Hank McGregor on a mission to complete trophy cabinet

Led by multiple canoe world champion Hank McGregor, the South African surfski team in Perth, Australia for the World Championships is a contrast of wily old campaigners and fresh-faced youngsters.

PROUDLY SA | South Africa’s Kirsten Neuschäfer named female World Sailor of the Year

McGregor is on a mission to fill one of the most glaring spaces in his over-laden trophy cabinet as he chases his first Surfski World Championship title in the singles event on Thursday.

In contrast, the women’s paddlers are led by a crew of relative youngsters with three world-beating under 23s and a junior who has already secured a world championship title.

With 11 canoeing World Championship titles, Hank McGregor is the world’s most successful male kayaker, and he has claimed multiple victories in just about every other major event from local surfski races to long multi-day canoe events.

However, the one major title that is missing from the 45-year-old’s impressive CV is the Surfski World Championships, and he has made no secret of his desire to correct that omission this year.

In June, after winning the trials for the South African team to go to this weekend’s event, he said: “I have never been shy to tell everyone that the World Champs is one title that is not in my trophy cabinet that I really want to win, so hopefully I can fix that in Perth.”

FOR THE LATEST CANOEING NEWS VISIT THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEBSITE

Since then, his racing and training has been geared toward the victory and doing all he can not to finish as runner up for the third time – including 2022 when was narrowly beaten by compatriot Kenny Rice by just 12 seconds in Portugal.

This month Hank McGregor won the Biogen Pete Marlin and with it the South African single ski championship, and then finished second to Australian Cory Hill in the Hong Kong Dragon Run and enjoyed a variety of top 10 results from the recent West Australia Race Week.

There is no doubt two-time World Champ and Australian local Hill is the paddler to beat. His recent form in key events at Race Week and in Hong Kong make him the clear favourite, with his compatriot Tom Norton proving at Race Week he is also on top form, while German Gordan Harbrecht must be a contender.

The South African contingent is loaded with classy paddlers, including the two most recent World Champions. Kenny Rice will be hoping to defend his title but illness has curbed his preparations and is not anywhere near peak form, while 2021 winner Nick Notten has been solid if unspectacular in the build up.

East London’s Fenn brothers, Josh and Matt, as well as Cape Town’s Uli Hart must all also be listed as contenders, so expect the top ten to be packed with South African names.

In the women’s race, the Australians are looking to defending champion Jemma Smith to pull off the repeat victory, but a trio of young, under 23 South Africans will be pushing her all the way. Recently crowned SA Champ Kira Bester is the most likely to claim the gold, but Saskia Hockly and Jade Wilson have also been in scintillating form recently.

2021 World Champ and last year’s bronze medalist Michelle Burn cannot be discounted, while recently crowned Junior World Marathon Champion Holly Smith will be a strong contender for the junior title and a top place overall.

The event organisers this week opted to switch the two days of racing, with the single ski races now scheduled for Thursday (with a reserve day on Friday) and the double ski races now being held on Saturday (with a reserve day on Sunday).