Andy Birkett turned the tables on reigning marathon canoeing world champion Hank McGregor by winning the men’s K1 title at the SA Marathon Champs at Camps Drift on Saturday in a thrilling showdown between the top two ranked marathon paddlers in the world.
The blue ribbon event saw Birkett and McGregor racing much of the latter part of the race with Czech national team paddler Jakub Adam and Cape-based Stu Maclaren, before the closing lap developed into a cliffhanger end sprint between the Euro Steel team mates Birkett and McGregor.
Birkett managed to get the edge over McGregor to power to the finish line in an electric atmosphere to win by two boat lengths, with a dogged Adam taking a close third.
The result ensures that Birkett and McGregor will represent South Africa at the ICF World Marathon Champs at the same venue in a months time.
The opposite was true of the women’s race where Bridgitte Hartley’s single-minded focus on marathon training saw her demolish the women’s field to win by eight minutes, with the Western Cape Melanie van Niekerk securing the second berth in the national team.
Former junior K2 world champ Jean van der Westhuysen showed he is managing the transition to Under 23 racing well when he raced a tactically astute race to down the trio of challengers Nick Notten, Kenny RTice and Mark Keeling.
Kyeta Purchase also asserted herself impressively in her women’s’ Undder23 race and secured her place in the national team with runner up Kerry Segal.
One of the star’s of the day was Gauteng born Alex Masina, now training at NCC in Pietermaritzburg, who ruled the juniors boys fast-paced K1 race with an iron fist, subduing the strong local challengers in a race that saw the Under 16 emerging stars Uli Hart and Hamish Mackenzie driving the front bunch with Stuart Little.
The attention shifts to K2 racing on Sunday when the full programme of races cover aspirant paddlers from Under 8 Guppies to the Great Great Grand Masters vying for national titles and places in the national team to the World Champs in September.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
SOUTH AFRICAN MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS, CAMPS DRIFT
MEN’S K1
1 Andy Birkett 2:12:16
2 Hank McGregor 2:12:18
3 Jakub Adam 2:12:20
4 Stuart Maclaren 2:12:30
5 Clinton Cook 2:13:51
6 Brandon Van Der Walt 2:18:51
7 Michael Arthur 2:29:01
8 Michael-John Robb 2:29:48
WOMEN’S K1
1 Bridgitte Hartley 2:02:28
2 Melanie Van Niekerk 2:10:27
3 Nikki Russell 2:11:06
4 Hayley Nixon 2:20:21
5 Bianca Beavitt 2:20:54
UNDER 23 MEN’S K1
1 Jean Van Der Westhuyzen 1:55:44
2 Nicholas Notten 1:55:49
3 Kenneth Rice 1:57:30
4 Mark Keeling 1:57:38
5 Bryan Leroux 2:03:49
6 Gene Prato 2:04:32
7 Bailey De Fondaumiere 2:07:13
8 Brandon Orpwood 2:07:42
9 Tyron Maher 2:08:32
10 Anders Hart 2:16:58
UNDER 23 WOMEN’S K1
1 Kyeta Purchase 2:00:34
2 Kerry Segal 2:01:09
3 Donna Hutton 2:08:50
4 Morgan Ziervogel 2:09:25
5 Holly Spencer 2:09:29
6 Nokukhanya Shange 2:22:09
7 Asanda Ndlovu 2:31:15
UNDER 18 and UNDER 16 BOY’S K1
1 Alex Masina 1:44:55 U18
2 Ulvard Hart 1:45:01 U16
3 Stewart Little 1:45:31 U18
4 Hamish Mackenzie 1:45:40 U16
5 David Evans 1:46:00 U16
6 Hamish Lovemore 1:46:00 U18
7 Emanuel Zaloumis 1:50:45 U18
8 Sandile Mtolo 1:51:28 U16
9 Minenhle Mbhele 1:51:30 U18
10 Jordy Malherbe 1:51:31 U16
UNDER 14 BOY’S K1
1 Kwanda Mzolo 1:03:10
2 Finlay Leask 1:03:11
3 Pierre Van Der Westhuyzen 1:05:10
4 Sanele Masango 1:06:46
5 Eugon Williams 1:07:43
6 Kwanele Thabethe 1:08:03
7 Jarryd Walker 1:08:41
8 Matthew Millward 1:09:25
9 Anthony Andreas 1:14:11
10 Adrian Rodd 1:15:11
UNDER 18 AND UNDER 16 GIRL’S K1
1 Christie Mackenzie 1:39:12 U18
2 Caitlin Mackenzie 1:42:10 U16
3 Keegan Kieser 1:43:02 U18
4 Sabina Lawrie 1:43:59 U18
5 Katie Croudace 1:46:05 U18
6 Cayleigh Shaw 1:50:12 U16
7 Megan Oelofse 1:50:30 U16
8 Lisa Meyer 2:07:56 U18
9 Jessica Behrens 2:09:09 U16
10 Sinazo Mnqokoyi 2:16:17 U18
UNDER 14 GIRL’S K1
1 Lizanne Conradie 1:02:47 U14
2 Melonie Croeser 1:10:05 U14
3 Jo-Ane Prinsloo 1:10:23 U14
4 Nicole Abrahams 1:15:29 U14
5 Kamilah Hank 1:16:00 U14
6 Georgina Howard 1:16:22 U14
7 Sisanda Mthabela 1:19:51 U14
8 Nicqu-Linn August 1:22:47 U14
9 Jessica Erasmus 1:24:40 U14
10 Tinyiko Mahwayi 1:25:10 U14
More information can be found at www.canoesa.org.za
ENDS