McGregor and Bouman share series spoils

FRIDAY evening’s Varsity College Surfski Challenge brought down the 2014 Varsity College Marine Surfski Series curtain with Hank McGregor and uMhlanga’s Matt Bouman sharing the series title for the first time.

With five race victories already under series defending champion Hank McGregor’s belt, four under regular top preformed Matt Bouman’s and paddlers’ best six results from the ten-leg series counting towards the final series standings, the was plenty still to paddle for the duo in the series’ final encounter.

Some trying surf, a strong North Easterly wind and large swells meant it was going to be a testing affair throughout however few would have predicted how even some of the world’s top ocean paddlers would struggle at the start with even the likes of McGregor was sent tumbling out his boat and having to play catch up from the get go.

“I got smoked in the surf at the start so I had no idea where I was in the field. I just had to try work my way back up and pick one boat off at a time,” explained McGregor.

“Eventually I caught Grant with about 500 meters to go but I still had no idea where I was in the field, that’s how wild it was out there!” he added. Remarkably McGregor’s effort had in fact seen him claw his way back up to second with only Bouman ahead of him.

“Having won the series for quite a few years and then to have seen Hank dominate things for the last little while, it’s nice to be back on the top step of the podium,” added Bouman. South Africa’s most decorated life saver however also gave praise to the younger members of the field taking part in the Varsity College South African Schools Surfski Championships.

“For us, the series is just a fantastic opportunity to get a top training session in each week and go head to head with some of the world’s top paddlers. You don’t get a much stronger field at even the international races but to peak week in and week out for the series races and then for the big internationals is impossible.

“The youngsters and seeing them grow and develop into the sport, now that’s what this is all about. The series is all about them and is great to see them all taking to the water, even in the tough conditions that we had tonight, and going after a national title,” said Bouman.

The women’s race was again won by Nikki Russell, her third race victory in a row, and handed the former East London resident a deserved second place in the series behind series winner Michelle Burn.

The final round of the series also doubled as the Varsity College SA Schools Surfski Championships and some of the country’s finest junior talent gathered to bravely take on the challenging conditions, and one another, in search of the prestigious national title.

St.Benedicts’ Jordan Clauson surged to his maiden surfski title as he powered home ahead of the Western Cape’s under-16 Mark Keeling (Fish Hoek High School), claiming his eighth race victory of the Marine Surfski Series and the under-18 series title as well.

U18 girls defending champion Kirsten Flanagan overcame a disastrous start which saw her take two tiring and costly swims in the surf, to claw her way back and pick up her second title in the age group in as many years and her third consecutive title after clinching the under-16 girls’ top spot in 2012.

KZN’s Kyeta Purchase showed good determination to overcome the elements as she claimed the under-16 girls national title.