South African paddling celebrated the crowning of three new world champions as Border ace Matt Fenn stepped onto the top step of the U23 men’s podium, Strand surfski star Kira Bester grabbed the U23 women’s crown, and Holly Smith won the junior women’s title at the ICF Ocean Racing World Championships in Perth, Australia last Thursday.
Once the race organisers opted to use the first day of the race window to maximise the prevailing weather conditions, Fenn, Bester and Smith were part of a heavy South African presence in the duels for the various titles on offer.
In the senior men’s race, Hank McGregor fell tantalisingly short of his dream of winning a surfski world crown, and was edged into second overall by defending champion Cory Hill, with Josh Fenn in third.
Fenn’s sibling Matt took the U23 win and was part of a dice for 10th place overall with compatriots Kenny Rice, Mark Keeling, Dawid Mocké and Uli Hart. Hart was second U23 with Portugal’s Bernardo Pereira securing the bottom step on the podium.
Capetonian Bester took full advantage of the downwind conditions on offer over the 22km course from Freemantle to Perth to finish third overall in the women’s field, just behind Australian winner Jemma Smith and fellow South African and former world champion Michelle Burn, who has now won gold, silver and bronze medals at the world champs.
South African paddlers featured on most of the podiums, with multiple marathon world champion Hank McGregor grabbing his third surfski world’s silver medal in a thrilling duel with local hero Hill and East London’s Josh Fenn.
South African paddlers filled most of the top-ten positions with Melanie van Niekerk racing to an excellent fifth place overall, closely followed by Border wiz Nix Birkett and another former world champ Saskia Hockly.
Summary of results for ICF Ocean Racing World Championships:
Men:
1. Cory Hill AUS 1:11:46
2. Hank McGregor RSA 1:12:53
3. Josh Fenn RSA 1:12:54
10. Kenny Rice RSA 1:14:29
11. Matt Fenn RSA 1:14:21 (1st U23)
12. Mark Keeling RSA 1:15:07
13.Dawid Mocké RSA 1:15:21
14.Uli Hart RSA 1:15:34 (2nd U23)
Women:
1.Jemma Smith AUS 1:22:35
2.Michelle Burn RSA 1:24:00
3.Kira Bester RSA (1st U23) 1:24:47
5.Melanie van Niekerk 1:26:13
6.Nikki Birkett RSA 1:26:55
7.Saskia Hockly RSA 1:26:59
20.Holly Smith RSA 1:32:17 (1st junior).
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