South Africa's Hank McGregor Voted November ICF Athlete Of The Month

Men's K1 Canoe Marathon World Champion propelled into history and record

books

Lausanne, Switzerland November 2, 2011 - South Africa's Hank McGregor has been voted the International Canoe Federation's (ICF) Athlete of the Month for November, after winning the highly contested Men's K1 event at the 2011 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Singapore last month.

McGregor received 51 percent of the vote on the ICF's Facebook poll. Also in contention for the award were Men's C1 Medallist Matthias Ebhardt (GER), Men's C2 Attila Gyore and Marton Kover (HUN), Men's K2 Alvaro Fernandez and Walter Bouzan (ESP), Women's K1 Renata Csay (HUN) - Women's K2 Renata Csay and Ramona Farkasdi (HUN), and Women's K1 Under -23 World Champion Eva Barrios (ESP). Also nominated were Women's K2 Asian Champions Yeung Xintian and Chen Jieyi Abigail (SIN). All athletes nominated and polled were Gold medallists at the recently concluded Canoe Marathon World Championships in Singapore.

The win in Singapore is just one of the major highlights of McGregor's incredible year. Having picked up many high profile wins during the year, he won the highly regarded Hansa Fish Marathon race in his native South Africa, and two weeks later bagged the Gold medal and the title "World Champion", a title he first claimed in 2003. To add to his mantle, he has entered the record books and history, by becoming the first paddler to hold every single and double title in a calendar year. He is the first South African to win both the K1 and K2 in flat water racing, surfski and river canoeing, and the first to dominate both the Fish River and Berg River canoe marathons.

On his record breaking year:

"I have had a dream year. I think I can attribute my success to experience and knowing my own body better, to be able to reach a high enough level that enables me to contend for titles. I also think a big factor is that I really enjoy paddling no matter where or what discipline - it is just such a great sport to be a part of!"

McGregor is clearly not one to sit on his laurels, he has already set his sights on being classified "the best" an accolade now held by 10-time canoe marathon world champion, Manuel Busto Fernandes of Spain, who is ranked number one in the ICF Classic Marathon Series. It is an achievement that McGregor is still striving for whilst trying to achieve success across other fronts.

"It will be special for me to become the world's best river canoeist while I am the world marathon champion. I don't think anyone has achieved that yet."

McGregor will defend his title in Rome in 2012, but he feels he may still need to work hard to earn the honour.

The full interview with Hank McGregor is available here

http://canoeicf.com/icf/WorldClassCanoeing/Athlete-of-the-Month/Current-Athlete-of-the-Month/Hank-McGregor.html> .

Visit us at http://www.canoeicf.com> www.canoeicf.com or join us at http://www.facebook.com/internationalcanoefederation> www.facebook.com/internationalcanoefederation.

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