 2:00:43.44
7 Yannick Laousse FRA 2:00:52.85
8 Murray Stewart AUS 2:02:46.64
9 Sam Norton AUS 2:03:14.52
10 Barry Lewin RSA 2:03:31.70
UNDER 23 MEN
1 MacKenzie Hynard AUS 2:01:51.40
2 Kenny Rice RSA 2:03:06.43
3 Joey Hall AUS 2:04:00.03
4 Hiromana Floroes TAH 2:04:38.42
5 1om Norton AUS 2:05:30.81
JUNIOR MEN
1 Mark Keeling RSA 2:10:39.68
2 Hector Henot FRA 2:13:07.67
3 Fergus Morgan AUS 2:15:41.10
4 Bailey de Foundaumiere RSA 2:17:02.91
5 Maihea Taimana TAH 2:19:54.15