McGregor opens his Marine Series account

FRIDAY night racing at the 2016 Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series has gotten gradually hotter over the weeks and race five, the FNB Surfski Challenge, was no exception with defending men’s champion Hank McGregor getting one over current series leader Matt Bouman, while Nicole Russell overcame a disastrous start to claim the women’s winners crown.

Over the years the name Hank McGregor has become synonymous with the Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series but he has not had it his way in 2016 as he has had to wait until the fifth race of the series to get his first win.

“I missed the first three races and then wasn’t feeling well last week so to get a win finally is great. This is always a busy period for me with Dusi coming up so to get back in the ocean is fantastic and Friday’s conditions were great,” said the Euro Steel/Epic Kayak star.

McGregor, who has had an epic dice with Epic Kayak’s Matt Bouman in the past, had him to contend with again on Friday evening which made the racing even that more enthralling. Despite the fact that McGregor got away he always knew that Bouman was going to provide a major threat.

“It was a big race against Matt, as it always is. We were together on the first lap and then I put in a surge which gave me a bit of a gap going into the downwind. This put some time between him and me and I just kept up the pace and am just happy with my first win of the series,” added McGregor.

With five races left in the series and the best six results counting towards your overall position McGregor knows that he has a lot of work to do to catch the in-form Bouman.

The ladies’ race was another humdinger with the ever-present Nicole Russell managing to shake of a woeful start where she swam twice to pip the young Jenna Ward in a beach sprint to claim her third win of the series.

Two disastrous swims heading out meant that she had all of the catching up to do however she managed to claw her way through the field and eventually won it on the beach in another dramatic beach sprint. This takes the Fenn Kayak’s star one win clear of Kyeta Purchase after five legs of the 2016 Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series.

The doubles race was another close affair with the mixed crew of Luke Nisbet and Kerry Segal taking the overall win in the long course over Shaun Burgin and Lee Muir. The short course was once again dominated by the impressive youngster Brendon Sharp with Keaton Riddle finishing in second place.

The Bay Union Surfski Challenge, race six of the 2016 Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series, is at 5.30pm on Friday, 12 February at Marine Surf Lifesaving Club, Addington Beach. Visit: www.marineseries.co.za