Despite a race that went down to the wire, it is the pre-race favourites Christie Mackenzie and Bridgitte Hartley who hold minute advantages going into Saturday’s second and final stage of the 2019 Hansa Fish River Canoe Marathon.
The ladies race was exciting with two boats jostling it out for stage honours, but in the end it was the Euro Steel duo of Christie Mackenzie and Bridgitte Hartley who took line honours.
It was just a second difference between the two boats which means there is nothing in it going into the final 36km shoot-out into Cradock.
“We had a strong day today and Bridgitte is so strong in the back of the boat but I know she is from our marathon training,” Varsity College/Euro Steel’s Mackenzie said. “It is always great having a dice with Jenna (Ward) and Kyeta (Purchase).
“They have paddled together for years so know each other really well which makes them a tough boat to race against.
“Bridg and I are still trying to work a few things out ahead of Marathon Worlds but this is great prep for us for when we race in three weeks’ time.”
The race is going to be a frantic dice to the line but Hartley is positive about their chances.
“I have got a lot of confidence in Christie’s driving and she was so confident through all the big rapids on day one.
“I realised that if I trust her and follow her then we will get through everything,” Hartley said.
Ward is the defending K2 champion of the Fish and so she will know what it takes to win the race. It is going to be an enthralling contest.
Coming home in third in the women’s race on Friday was the pair of Nikki Birkett and Amy Peckett who are over eight minutes behind the top two crews.
Leading the charge in the girls age groups are Tracey Oellermann and Sabina Lawrie who lead the Under 23 age category while the Epworth Under 16 duo of Georgina Howard and Lizzy Conradie are sixth in the women’s race and fourth overall in the Under 16 category.
The final stage of the Hansa Fish takes paddlers 36km from Knutsford to the Cradock Sports Complex.
More information can be found at www.fishmarathon.org.za.
Summary of Results – Day One (Grassridge Dam – Knutsford)
Overall Results:
1. Christie Mackenzie/Bridgitte Hartley 3:02:24
2. Jenna Ward/Kyeta Purchase 3:02:25
3. Nikki Birkett/Amy Peckett 3:10:34
4. Tracey Oellermann/Sabina Lawrie (U23) 3:17:42
5. Kim van Gysen/Alex Adie 3:22:26
Photo 1 Caption: The Bridgitte Hartley and Christie Mackenzie combination proved to be a force on the first day of the 2019 Hansa Fish River Canoe Marathon as the two took the lead on the charts. Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
With editing by gsport
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