Surf Ski . Info - Hank McGregor Wins Again

Hank McGregor Wins Again

Written by Gameplan Media

Monday, 02 June 2008

Durban - Hank McGregor took home his second consecutive Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series title at the Hansa Five Beaches after the big surf conditions forced race officials to exclude the three portages planned for the race.

Hank McGregor - 'consumate professional' in the waves (Pic: www.anthonygrote.com)

Hansa "Two Beaches"

After the scrapping of the planned stops at Winklespruit, Karridene and Warner Beach, the competing paddlers were left with a twenty kilometer race from Umkomaas to Amanzimtoti in windy conditions. "The wind was perfect," said race organiser Billy Harker, "around 25kph."

"I'm disappointed we didn't get to carry out the portages," said race winner McGregor "That's really what makes this race and the fact that it is a memorial to Sam Wyer (the late race founder). The Hansa Five Beaches is all about coming in and out of the beaches but then again a lot of people would have got quite hurt."

Paddlers were held up at the start in Umkomaas by the big surf. McGregor took a sharp left at the start and scooped a cleaner line then managed to hold off series regular Barry Lewin to win the race by an impressive four and half minutes. "I got hit a few times, but once I got out it was beautiful - a perfect day for surf ski racing down the South Coast," said McGregor.

"There was a bunch us together at one stage," said Lewin. "Me, Bevan Manson, and Ian Gray for a little while, but I managed to keep Bevan off by getting the better of him in the rougher conditions. When the wind filled in, it gave us some decent runs out there which was really good." said the Team Jeep paddler.

Happy skipping the beaches

Tiffany Kruger - total focus! (Pic: www.anthonygrote.com)

"I was happy that we didn't have to beach along the way as I had my expensive boat with me!" said winning female paddler Tiffany Kruger. She had a dramatic start after taking the decision to start in the river mouth, and then took a swim, from which she fortunately managed to recover very quickly.

"When it's downwind, you're not too sure whether to go deep or stay shallow," said Kruger. "I ended up staying shallow the whole way. It's tricky because you can't see where your competition is."

Mark Lewin and Linton Hope, Hansa 5 Beaches 2008

Mark Lewin and Linton Hope lead the doubles to the finish (Pic: www.anthonygrote.com)

Swimming in the surf

About 70% of the field swam at ‘Toti according to Billy Harker. "The waves were 6ft with occasional 10ft coming through," he said. "You really had to know what you were doing. Hank was the consummate professional coming in - I saw him riding the back of a wave through the most difficult section; then on a side wave, back over a couple of massive growlers and then in between the waves."

Pics by Anthony Grote: http://www.anthonygrote.com/

Tribute to Sam Wyer

The race is a tribute to popular Amanzimtoti ski paddler Sam Wyer, who founded this race in the nineties. Wyer was killed during an armed robbery at his home on the Amanzimtoti beachfront last year.

Next week the Discovery men's Health Surf Ski Series returns to the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast for the Discovery Winklespruit race . Further information is available at http://www.surfski.co.za/