No hanky panky on Berg
2007-07-19
THE Berg River Canoe Marathon saw Hank McGregor and Abbey Miedema successfully defending their titles over the four gruelling days and 239 kilometres.
McGregor punched the air in delight on reaching the finish at Velddrif and then held four fingers in the air celebrating his fourth victory in this icon event, three of them in succession.
McGregor appropriately won the end sprint to seal a six and a half minute victory over Len Jenkins, with Graeme Solomons, the 2001 champion, fighting back in spectacular fashion on the last two days to finish third.
“This is the toughest race in the world, particularly coming so soon after the world marathon trials,” said McGregor, who never once relinquished his lead or his tactical grip on the race.
The podium places for Solomon and Jenkins are both personal victories for paddlers that were early victims in the race.
Jenkins’ three minute second stage lead crashed to a six minute deficit in the final half an hour of the second stage, when he was crippled by debilitating cramps and then paddled into a dead end channel.
Abbey Miedema wrapped up her third win in the Berg in a composed performance that saw her holding her own with several elite men, and finally finishing 24th overall, and an hour and ten minutes clear of second placed Kirsty van der Merwe.
Sven Bruss took the final bridge hotspot prize. He was part of the four-strong breakaway group leading as they approached the Kersefontein bridge which decided the last cash hot-spot of the race.
Brett Dorman took the junior title with a solid 25th place overall, with the irrepressible Mynhardt Marais as the first sub-master in 13th overall.
The race was another milestone for Giel van Deventer and André‚ Collins, who extended their joint record by completing their 38th Bergs.
Both struggling with shoulder injuries which resulted in extended days on the water, they encapsulated the indomitable spirit of the race’s die-hards.
Men’s champion Hank McGregor summed up the event, which has become the benchmark for endurance paddling, “Anyone who finishes this race is a winner.”
RESULTS (Western Cape paddler unless stated)
MEN
1 Hank McGregor (4:10:57) 17:12:45 seconds; 2 Len Jenkins (KZN) (4:11:24) 17:19:25; 3 Graeme Solomon (4:11:08) 17:32:20; 4 Lance King (4:19:52) 17:35:56 (1st U21); 5 Heinrich Schloms (4:20:07) 17:46:21; 6 Sven Bruss (KZN) (4:11:06) 17:50:34; 7 Donnie Malherbe (4:20:34) 17:54:09 (1st veteran); 8 Edgar Boehm Jr (4:20:21) 18:19:42; 9 Jonathan Niemann (Gauteng) (4:28:58) 18:25:07; 10 Ryno Armdorf (Gauteng) (4:29:12) 18:33:54; 11 Dane Sanvido (4:33:54) 18:39:22; 12 Chris van Deventer (4:33:03) 18:46:09; 13 Mynhardt Marais (4:49:27) 18:53:13; 14 Marc Holtzhausen (KZN, 3rd U21) (4:28:32) 18:54:33; 15 Willem van Riet Jr (4:30:48) 18:59:56; 16 Chris de Waal (4:38:37) 19:08:10; 17 Dale Gurney (4:38:26) 19:10:49; 18 Matthew van Heerden (4:38:21) 19:10:50; 19 Paul Roos (4:32:00) 19:12:45; 20 Marc Germiquet (KZN) (4:30:45) 19:12:55
WOMEN
1 Abbey Miedema (4:51:15) 19:41:57 (24th overall); 2 Kirsty van der Merwe (5:05:19) 20:50:06; 3 Lindi-May Harmsen (5:21:52) 21:15:35.
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