Birkett and Solms unstoppable at N3TC Drak Challenge

OVERNIGHT leaders Andy Birkett and Abby Solms were in a league of their own throughout the second stage of the 2016 N3TC Drak Challenge as they completed the successful defence of their men’s and women’s titles.

In a day that saw the men’s top 10 shaken up dramatically when second placed Hank McGregor was forced to withdraw early on battling with a stomach ailment, Birkett stayed out of trouble, kept things simple and powered away from the rest of the star-studded field.

“I am thrilled to have won it again. It feels special to have been successful in the last few races because I actually gave the race a break because I was having such bad luck on it! My plan was to go hard for 10 or 15km to try and extend the 10 second lead I had over Hank (McGregor). I thought something was wrong because right from the start I was able to suddenly put a lot of time between myself and Hank. It must have been tough for him to even start of he was feeling that bad,” he said.

Birkett said it was only when he got to Callaway bridge at the end of the Gorge that he was told that Hank had pulled out in Underberg. Birkett said that he was unfazed by racing the final stage on his own.

“That is something that the Dusi has taught me. Most of the time during a Dusi you are on your own so you have to try and race your own race and monitor yourself. You just get used to it,” he said.

With the FNB Dusi just a month away Birkett said the win was a positive but guarded against reading too much into it.

“The year that I won the Dusi with Sbonelo (Khwela), he was beaten on the Drak by (women's race winner) Abby Solms. The Dusi is totally different. Just throw in a tough portage and everything changes,” he said.

Jenkins wrapped up the second place, with Owen Gandar bagging the biggest result of his career by clinching the last spot on the podium.

Women's champion Abby Solms wrapped up a compelling performance on the tough two day race that saw her win the women's title for a sixth time by sixteen minutes, finishing in eighteenth place overall. Solms was in unstoppable form, and after shaking off the attention of the other female contenders early on in day one, she relentlessly ground away at the front of the women race and immersed herself impressively in the men's race.

“I couldn't have asked for a better Drak. I have never had such a strong final stage,” enthused Solms.

Solms not only extends her remarkable run at the popular race to six wins in seven starts, but she has a real spring in her step as she sets her sights on the FNB Dusi challenge with her Czech partner Anna Kožíšková, who arrives in South Africa on Wednesday.

Under 23 world marathon champs double silver medallist Jenna Ward was the second woman home ahead of Donna Tutton and the on-form junior Cana Peek.

The 62km two-day race was well supported by around 550 paddlers, who warmed to the news of the well timed rains and the allure and hospitality of the Southern Drakensberg community that hosts the event.

More information can be found at www.drak.co.za