Jeep Team’s multiple world-champion paddler, Hank McGregor, claimed his sixth STIHL Umkomaas Canoe Marathon win on Sunday (15 March 2015) with racing partner and 2015 Dusi Canoe Marathon winner, Andrew Birkett.
The potent duo finished the two-day, 67-km race that took place near Richmond, KZN, in a total time of 3h40m, three minutes ahead of second-placed Jacques Theron and Thulani Mbanjwa (3h43m). Dave Hamilton-Brown and Wayne Jacobs finished third in 3h44m.
The Umkomaas Canoe Marathon is one of the world’s toughest K1 and K2 river races, with paddlers needing an A+ river rating to compete. In 2014, McGregor won the K2 race with friend and training partner, Grant van der Walt.
On the Friday evening, McGregor also claimed his seventh 2015 FNB Varsity College Marine Surfski title in the final race of the 10 race series in 33m39s, ahead of Matthew Bouman (second) and Brandon Van Der Walt (third). Two weeks ago, McGregor was declared the overall series winner after winning Race 8, with the latest victory cementing his unbeaten 2015 marine surfski series record.
