While many athletes in their late 40s are easing into retirement, South Africa’s canoeing legend Hank McGregor is doing the opposite—he’s charging ahead.
On the opening day of the 2025 Berg River Canoe Marathon, McGregor reminded everyone why he’s one of the sport’s greats, finishing the 62km stretch from Paarl to Zonquasdrift with a commanding lead of nearly six minutes.
A Legendary Lead From the Start
McGregor, now 47 and already a multiple world champion, wasted no time pulling away from the pack.
With the first day’s route featuring decent water levels and moderate flow, he made the most of it.
Speaking at the end of the stage, McGregor was surprised by the margin:
“I didn’t expect that. Honestly, I’d have been happy with a sprint finish win.
So yeah, I’m stoked with a gap that size.”
He explained that he initially broke away with three others—Tom Lovemore, Sam Butcher, and Siseko Ntondini—just past Skooltjie.
“I tested the legs of Tom and Sam a bit, and by 35km they couldn’t hang on.
Siseko and I worked well together until Hermon Bridge, then I was on my own.”
That solo push helped him finish in 4:14:44—well ahead of the rest.
Age Is Just a Number
Second-place finisher Robbie Herreveld proved that experience still counts.
At 53, the six-time winner led a chase group that included 23-year-old Sam Butcher, with just a second separating them.
With McGregor and Herreveld occupying the top two spots, their combined age hit a century—an impressive stat for a sport as physically demanding as this one.
Here’s how the top of the men’s leaderboard looked after Day 1:
Men’s Top 10 Results:
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Hank McGregor – 4:14:44
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Robbie Herreveld – 4:20:25
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Sam Butcher – 4:20:26
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Siseko Ntondini – 4:20:27
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Anders Hart – 4:22:13
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Thomas Lovemore – 4:25:08
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Paul Marais – 4:25:09
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Heinrich Schloms – 4:27:48
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Joshua Glyn-Cuthbert – 4:27:48
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Matthew Coetzer – 4:29:42
Women’s Race Shaping Into a Thriller
Unlike the men’s field where McGregor ran away with the lead, the women’s contest is still very much up for grabs.
Nix Birkett edged out Jenna Nisbet by just eight seconds after they paddled side by side for most of the day.
“Jen and I were together the whole day. It was actually quite chilled.
I just managed to pull ahead at the end,” said Birkett, who won the event back in 2021.
Despite a minor detour that cost her 30 seconds, Birkett stayed composed:
“Anything can change on this river, so I’m not getting ahead of myself.”
Women’s Top 6 Results:
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Nix Birkett – 4:39:54
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Jenna Nisbet – 4:40:02
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Neriyah Dill – 4:46:15
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Stephanie von der Heyde – 4:49:31
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Bianca Beavitt – 5:01:36
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Rachel van Deventer – 5:06:55
What’s Next: Fast and Furious Stage Ahead
Thursday’s second stage was originally supposed to run from Zonquasdrift to Gouda, but due to dangerous blockages and low water levels, it’s been rerouted.
Now, paddlers will tackle the Gouda to Bridgetown stretch instead.
McGregor acknowledged the shift in tone:
“It’s going to be a fast day, and I’ll be on my own.
We’ll see how it plays out. It’s still early days.”
With three more days of racing ahead and some tight contests in the women’s division, the 2025 Berg River Canoe Marathon is far from decided—but one thing is clear: McGregor is out to make history.