EAST LONDON – Jade Wilson made it two from two when she partnered Saskia Hockly to the S2 (doubles) title at the Pete Marlin Surfski Race on Sunday and collected her second SA Championship title for the weekend.
East London’s Wilson and KZN’s Hockly were comfortable winners in the S2 race and gave the recent Marathon World Championship medallist her second win in two days, after she claimed the S1 title on Saturday in an emotional win dedicated to her aunt who passed away earlier in the day.
In the men’s race on Sunday, the Eastern Cape / Western Cape combination of Joshua Fenn and Uli Hart were in control from soon after the start and enjoyed a relatively comfortable victory. In good downwind paddling conditions, the Peninsula pairing of Luke Jean Le Roux and Matthew Rory Coetzer claimed the silver medals.
Defending champions Matt Fenn and Andy Birkett were third, followed by Ryley Smith and Matthew Coetzer, and then Saturday’s top two S1 paddlers, Nic Notten and Kenny Rice, in fifth overall.
Fenn and Hart led from soon after the start and although the final result was relatively close, the pair were in control for the entire 22km race from Orient Beach to Yellow Sands.
“We started on the left side on our own, but saw the rest of the group on the right and jumped across to them until the turning buoy,” said Josh Fenn. “I could then feel Uli kick in so I decided to go for it and we kind of led the whole way.
“But ja, really happy to take the win. It’s a nice home win for me – it’s been a while.”
Hart was happy to have made up for a disappointing singles day after rushing back from the World Marathon Championships in Argentina last week.
“I think yesterday the wheels sort of came off in the S1 race – I felt like I had a flat tyre at about 17 kays,” said the marathon champs silver medallist. “I knew I wasn’t feeling so fresh from the start yesterday.
“But today I could feel in the warm-up that we were going well without a lot of effort, so I said to Josh: “I think we got this – we must just go for it.” And then I was just trying to keep the flow and the power in the race and was trying to warn him where the other boats were.”
In teh women’s race, Wilson and Hockly ended comfortably ahead of Spain’s Chloe Bunnett and Eastern Cape’s Sienna Gous, with Connan Gates and Angie Austin third – and second in the closed SA Championships – with Reef Funston and Catrin Schmidt collecting the SA Champs bronze medal in fourth overall.
“I am obviously stoked to end the Pete Marlin Surfski Race on a high with two golds for SA Champs,” said the modest Wilson on the beach after her second win.
“It was awesome to have paddled with Saskia. She drove like a champ. I just tried to be her clone in the back and copy and follow her every move. It was some good conditions out there today, but also hard work at the same time to get on some of those waves.”
RESULTS
Men
1 Joshua Fenn / Ulvard Hart (Border Canoe Club/Peninsula Canoe Club) 1:14:17
2 Luke Jean Le Roux / Matthew Rory Coetzer (Peninsula Canoe Club) 1:15:07
3 Matthew Fenn / Andy Birkett (Border Canoe Club/St Francis Paddling Club) 1:15:23
4 Ryley Michael Smith / Matthew Coetzer (Peninsula Canoe Club/Blue Water Canoe Club) 1:15:34
5 Kenneth Rice / Nicholas Notten (Peninsula Canoe Club/Dabulamanzi Canoe Club) 1:17:13
6 Tyde Malherbe / Phillip Smith (Border Canoe Club/St Francis Paddling Club) 1:17:48
7 Davey Brand / Jonny Lucas (Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club/Peninsula Canoe Club) 1:19:23
8 Armand van Niekerk / Stefaans Erlank (Strand Surf Lifesaving Club) 1:23:33
9 Zoog Haynes / Jacques Theron (Dolphin Coast Paddlers/Midmar Canoe Club) 1:24:19
10 Zack Swart / Daniel Rawlins (Strand Surf Lifesaving Club) 1:25:13
Women
1 Jade Wilson / Saskia Hockly (Peninsula Canoe Club/Dolphin Coast Paddlers) 1:27:22
2 Chloe Bunnett / Sienna Gous (International/Eastern Cape Virtual Club) 1:35:52
3 Mikaila Brown / Madison Alberts (Kingfisher Canoe Club/Pirates) 1:40:42
4 Kirstin Scott / Janine Linder (Blue Water Canoe Club) 1:44:55
5 Sharon Armstrong / Lena Kraus (Durban Undersea Club/International) 1:45:27
Mixed
1 Levi Mayes / Holly Shirley Smith (Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club/Peninsula Canoe Club) 1:20:07
2 Liam Stephenson / Madison Fourie (Blue Water Canoe Club) 1:29:06
3 Connan Gates / Angie Austin (Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club/Peninsula Canoe Club) 1:31:47
4 Reef Funston / Catrin Schmidt (Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club/International) 1:31:48
5 Madison Malherbe / Zachery Preyser (Border Canoe Club/Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club) 1:34:20