Mount Edgecombe paddler powers to Drak win

MOUNT Edgecombe paddler, Jenna Ward, won this year’s N3TC Drak Challenge in partnership with FNB on Sunday. She was joined in the winner’s circle by Andy Birkett, who won the men’s race, who in the process became the sole holder of the record for the most number of titles in the Underberg classic.

This was Ward’s second title as she raced a tactically astute race to protect her first stage lead and avoid any exhaustion or technical mistakes on the long final stage.

“It is a real thrill to win this race again, particularly because it was held over the full Drak course. The last time I won it it was held over the short course, and it feels good to claim that you won a Drak when it was raced from the top start,” she said.

Ward, an educator at Virginia Preparatory School, was impressive in not making any mistakes in the myriad of rapids littered with rocks, made technically difficult by the low river conditions.

“It feels unreal to have had two flawless days.” she said.

Dusi champ Christie Mackenzie mirrored Hank McGregor’s race and paced herself well to wrap up her best Drak result.

Behind her however the race’s most notable performance came from Bridgitte Hartley. After a nightmarish first stage that left her a distant sixth, she decided to stage a Herculean solo charge, arguably fuelled by her frustration from the first stage.

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