McGregor secures overall victory in thrilling 2016 Marine Surfski Series finale

The 2016 Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series concluded in Durban with a spectacular final event, which also hosted the South African Schools Surfski Championships. The evening saw Hank McGregor clinch the overall series title, while rising stars Mark Keeling and Kyeta Purchase were crowned national champions in their respective schools' categories.

McGregor Secures Overall Series Victory

Hank McGregor of Euro Steel/Epic Kayak secured his overall series victory after a compelling performance, successfully holding off rival Matt Bouman. McGregor noted the ideal racing conditions with a light westerly wind and expressed his satisfaction, stating he was "really glad to have another title." He emphasized his strategy of starting aggressively to gain an early lead, explaining, "I decided that I wanted to deliver the hurt from the beginning of the race as I needed to get myself away." He also appreciated the strong competition, including paddlers like Kenny Rice, which elevated the event's prestige.

Schools Championships Highlight Young Talent

The South African Schools Surfski Championships showcased impressive young talent. Mark Keeling, improving on his 2015 second-place finish, decisively won the Under 18 Boys' category by over a minute. Kyeta Purchase successfully defended her 2015 title, claiming the Under 18 Girls' national championship once again. Other schools champions included Uli Hast (Under 16 Boys) and Tayla Gilmore (Under 16 Girls).

Additional Race Winners

In the women's open category, Hayley Nixon secured her second win of the series in the final race, despite Nicole Russell having already clinched the overall women's series title. The short course event was won by Nic Riosa, and the fastest double was the team of Travis and Rachel Wilkinson. Daryl Bartho took the men's SUPs title....

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