DURBAN, 28 JUNE 2016 – The King of surfski, Hank McGregor (Jeep Team), continues his reign of back-to-back victories, this time winning the FNB Durban Downwind Surfski title in Durban on Sunday, 26 June 2016. This is the first time McGregor has won this title since race inception in 2014. 

The third edition of the annual race, which doubled as a World Surfski Series title event, took place in flat ocean conditions, testing paddlers’ endurance and stamina as they raced 26km from La Mercy Beach to Addington Beach. 

McGregor set the pace from the start claiming the FNB Durban Downwind title in 1h44m50. 

Last year’s winner, Matthew Bouman, placed 2nd in 1h45m54, followed by Mark Anderson in 3rd (1h48m54), Gene Prato 4th (1h49m27) and Jeep Team’s Barry Lewin in 5th (1h50m40).

Said McGregor, “I’m stoked to take the win this time around. I narrowly lost it two years ago so it’s nice to win the Durban Downwind for the first time. I was in hospital on Friday so it was a hit and miss whether I was going to race but I’m glad I was able to get out there. Conditions were pretty tough. There was hardly any assistance really so it was a hard slog for 26kms. I managed to get out in front early and then kept the guys behind me for the rest of the race. There weren’t too many tactics involved really.”

It’s been a busy month for paddling legend, McGregor, with back-to-back victories across surfski and canoe marathon paddling disciplines. On 29 May 2016, he claimed his third Maui Jim Molokai Surfski Challenge title in Hawaii. This 53km surfski ultra marathon is considered the world’s toughest surfski event. 

Just days after this victory, and still recovering from jet lag, McGregor won the world’s oldest surfski event, the Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates Surfski Race, which took place in Durban on 5 June. 

He then swapped his surfski for a canoe to claim the K1 2016 South African Canoe Marathon Championship, which took place in Cape Town on 11 June. This result means he has qualified for the 2016 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships, happening in Brandenburg, Germany, in September.

Now he’s on his way to Mauritius for the 2016 Mauritius Ocean Classic World Surfski Series race, taking place on 2 July 2016. Jeep Team team mate, Barry Lewin will also be competing in the Mauritius Ocean Classic.

2016 FNB DURBAN DOWNWIND RESULTS

1. Hank McGregor 1:44.50
2. Matt Bouman 1:45.54
3. Mark Anderson (AUS) 1:48.54
4. Gene Prato 1:49.27
5. Barry Lewin 1:50.40
6. Luke Nisbet 1:50.52
7. Bailey de Fondaumiere (U18) 1:52.35
8. Jason Ekstrand 1:53.06
9. Steve Woods 1:53.43
10. Wade Krieger 1:54.10

Other Jeep Team results

MTB

On Saturday, 25 June 2016, Jeep Team’s MTB athlete, Thinus Redelinghuys, competed in Race#4 of the 2016 USN MTB Cup Series.

The 50km race took place at the Big Red barn, near Irene, Gauteng. Redelinghuys managed an impressive podium finish, placing 2nd overall.

#JeepTeamSA 

Editors’ Notes

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

22 JUNE 2016, SCOTTBURGH, DURBAN – Thursday, the 16^th of June 2016, saw Jeep Team’s surfski paddler, Barry Lewin, and his racing partner, Lee Furby, amongst the first six boats to break the 46.5-km Scottburgh to Brighton Surfski race record, which was set in 1998, by some 16 minutes.

Lewin and Furby came in 3^rd after a nail-biting sprint finish between winners, Matthew Bouman/Wade Krieger, and Luke Nesbit/Gene Prato. Officials were unable to make out a winner between Bouman/Krieger and Nesbit/Prato boats, and unanimously called the race a tie win.

Having initially not planned to participate in the race due to its length and level of difficulty, 3^rd placed Lewin/Furby came into the race with less-than-desirable preparation, which slowed them down in the first 10km. According to Lewin, he was sore from gym sessions over the two previous days, which saw him take around 10km to loosen up.

Said Lewin, “No matter the results, surfski paddling, and specifically, downwind surfski paddling, was the winner. This was all due to the strong community around our sport and the great people I like to call my peers. Thank you, thank you and thank you to all involved in retaining the true essence of why we paddle.”

Lewin will be competing in the FNB Durban Downwind on the 25/26 of June. Some of the best surfski racers in the world will converge on Durban this weekend for the 2016 FNB Durban Downwind, setting the stage for another world-class duel as this World Surfski Series title event draws top elite ocean racers to Durban’s idyllic wintery conditions for this 26km clash.

With the backing of title sponsor, FNB, the event boasts a R40 000 prize purse across its various age categories and stands as Durban’s premier surfski event.

The format for 2016 will be a 26km race between La Mercy and Marine SLC with the course direction dependent on the wind direction on the day. The two-day window period allows organisers the best possible chance of the best conditions over the 25^th and 26^th June.

The singles and doubles races will take place simultaneously with the singles clash being the primary focus; however doubles are still welcome at the event.

SCOTTBURGH TO BRIGHTON RESULTS:

1. Matthew Bouman/Wade Krieger - 2:40:59
2. Luke Nesbit/Gene Prato - 2:40:59
3. Barry Lewin/Lee Furby - 2:46:42
4. Brett Hadiaris /Thomas Lovemore - 2:47:43
5. Zoog Haynes / Linton Hoper - 2:53:44
6. Brett Bartho/Grant van der Walt - 2:56:18

#JeepTeamSA

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

15 JUNE 2016, CAPE TOWN – In a fierce showdown, multiple world-champion paddler, Hank McGregor (Jeep Team), claimed the K1 2016 South African Canoe Marathon Championship title just split seconds ahead of Andy Birkett and Brandon van der Walt at the 2016 South African Canoe Marathon Championships, which took place at Zandvlei, Cape Town, on 11 June 2016.  

The result was a reversal of the 2015 outcome where Birkett narrowly pipped McGregor to the title after a similar hard-fought sprint finish.

It was set to be a nail-biting championship from the get go, with South Africa’s best paddlers fighting for the limited two spots per age category on the South African team heading to the 2016 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Brandenburg, Germany, in September.

Following the weekend’s results, both McGregor and Birkett will be representing South Africa in the Senior Men’s K1 event at the World Championships, where McGregor will be gunning for a fourth consecutive K1 World title.

Saturday’s K1 race took place in tough cold and windy conditions at the Peninsula Canoe Club in Zandvlei.  At the fourth portage, a set-back saw Birkett fall out his boat. In a show of true sportsmanship, McGregor waited while Birkett climbed back into his boat, with the duo then racing to catch up with the group of paddlers in front.

In the final 200m of the race, McGregor, Birkett and Van der Walt edged ahead of the pack, leading to the exhilarating final sprint, with the three paddlers finishing within split seconds of each other in 2h14m17s.

Said McGregor, “It’s an exposed course, and pretty much the first port of call when the wind coming from the South Pole hits Africa. On Saturday it was windy, but these unpredictable conditions turned it into more of a surfski race, so the experienced surfski paddlers definitely had the advantage! I am stoked with this win. Thanks to everyone for all your support on the bank and well done to all the competitors on a solid, very challenging race.”

On Sunday in the K2 SA Championships, a last minute change of plans saw McGregor partner with Siseko Ntondini, instead of Jasper Mocke who withdrew due to illness.

Birkett / Louis Hattingh won the K2 event with Van der Walt / Stu McLaren in 2^nd, and McGregor / Ntondini in 3^rd.

RESULTS: SENIOR MEN K1

1. Hank McGregor - 2:14:17
2. Andy Birkett - 2:14:17
3. Brandon van der Walt - 2:14:19

RESULTS: SENIOR MEN K2

1. Andy Birkett/Louis Hattingh - 2:00:26
2. Brandon der Walt /Stu McLaren - 2:00:28
3. Hank McGregor/Siseko Ntondini - 2:01:28 

#JeepTeamSA                 

Editors’ Notes

PHOTO CAPTION: Hank McGregor and Siseko Ntondini during the 2016 K2 SA Canoe Marathon Championships in Zandvlei, Cape Town. Photographer: John Hishin / Gameplan Media

13 JUNE 2016, JOHANNESBURG – Jeep Team’s Thomas van Tonder and Carina Marx dominated the toughest Beast OCR Challenge yet, with both athletes claiming the respective Men’s and Women’s titles at the event, which took place on Saturday, 11 June, at The Wedge in Muldersdrift, Gauteng.

Van Tonder remains unbeaten, having now won all five of The Beast Challenges since the series launched in 2015, while Marx was the only female competitor who managed to finish the extreme Savage Beast Elite course (30 challenging obstacles over a 15km trail run).

The Men’s race began with a fast sprint to the first obstacle, a rope climb, which was then followed by a water crossing through a freezing pool. Van Tonder and Michael Joubert reached the water first, closely followed by Marius Smith and Bradley Claase.

Van Tonder and Joubert raced alongside each other for most of the race, until reaching the final game-changing obstacle – a 50m-long sequence of ropes, nets, rings, chains and monkey bars, which was very similar to Jeep Warrior’s Breaking Point, only much longer and tougher.

Van Tonder got through the obstacle on first attempt, and then on to the finish to claim the Men’s title in 1h23m. Joubert finished 2^nd in 1h26m, followed by Smith in 3^rd (1h29m) and Claase 4^th in 1h31m.

Only four female athletes competed in the Women’s elite race, which presented the same course as the Men’s event. Marx led from the start, managing to also get through the last 50m obstacle on her first attempt. She was the only elite female competitor to finish, in a time of 3h19m.

Said Marx, “Comparing this race to the very first Beast Challenge, I have to give the team a big applause. The route was marked clearly and the obstacles were of a high standard. Course designer, Jason Friedman, designed a very tough course. He combined a whole lot of tough obstacles, from rope swings, to tyres, to a long net climb, body weaver and finally handle swings. Thankfully I wasn't under any pressure when it came to that last monster of an obstacle and could take my time on every section. After getting through two thirds, the true test came. I was fighting my mind and my tired muscles. I started shaking uncontrollably, but with the help of a few friends and a crowd chanting my name, I had no other option but to finish this race. So I did just that and conquered The Beast.”

THE BEAST CHALLENGE RESULTS:

MEN SAVAGE ELITE BEAST:

1. Thomas van Tonder - 1:23:39
2. Michael Joubert - 1:26:51
3. Marius Smith - 1:29:02
4. Bradley Claase - 1:31:06
5. Willem Erasmus - 1:43:05

WOMEN SAVAGE ELITE BEAST:

1. Carina Marx - 3:19:20

Other Jeep Team results…

OCR

In the Western Cape, Jeep Team’s Jay Jay Deysel competed in the inaugural Grind Indoor Sprint Obstacle Course Race, which took place in Cape Town on Saturday, 11 June.

The unique event, the first of its kind in South Africa, took place inside the Bellville Velodrome and saw 220 competitors battle it out over 6 elimination rounds, culminating in the finals where 15 of the top athletes went head-to-head.

The course consisted of a 1km sprint with 15 intense obstacles, and attracted professional athletes from a range of sports disciplines, including OCR, gymnastics, martial arts, rugby and trail running.

Deysel managed an impressive 2^nd place podium finish. Trevor Lagerwey won the Men’s event.

Said Deysel, “I managed to get good and consistent times in the elimination rounds and I'm very happy to say that I finished the day in 2^nd place behind Trevor Lagerwey who was very strong and consistent throughout the day. A big well done to The Grind team for the awesome event they put together. I had so much fun and definitely think this is something that’s going to make a name in the OCR industry.”

Paddling

On Saturday, Jeep Team’s canoe king, Hank McGregor, continued his winning streak, this time winning the K1 title at the South African Canoe Marathon Championships, which took place in treacherous windy conditions in Cape Town.

In a reversal of last year’s race, McGregor narrowly edged out 2015 K1 winner, Andy Birkett, in a thrilling sprint finish to claim the title a split second ahead of Birkett. Brandon van der Walt finished 3^rd.

The result means McGregor and Birkett have now qualified for the SA team heading to the Canoe World Championships in Germany later this year, where McGregor will be aiming to claim his seventh world title.

On Sunday, McGregor partnered with Siseko Ntondini to compete in the K2 SA Championships, with the duo finishing 3^rd. Birkett / Louis Hattingh won the K2 event, with Van der Walt / Stu McLaren in 3^rd.

Said McGregor, “I am stoked with this win and really looking forward to the World Champs. There were five boats together coming into the last turn and the tough conditions asked a lot of questions. Thanks to everyone for all your support on the bank and well done to all the competitors on a solid race.”

MTB

Jeep Team’s MTB athlete, Thinus Redelinghuys, partnered with Timothy Hammond to take on the three-day, 237km Gem Diamonds Kalahari Challenge MTB Stage Race, which took place in Botswana from 10 – 12 June 2016.

Limited to a field of just 300 riders, the Kalahari Challenge is a full-service stage race set in the bushveld of southern Botswana. The race offered a variety of single track through the bushveld, gnarly technical uphills through the Kalahari Mountains and hardpack track.

Redelinghuys and Hammond led the race from start to finish, winning all three stages, and culminating in a total time of 9h51m15.

Back in South Africa, Jeep Team’s Pierre Smith competed in Round 4 of Ashburton Investments’ National MTB Series, which took place at Van Gaalen, North West province, on 11 June.

Smith finished the 113km ultra marathon in 13^th overall in 5h53. Max Knox won the Men’s race in 4h45, followed by Nico Bell in 2^nd (4h48) and HB Kruger 3^rd (4h50).

Said Smith, “Yesterday was a proper challenge at Van Gaalen racing the 4^th leg of Ashburton Investments’ National MTB Series. The 113km race with almost 2000m of climbing over very tough terrain, was a good test for the body, both physically and mentally. It was brutal, but I’m happy with my top 15 finish. Thanks Jeep Team for the immense support.”

#JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes
For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PIETERMARITZBURG, 8 JUNE 2016 – Just days after winning the world’s toughest surfski ultra marathon, the Maui Jim Molokai Challenge in Hawaii, Jeep Team’s Hank McGregor was back racing on home turf, this time claiming victory at the world’s oldest surfski event, the Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates Surfski Race, which took place in Durban on Sunday, 5 June.

McGregor finished the 27km race in 1h59, followed by Matt Bouman in second place (2h05m30) and Wade Krieger in 3^rd in 2h05m55. Luke Nisbet placed 4^th in 2h07m26, with Jeep Team’s Barry Lewin in 5^th (2h07m42).

The first Pirates Umhlanga Pirates Surfski Race took place in 1957, which makes it the oldest surfski race in the world, and cements Durban’s status as the birthplace of surfski.

Said McGregor, "It was a really solid day for me and I am really happy to get another win here even though I am still battling with a bit of jet lag. There was a good following tail wind all the way to Umhlanga. The wind was against the current so you felt like you were going faster than you actually were and then on the return, we were with the current but into the wind, which made it a pretty tough day out. I managed to get quite a big lead on Matt Bouman early on, and then I turned with the doubles so that gave me a good incentive into the final leg.”

After making headlines across the country for his surfski achievements over recent weeks, McGregor’s focus now shifts to the 2016 South African Canoe Marathon Championships in Cape Town on 11 and 12 June 2016.

"We have the South African Marathon Champs, which is also the national trials for the World Champs in Germany later this year, so I will hopefully be selected so I can defend my World Marathon title,” said McGregor.

2016 ILLOVO PIRATES UMHLANGA PIRATES SURFSKI RESULTS -25km

1. Hank Mcgregor - 1:59:16.64
2. Matthew Bouman - 2:05:30.76
3. Wade Krieger - 2:05:55.09
4. Luke Nisbet - 2:07:26.23
5. Barry Lewin - 2:07:42.37

Other Jeep Team results

OCR

Jeep Team’s OCR athlete, Carina Marx, showed her mettle when she competed in Race#3 of the tough IMPI Challenge, which took place at Virginia Trails in Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, 4 June.

Marx raced in the IMPI Elite category, which is a 20km trail run approximately 26 to 28 obstacles. She achieved an impressive 2^nd place finish in 2h26m. Trish Bahlmann won the women’s race in 2h20m, with Catherine Robson placing 3^rd in 2h46m.

Said Marx, “The Impi Challenge took place in a stunning venue, but that was quickly forgotten by competitors as we faced the tough course consisting of cavernous tracks, kloofing, mud running and a swim through icy water. I had to dig deep to keep up with Trish [Bahlman], who is a strong trail runner, and I managed to finish just a few minutes behind her. All in all it was a great race!”

#JeepTeamSA 

Editors’ Notes

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PIETERMARITZBURG, 31 May 2016 – South African surfski paddlers dominated the 40th annual Maui Jim Molokai Challenge in Hawaii on Sunday, 29 May 2016, with Jeep Team’s Hank McGregor leading the charge to claim his third Maui Jim title in relentlessly flat and windless ocean conditions.

McGregor finished the 53km surfski ultra marathon in 3h45, with fellow South Africans Sean Rice and Jasper Mocke finishing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively in 3h47 and 3h48.

The Maui Jim Molokai Challenge is the world’s oldest surfski race, and also one of the longest and toughest marathons, set across the Kaiwi Channel, between the Hawaiian islands of Molokai and Oahu. Called the ‘Channel of Bones’ by Hawaiians, the channel is renowned for unpredictable, and often extreme, weather conditions that can change in seconds.

2016 was one of the toughest Maui Jim Molokai Challenges in recent years, with paddlers competing in uncomfortably hot and humid conditions, with no downwind to speak of, which saw the race turn into a strategic test of physical strength and endurance.

A few kilometres into the race, a group of five paddlers surged ahead of the pack. This included the South African trio of McGregor, Rice and Mocke, plus Australia’s defending champion Cory Hill and his compatriot, Clint Robinson.

The race soon turned into an individual battle of endurance with each paddler seeking his own line across the channel that was offering no swell, runs or downwind assistance. In these conditions, McGregor’s experience gave him the edge he needed to find quicker lines and to finish at Maunalua Beach Park a minute and a half clear of second-placed Rice.

Said McGregor, “Last year I came so close to winning, so to come back and win now is awesome, and everything that I had hoped for. It was hot and brutal out there – probably one of the toughest surfski races I’ve ever done, and yet again living up to its name. Congrats to all my fellow countrymen that did so well!”

McGregor first won the race in 2009, followed by a second victory in 2014. In 2015, he led the field until the final two kilometres when Australians Cory Hill and Clint Robinson pipped him to the finish line.

2016 MAUI JIM MOLOKAI CHALLENGE RESULTS

1. Hank McGregor (RSA) 3:45:34
2. Sean Rice (RSA) 3:47:01
3. Jasper Mocké (RSA) 3:48:19
4. Clint Robinson (Aus) 3:49:20
5. Joey Hall (Aus) 4:01:02 

Other Jeep Team results…

Surfski

In Durban, Jeep Team’s Barry Lewin claimed 3^rd place in the 15km Winkle SLC Surfski Race, which took place on Sunday, 29 May.

The Winkle Race was one of the preliminary events leading up to the FNB Durban Downwind on 25 June 2016, which also doubles as a World Surfski Series event.

MTB

In the North West province, Jeep Team’s Pierre Smith competed in the season-opening event of the 2016 Gauteng Nissan Trailseeker MTB Series, which took place on Saturday, 28 May.

Smith finished the 70km marathon through the Mabalingwe Game Reserve in 8^th overall in 2h37. Max Knox won the Men’s race in 1h51, followed by Martien Venter in 2^nd (2h07) and Heine Engelbrecht in 3^rd (2h29).

Said Smith, “I had some great fun at the 1st Nissan Trailseeker race. I’m happy with a solid 8th overall after some tough races thus far. Thanks for all the support from everyone.”

On Sunday, Jeep Team’s Thinus Redelinghuys competed in the 54km Hollard Jozi Urban MTB Adventure.

The unusual race, in partnership with City Parks and Johannesburg Zoo, took riders on an urban adventure through Johannesburg’s parks and outdoor recreation facilities, with the route passing through interesting features that included storm water drains, underground tunnels and floating bridges.

Redelinghuys finished 5^th overall and 1^st Senior in 2h09.

#JeepTeamSA 

Have a look at the following platforms to keep up to date with Jeep Team SA:

Website: www.jeepteam.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeepteamsa
Twitter: @jeepteamsa
Instagram: JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes
Photo credits to Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media.
For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

GAUTENG, PRETORIA - 10th MAY 2016 - On Sunday, 8th May, Jeep Team’s OCR athletes – Thomas van Tonder, Jay Jay Deysel, Joshua Masudi, Hlubi Mboya and Carina Marx, joined forces to run for those who can’t in the 2016 Wings for Life World Run, where 100% of race proceeds go towards research into finding a cure for spinal cord injury.

Wings for Life World Run events took place in 33 countries across 6 continents and 12 time zones, with 34 official locations, including Pretoria in South Africa. Athletes of all abilities - elite, social and paraplegic - across the globe started at precisely the same time - 11am UTC on May 8, 2016. 

This year saw an unprecedented number of registered participants - 130,732 across the 34 official locations, stepping up to run for those who can’t, helping to raise a staggering €6.6 million (Euros) for spinal cord injury research.

There is no finish line at the Wings for Life World Run. It’s the only race in the world where the finish line catches you. Athletes at each location are chased by a Catcher Car, which takes off 30 minutes after the start, driving at exactly 15km/h for the first hour. This speed increases to 16km/h for the second hour, 17km/h for the third hour, and then 20km/h for the fourth and fifth hour, increasing to a fast 35km/h to chase down the leading runners. In Pretoria, the Jeep OCR Team ran 28.5km in 2h18m06 before they were caught by the Catcher Car.

Said Jay Jay Deysel, “During the race, we met Saskia Schulze, a wheelchair athlete. She needed some assistance to help her beat her 2015 distance of 21.9km. Jeep Team worked with her to run/push her to 28.5km. She was the leading lady in a wheelchair and took the win!

Helping Saskia was an awesome experience as this is what Wings for Life is all about – running for those who can’t due to spinal cord injuries. Saskia was the perfect motivation and we pushed hard to reach her and our goal. Next year we’re all planning to run together again.”

Worldwide, the Wings for Life 2016 Men’s’ race was won by Giorgio Calcaterra in Milano, Italy, who managed to run 88.44km before being caught. In Japan, Kaori Yoshida won the Women’s race worldwide, reaching 65.71km.

Frenchman, Thibault Barinian, won the South African Men’s race, reaching 62.51km, with Onneile Dintwe winning the Women’s race at 52.71km.

TOP 3 WINNERS WORLDWIDE

Men

1. Giorgio Calcaterra (ITA) / Italy 88.44 km
2. Bartosz Olszewski (POL) / Canada 82.42km
3. Francisco Morales (CHI) / Chile 75.47km

Women

1. Kaori Yoshida (JPN) / Japan 65.71 km
2. Karin Freitag (AUT) / Germany 59.08km
3. Vera Nunes (POR) / Portugal 58.86km

To find out more, go to http://live.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en.

Other Jeep Team results…

Multisport

In the North West, Jeep Team’s Multisport Junior athlete, <strong>Mikaela Jonsson</strong>, competed in the MiWay Sun City Ultra Triathlon, which took place on 8 May at Sun City.

Racing in the Sprint event (600m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run), and up against a field of over 1 000 athletes, Jonsson managed to finish in an impressive 6th overall and 3rd in her age group (18 – 24) in 1h23m40.

Maude Elaine Le Roux won the Women’s Sprint event in 1h17m10, followed by Lauren Dance in 2nd (1h20m16) and Natalie Ross 3rd in 1h20m31.

Said Jonsson, “It was an absolutely insane race with over 1000 athletes just in my event! Really happy with my swim. I managed to come out the water 3rd overall. Need to work on my bike, especially in the non-drafting format seen at this event.”

#JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes 

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..