Andy and Abby slay Drak Challenge

ANDY Birkett and Abby Solms were in a league of their own as they took the top titles in the 2016 N3TC Drak Challenge.

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, Andy 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,” said Birkett. “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,” he added. “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 if he was feeling that bad.”

With the FNB Dusi just a month away Andy said the win was 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 Abby Solms. The Dusi is totally different. Just throw in a tough portage and everything changes.”

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

The 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 16 minutes.

Solms was in unstoppable form and, after shaking off the attention of the other women contenders early on in Day One, she relentlessly ground away at the front of the women’s race and immersed herself impressively in the men’s race. “I couldn’t have asked for a better Drak,” said Solms afterwards. “I have never had such a strong final stage. I can take so much confidence from this result. I feel like my training has gone really well, and the bulk of the training is done. Now we can start to do the Dusi specific work,” said Solms.

The U23 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 hospitality of the Southern Drakensberg community that hosts the event.

Overall

1.Andy Birkett 2:23.14 3:58.21

2.Len Jenkins 2:25.16 4:01.11

3.Owen Gandar 2:26.22 4:02.33

4.Jean van der Westhuyzen (U18) 2:27.01 4:04.40

5.Andrew Houston (U23) 2:27.48 4:04.54

Women

1.Abby Solms 2:33.22 4:15.59

2.Jenna Ward (U23) 2:42.42 4:31.58

3.Donna Tutton 2:46.24 4:37.10

4.Cana Peek (U18) 2:56.24 4:50.55

5.Tamika Haw 2:51.19 4:51.17

U23 Men

1.Andrew Houston 2:27.48 4:04.54

2.Siseko Ntondini 2:29.35 4:09.40

3.Alan Houston 2:29.34 4:09.41

4.Damon Stamp 2:32.05 4:11.39

5.Thomas Lovemore 2:31.29 4:13.11

U23 Women

1.Jenna Ward 2:42.42 4:31.58

2.Catherine Atkinson 3:00.13 5:02.13

3.Lauren Felgate 3:05.11 5:08.58

U18 Boys

1.Jean van der Westhuyzen 2:27.01 4:04.40

2.Bailey de Fondaumiere 2:39.33 4:27.45

3.Craig Heenan 2:38.43 4:27.47

U18 Girls

1.Cana Peek 2:56.24 4:50.55

2.Cara Waud 3:25.19 5:46.40

3.Lisa Meyer 3:27.26 5:52.58