Ward leads by just seconds
Birkett has the lead after Mcgregor breaks a paddle, but women’s race is a neck-and-neck affair
IT was always expected that the Men’s race at this weekend’s Drak Challenge, in Underberg, would be a straightforward affair between two paddlers – namely Andy Birkett and Hank Mcgregor.
However, the women’s race, after the first day, was packed full of drama with the top five ladies all in it heading into today’s final stage of the race.
It was still the defending champion, Jenna Ward, who navigated the low water as well as she did last year, to pip yesterday’s first stage by four seconds, while Birkett romped home by over three minutes.
The top five ladies, Ward, the highly-decorated Abby Solms, Christie Mackenzie, Bridgitte Hartley, and Nikki Birkett, are all in contention to win the entire race as there is only two minutes between first and fifth.
With such a tight race going into the second stage, Ward is excited by the fact that there is going to be a real tussle for the title.
“To have five ladies fighting it out is great to see and I know that I cannot afford to make any mistakes otherwise someone will pounce,” Ward said.
“Yesterday was real cat and mouse stuff and I don’t think that final result did the racing justice, it could have been anyone’s stage.”
Ward has Solms breathing down her neck, however she is happy with the position that she is in going into the final stage.
“I much prefer being at the front and leading the pack,” she explained. “It means that I can stick to my game plan and follow my own lines and worry about my own race. But with that said, one silly mistake and the other girls will go straight past so I just need to stay patient and be careful.”
Birkett’s biggest challenger, Hank Mcgregor fell to some bad luck as he broke a paddle after swapping the lead continuously with Birkett.
“I managed to get a lead of a few boat lengths after Scotstons Bridge which grew into about a forty metre gap going into the Gorge and then I looked behind me and Hank wasn’t there, so I assumed that something had gone wrong,” the five-time defending champion Birkett said.
Birkett’s incredible record at the Southern Drakensberg classic proves that he can handle all conditions and with another short day with a lot of flat water ahead of him the bookies would be brave to bet against him.
“I wouldn’t say that I have mastered these conditions if you look at my boat!” he chuckled.
“Irrespective of the level of the river I just enjoy this river and having to find your lines through the rapids makes it exciting and you don’t get bored. It keeps you interested and on your toes the whole time; but despite that I think I made more mistakes today than any other Drak Challenge!”
See leading results below School, South Coast, Sunday 13 th January