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Helderberger Kira Bester and her paddling partner Pippa McGregor were in a class of their own in a strong women’s field at the Prescient Freedom Paddle.
The pair notched-up a win in the women’s 27 km race around Robben Island on Saturday (27 April).
It was their first victory together, although both paddlers have won with different partners in the past. McGregor and Bester, the current South African women’s singles champion, were never seriously challenged as they powered home in 2:13:43. They finished 02:44 ahead of defending champions Saskia Hockly and Michelle Burn, with Jenna Nisbet and Christie Mackenzie third, and world junior canoeing champions Holly Smith and Georgia Singe fourth.
Both the men’s and women’s winners established their dominance early in the race on the downwind paddle to Robben Island, and then had to hold on in the headwind paddle back to the start/finish at Oceana Power Boat Club.
“We had a great paddle today,” said the 46-year-old Hank McGregor soon after claiming his fifth win in the seven-year history of the race. “From the start we managed to get in the front group, and then once we got away from the mainland we started picking up some little bumps (waves).
Male winners
“Uli Hart and Wayne Jacobs set a really fast pace and then we sort of split off after about three kilometres, and it was every boat for themselves to the island. We managed to open up a buffer by the time we got to the harbour wharf at Robben Island and I could see Wayne and Uli doing a big surge to try and bridge the gap.
“We sort of let them come as close as about 50 m, and then we opened the taps and I think we snapped the elastic. Then it was all about getting back to back to Cape Town – and you know, the finish just never seems to get any closer … Table Mountain just seems to stay just as far away the whole time.”
Josh Fenn (24) was ecstatic to have picked up his fourth win in five years with his vastly experienced partner.
“I’m not sure how many we have won together, but I know it’s always great to win. Hank is obviously so experienced and knows what he is doing, so it’s quite easy just to follow him,” Fenn related.
“I wouldn’t say it was a comfortable win. This is always a hard race, but a win is a win, so we’ll take it.”
Good, strong paddle back
The women’s race went almost perfectly to plan for McGregor and Bester.
“We went in with a game plan that was to go super-duper hard on the downwind to the island, and hopefully have some strong men who would help pull us around and back into the wind,” said Bester.
“We arrived at the island with two good men’s crews, but as we got to the harbour they managed to sneak away from us. Then some guys from behind caught us and we worked together. The other women’s boats are very strong, destined to be with a bigger bunch of guys, so they probably would have more support coming back into the wind.
“We knew the only way we could put a dent into the distance between us and them was to milk the downwind to the island. Luckily we had people we could work with. Looking back, there was a massive group of guys with the girls chasing us; without initial distance they probably would have caught us.”
McGregor added: “I am very stoked with that. We just smoked it all the way and had a good, strong paddle back.”
