6 October 2003

Len Jenkins and Alexa Lombard both successfully defended their K1 titles in the Hansa Powerade Fish Canoe Marathon that finished in Cradock on Saturday. Jenkins won the men’s race with deceptive ease, holding of a spirited charge by Hank McGregor to secure victory by just more than a minute.

McGregor sliced more than two minutes off Jenkins' overnight lead, but the Maritzburg Varsity student, with his hair died green to match his fellow varsity team-mates, did not put a foot wrong on the final stage into Cradock.

Jenkins shot the three weirs on the 38km final leg flawlessly, and said on finishing the race that the win signalled his return to big-time marathon racing. He added that he wanted to make his mark on the world marathon championships next year.

Jacques Theron raced hard but was unable to close the gap on the two front runners and settled for third, with Daryl Bartho closing in on him fast in fourth place.

Close race
In the women’s race Alexa Lombard had to race hard to keep a valiant Abbey Miedema at bay. Lombard was forced into shooting the notorious Cradock weir at the end of the race because she did not have the luxury of a portage option as Miedema was always less than a minute behind her throughout the final stage.

Lombard shot the weir perfectly, to her great relief, as she had cut her head badly practicing on the weir on Friday afternoon, and had to have five stitches to close the gash above her right eye, before starting the final leg.

The International team could get only one paddler into the top 20. Irishman Gary Mawer made amends for a disaster-laden first day by posting the fifth fastest second stage time and finished 20th overall.

Swiss ace Pascal Lucker bravely endured the pain from the shoulder injury that he had aggravated earlier in the week, while Aussie Damien Catran ran into a spate of problems again, to complete a frustrating debut for the Avon Descent star.

Spaniard Walter Bouzan fell right back as well after gutsing out an overnight 11th place, and finished the race in 33rd overall. The likeable Sella Descent champion said he was quite unused to racing in what he called "heavy water", and was also not accustomed to multi-day races.

DHS schoolboy Clint Pretorius took the Juniors honours in style, 11 minutes clear of Pietermaritzburg’s Jonathan Schoeman.

Summary of results

Men

	Len Jenkins successfully defended his K1 title in the 2003 Hansa Powerade Fish River Canoe Marathon (Photo: Canoeing South Africa)

	Dreyer, Miedema take Dusi 2003 Theron takes Berg River 2003 Stott, Bruss take Umkomaas 2003 Canoeing, rafting & kayaking in SA

	Canoeing South Africa