(2016 ☆ ARCHIVED) Hank McGregor - South Africa

HANK MCGREGOR (South Africa) – Nominee for 2016 ‘Sportsman of the Year’ award. (Photo credit: Balint Vekassy)

• Twitter: www.twitter,com/hank_mcgregor, Facebook: www.facebook.com/HankMcgregorAthlete

• Born: 1979, sports: canoe marathon (K1 or K2), downriver, ocean-racing and surfski, represents: South Africa
• 2016: Gold K1 & K2 World Marathon Championships; Gold Berg River Marathon; Gold Maui Jim Molokai Challenge
• 2015: Gold K1 & Silver K2 World Marathon Championships; Gold Berg River Marathon
• 2014: Gold K1 & K2 World Marathon Championships; Gold K1 Hansa Fish River Marathon; Gold Non-Stop Dusi Canoe Marathon; Gold K1 Maui Jim Molokai Challenge

Hank McGregor has officially reached legend status after winning (another!) double gold in the K1 and K2 at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in September, replicating his historic wins in 2014. The two gold medals now gives the South African paddling icon a total of eight world championship titles, six of which have been in the K1 event (K1: 2003, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; K2: 2014, 2016).

With rain, wind and chop greeting paddlers in the K1 event, Hanks experience and world class tactics proved to be too good, with him leading in the majority of the race. In the K2 event tactics again came into play with a large lead group testing everyone’s skills. Hank and his K2 partner Jasper Mocke played their cards close to their chest before unleashing in the final 500m to take the win.

On top of his feats in the canoe marathon discipline, 2016 has also seen Hank win his 11th Berg River Marathon title and his third Maui Jim Molokai title; Two of the most gruelling races on the paddlesports calendar.

As the winner of the 2014 WPA Sportsman of the Year Award, this year marks Hanks third consecutive nomination. His ability to maintain form has allowed him to dominate the sports of surfski and marathon for so many years. With the World Canoe Marathon Championships being hosted by South Africa in 2017, will we see Hank race for his ninth and tenth world titles on home soil?

Activities and achievements off water:

• Hank and his wife Pippa have organised the inaugural Euro Steel McGregor Series, aimed at getting paddlers into their boats and paddling in the early season, to have some fun events to participate in and to encourage new and young participants into the sport and into the wonderful world of marathon racing.
• WPA Sportsman of the Year 2014.
• Hanks father Lee was a top swimmer for South Africa who was not allowed to compete at the Olympics or World Championships because of apartheid in the country at the time. Lee became a leading ocean, surfski and river paddler, plus an ironman instead.
• Hank and his wife Pippa have one child.

This is a 2016 archived nominee. Voting has closed.