East London – The creme-de-la-creme of South African ocean paddling converges on East London (KuGompo City) this weekend with the SA Championships titles on the line at the Pete Marlin Surfski Race on Saturday and Sunday.
The “Pete Marlin” attracts a strong field every year, aiming for one of the biggest prize-funds on the SA paddling calendar, but the big names have an extra incentive this year with the event designated as the SA Championships for both S1 (singles) and S2 (doubles).
The combined attraction sees a field littered with current and former national and world champions.
In the individual race, the favourite to cross the line first must be Uli Hart who thrilled the South African fans with a silver medal at the Marathon World Champions on Saturday. The former World U23 and Mixed Doubles Champion was the only paddler able to match dominant Danish powerhouse Mads Pedersen in Argentina and only missed out on gold in the final sprint.
Hart is more of a ocean paddling specialist than a marathon paddler, and his heroics in Argentina provide proof that he is in top form and surely the man to beat in the singles race between Yellow Sands and East London.
Ironically, Hart is likely to face a strong challenge in the S1 race from the only two other paddlers besides Pedersen to have held the World Marathon Championship title since 2013: Hank McGregor and Andy Birkett. Eastern Cape local, Birkett, is the defending champion at the Pete Marlin, while McGregor, at 48 years old, is a three-time winner of the event.
Any thoughts McGregor may be past his best were dispelled at the World Ocean Racing Champs earlier this month when he was the first South African home in fourth overall – and the first of eight South Africans in the top 15 overall.
Other big names on the start line include 2024 champion and former World Ocean Racing Champion, three-time winner Nic Notten; fellow former World Champion Kenny Rice; and two other home-town favourites, the recent S2 World Championship winners, the Fenn brothers Matt and Josh; along with the two Matt Coetzers – just to confuse the time-keepers; and junior World Champion medallist Ryley Smith.
The women’s podium is likely to contain two Eastern Cape locals in Jade Wilson, and Nix Birkett, but they will have to produce something special to see off the challenge of Saskia Hockly, with recently crowned U23 Mixed World Champion Holly Smith and the experienced Chloe Bunnett from Spain likely to fill the top five.
The S2 title looks sure to be a three-way tussle. Defending champions Matt Fenn and Andy Birkett will be aiming for a home-town win once again. However Matt’s brother Josh and Uli Hart a sure to be hard to beat, as will the potent crew of Notten and Rice. Waiting in the wings to see any of the big-name crews make a mistake will be the Luke Jean Le Roux and Matt Coetzer combination, along with the other Matt Coetzer and strong junior Smith.
In the women’s S2 race, Wilson and Hockly are overwhelming favourites and will probably be racing more for a top 10 overall than worrying too much about their women’s opposition.
As the national championships, paddlers across the age spectrum have extra incentives with national titles and medals being awarded to paddlers in all age groups from U18 up to 70 plus.