VIDEO-Golden spell for Mount Edgecombe paddler

THERE’S no challenge too great for Mount Edgecombe paddler, Jenna Ward, and the last few weeks have proved that.

The 27-year-old has won a number of national and provincial titles in surfski and flatwater paddling in recent weeks with paddling partner and Danville Park Girls’ High School learner, Saskia Hockly. Ward, who is currently training for the Cape Point Challenge which takes place in Cape Town later this month, took time to speak to Northglen News about the string of sterling results.

“I’ve really been pleased with how the last few weeks have played out. I think the lockdown did have a few negatives for professional athletes but I used it to work on my weaknesses and just train as hard as I possibly could. Competing at the King of the Bay race, which was the first race post the hard lockdown, I was hungry and raring to go. We usually have a race every single weekend but Covid-19 has changed that so I’ve taken every opportunity to get out there again and paddle in any race on the paddling calendar,” she said.

The King of the Bay event at the start of October kickstarted the Virginia Preparatory School teacher’s paddling year. Ward was crowned the national S2 doubles surfski title (with Saskia Hockly) and KZN S2 doubles surfski title and then followed that up with fantastic results at the St Francis Paddle Fest.

“My next goal is the Cape Point challenge and I’ve got the perfect warm-up for that event with the KZN S1 singles champs which is also coming up. We will be paddling 42 kilometres from Richards Bay to Mtunzini (or the other way around) depending on the wind conditions. I aim to use it as a prep for Cape Point which I’ve never won. I’ve competed in both singles and doubles and I’ve never won so this is my chance to go back and redeem myself. I’m brimming with confidence and looking forward to the challenges ahead,” she said.

Ward was also complimentary about her fellow MacSquad partner, Saskia Hockly.

“Saskia is a fantastic young paddler and I think the reason Lee McGregor (who heads up the MacSquad) partnered us together was that he was hoping to help her learn as much as she could. It’s been a great partnership and I think she has a bright future in the sport. For me in large part an exciting part of the sport is seeing the talented young female paddlers who are making waves and long may it continue,” Ward enthused.

Jenna’s recent achievements

1. Won the national S2 sufski title (with Saskia Hockly) at the Bay Union King of the Bay. The race also doubled as the KZN S2 title which Ward and Hockly won.

2. Won the Freedom Paddle title (with Saskia Hockly) in Cape Town.

3. At the St Francis Paddle Fest, Ward won the SA S1 Surfski Championships

4. At the same event which took place over three consecutive days Ward (with Saskia Hockly) won the national K2 flatwater marathon champs

5. In St Francis, Ward finished second at the national K1 flatwater champs  

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