Bridgitte off to world champs
Bridgitte Hartley powered her way to the win the South African K1 marathon title.
COMING off a solid World Cup sprint campaign in Europe, Olympic bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley powered her way to the win the South African K1 marathon title.
She dominated proceedings with a mammoth four-minute gap between her and second place finisher, Nikki Russell.
She qualified for the South African team that will be going to the world marathon championships in Oklahoma City in September.
In the men’s section, world marathon champion Hank McGregor entrenched his status as the continent’s premier paddler by beating a very large and powerful field to claim his eighth South African marathon K1 title.
He outsprinted Jasper Mocké and U23 world champion Andy Birkett to win a tightly contested affair, and then teamed up with Mocké to add the K2 title on Sunday.
Brendon van der Walt proved too strong in the U23 category as he beat fellow Western Province paddler, Stuart MacLaren.
Jenna Ward won the women’s U23 category from Brittany Petersen.
Results
K1
Men
1 Hank McGregor (KZN) 2:17.28
2 Jasper Mocké (WP) 2:17.29
3 Andy Birkett (KZN) 2:17.29
4 Grant van der Walt (KZN) 2:18.05
5 Ben Biggs (WP) 2:21.30
Women
1 Bridgitte Hartley (KZN) 2:11.44
2 Nikki Russell (KZN) 2:15.25
3 Hayley Arthur (KZN) 2:21.16
Men Under-23
1 Brandon van der Walt (WP) 2:01.35
2 Stuart Maclaren (WP) 2:01.36
3 Ivan Kruger (WP) 2:01.46
