South Africa the team to beat at 2017 Ocean Racing World Championships

The South Africa surfski team that has been selected for the ICF Ocean Racing World Championships is a strong one, aiming to dominate the medal positions in both the men's and women's showdowns in Hong Kong this weekend. The team is looking to improve on its last showing at the international ocean racing showpiece in Tahiti in 2015 where Euro Steel/Mocké Paddling's Jasper Mocké finishing as the highest senior men in third place followed by Think Kayaks' Sean Rice in fourth and Euro Steel/Epic Kayaks' Hank McGregor in sixth. The only men's gold went to Mark Keeling in the under 18 showdown and the team will be hoping to put that right this year in the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. The ladies results were fairly similar in 2015 with Euro Steel/Nelo Kayaks' Jenna Ward bringing home the gold in the Under 23 women's race while Euro Steel/Carbonology Sports' Hayley Nixon ended fifth in the senior ladies event. 2017 should yield far better results for Team South Africa which has a number of title contenders at a race that many are familiar with. The race will track the same 22km course that the famous Hong Kong Dragon Run follows, a race that South African paddlers have traditionally performed well at. In 2016 it was Hank McGregor who was the strongest paddler along the course as he pipped Australian Corey Hill to the title with fellow South African Sean Rice claiming the bronze. There was a plethora of 'Saffas' in the top ten with no less than seven paddlers from the Rainbow Nation finishing in the top ten in the men's race. New Zealand's Teneale Hatton won the ladies race last year ahead of Hayley Nixon with Jenna Ward and Nikki Russell in fourth and fifth. The national team will be led by the current World Surfski Series champions McGregor and Nixon, but there are a number of paddlers that will be in the running for a spot at the top of the podium. From the men's perspective Jasper Mocké, Matt Bouman and Stuart Maclaren will be fighting it out with McGregor along...

[go to the magazine: canoeicf]

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