McGregor determined to prove he is the best

PDF | Print | E-mail

Wednesday, 22 September 2010 16:35

User Rating: / 0
PoorBest 

McGregor determined to prove he is the best

Durban ace Hank McGregor is eyeing the Hansa Powerade Fish river canoe marathon title as an opportunity to prove he is a world class marathon racer, after withdrawing from the national team to the world marathon championships in Spain.

“I have always managed to get onto the podium at the Hansa Powerade Fish, and I am really looking forward to this year’s race with Grant van der Walt,” said McGregor. “I have won the last two K2 races, and it would be great to try and make it three.”

McGregor confirmed that he had been forced to refocus his priorities after withdrawing from the national team to the worlds, shortly after winning the trials. “I have decided to make some of the big surf ski events my priority now, along with events that I really enjoy, like the Hansa Powerade Fish.”

McGregor won the 2006 K2 race with Len Jenkins, and successfully defended his K2 title in 2008 with Van der Walt. He raced to third last year in the K1 race, and was runner up in the 2007 K1 race.

While McGregor has continuing his winning ways in surfski events, winning the Mauritius surfski World Cup recently, his challenge this year will be getting the best out of his partner Grant van der Walt, who will jet back to South Africa after defending his world U23 marathon title in Spain just days before the Hansa Powerade Fish.

“Hopefully he travels well and doesn’t pick up any sniffles along the way,” said McGregor. “We should be fine. We know the river well and it is just a case of getting the right balance between rest and building up to the actual race.”

He is also eagerly relishing the chance to square off against the potent German duo of world 1000m sprint champ Max Hoff and his Cologne clubmate and coach Stefan Stiefenhofer. Their showdown in 2008 ended in controversy in the heaving water of Keith’s Flyover when the Germans lost their boat after being submerged beneath McGregor and Van der Walt’s K2 in the big rapid.

The Germans initially took a swipe at the eventual champions for not paddling strongly enough in the Grade 3 monster and thereby causing the collision that resulted in their long swim, but then quickly composed themselves and graciously accepted that this sort of incident was part and parcel of river marathon racing.

“I genuinely and sincerely want to race them right to the finish this year,” said McGregor. “They are a great crew. Max (Hoff) is not a double world champ over 1000m for nothing, and he is a great river racer – he beat me fair and square on the race into Cradock last year - so having them on the startline this year makes the race so much more exciting.”

McGregor highlighted the popular view that the Hansa Powerade Fish is a great test of river marathon ability. “You have to be good at everything. There are big rapids, trees, weirs, and long flat stretches. You need to have three really good hours in you on the first day, and if you make one mistake against the sort of field that is going to be racing this year, it is very hard to come back,” he added.

The Hansa Powerade Fish river canoe marathon takes place in Cradock on 1 and 2 October. More information can be found at www.fishmarathon.org.za