Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:09
McGregor and Kime take the first day at Berg
Defending champions Hank McGregor and Robyn Kime stamped their authority on the 2010 Windhoek berg River Canoe marathon at the end of the 56km first stage raced in cold rainy conditions.
McGregor led home a three boat bunch into the finish at Zonquasdrift, while Kime shrugged off her lack of training to wrench a sixteen minute lead in the women’s race.
From the start in Paarl, the men's race quickly evolved into a four horse show, including last years champ Hank McGregor, Pierre-Andre Rabie, Lance King and Heinrich Schloms.
Pierre-Andre Rabie, however, lost his position in the front bunch after taking a blocked right hand line in the river, ending up stuck and having to get out of his boat.
The determined Maties student said afterwards, “It’s not in my nature to quit. I’m going to give everything I have to give for the next three days, and hopefully get back up there”. McGregor, King and Schloms saw this blockage in time and quickly took the left hand fork, breaking away from Rabie.
In the end sprint at Zonquasdrift, however, it was McGregor who won the end sprint by three seconds, claiming the first stage win and in doing so, retaining the Berg leader’s yellow jersey. Cape challenger, Lance King, was just behind him in second place, with Heinrich Schloms in third.
“I made a couple of mistakes today. I was 200m behind at Grensplaas, and after Hermon I followed King into a right fork, but I couldn’t duck as low as him, and got stuck, so I had to work to catch up.” Said McGregor.
“But I am happy with how today went, and I’m hoping to stay where I am for the next three days” he added.
In the ladies race Robyn Kime had opened up a one minute gap on Donna Winter by Dal Josafat Bridge, 2km into the race.
Kime took an unfortunate swim at the biggest rapid on the Berg Marathon, Klei Rapid. This didn’t stop the Stellenbosch student and she ended the day 17 minutes ahead of Durbanite, Donna Winter, in 29th position overall.
Kime was very happy with her race today saying; “My goal for tomorrow is to paddle as hard and fast as possible, and improve my 28th position overall from last year”.
McGregor claimed the first Bridge hot spot at Dal Josafat, and Lance King took the second at Hermon Bridge.
The first day of the Windhoek Berg Marathon saw the weather turn a full 360 degrees, to weather more normal of the Berg- cold and wet. It was easy to spot the out of town paddlers bundle up in all their warm kit at the start line, while the local hardened Cape paddlers didn’t even flinch.
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