Wilddogza

Happy birthday, Jonathan Maehler . One of the originals — with WildDogZA from the very beginning and still showing up, still doing the work. That kind of consistency says everything. Enjoy your day, Jono.

Happy birthday, Charl Massyn .

One of the originals — paddling with us since day one.

Happy birthday, Justin Swart and Steve Schnell!

Wishing you a great one on and off the water.

.swart.14

Good luck to all The Berg River Canoe Marathon paddlers 🙌🏼

RACE FAVOURITE: Hank McGregor

14-time Berg River Marathon Winner
Race Record Holder (13:20:09 set in 2008)
Day 4 Record Holder (2:34:41 set in 2008)
Oldest Race winner (47 set in 2025)
11-time World Marathon Champion (8 x K1; 4 x K2)

The Team Euro Steel paddler is the world's most successful kayak World Marathon Championship paddler. Not maybe, not arguably – he has won more world titles than any other kayaker in the world.

Every time he sits on the start line, Hank McGregor is at the very least a contender – and at the Berg, since 2005, he has lined up as the favourite.

His versatility is phenomenal. He has won 14 Berg River Marathons over 240km, and he has won 11 World Marathon Gold Medals, collected numerous World Surfski / Ocean Racing World Championships medals, and won just about every other race in South Africa in a K1 or K2 – and enjoyed more than a few victories with his wife Pippa in a mixed double.

At 48-years-old, however, there is a glimmer of hope for his rivals. Great sportsmen unfortunately have a shelf life, and as has been seen with Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Pelé, Usain Bolt and hundreds of other sporting greats, there comes a time when winning cannot be taken for ranted.

Despite his age, in 2026 Hank is still the one to beat, and as much as his rivals this week will be keen to edge him toward the "former champion" category, his speed, fitness, skill and shrewd tactical insight make him race favourite on Wednesday.




Salt Kayaks
Euro Steel Sport
Carbonology Sport
Enduren Nutrition
Western Cape Canoe Union

They did it! Two besties. Two brutal distances. One finish line.

Diane Hope crossed the line at the MacMac Ultra 100 Miler - Long Tom Edition, 163,6km down (after using Comrades last month as a warm up). And right there with her was Nix, back for round two and finishing her own 200 mile journey after four nights on trail.

Different races, same trail, same fight. Incredible example of what we are capable of. Congratulations Di & Nix 🏆

Checked in at the support station — soup, noodles, and spirits still high. Di’s back out on trail now, tackling another brutal climb with 36.9km left to the finish.

So close now. Almost there, Diane Hope

RRace briefing done, and Di's ready. The MacMac Ultra 100 Miler — Long Tom Edition starts at 12h00 today.
163.6km of trail lies ahead of her, tracing through Mac Mac Falls, Graskop, and Mount Sheba before finishing back in Sabie. Casual reminder: Comrades Marathon was just the warm-up.
Months of preparation come down to this moment. Go get it, Di.

Months of early mornings and long miles have led to this. Diane Hope has arrived at Merry Pebbles, race village, ready ahead of the MacMac Ultra — Long Tom Edition. Her 100 mile race starts Friday, 3 July at 12h00.
100 miles, one continuous effort, checkpoint by checkpoint, all the way to the finish.
Whatever the next couple of days throw at her, she's earned her place on that start line. Go get it, Di.

At 67, WildDogZA's Linton Hope still shows up — and still wins.

This weekend at the KZN Marathon Champs, Linton and his long-time paddling partner Bruce Wenke took first place in the Great Grand Masters category — four laps of flat water racing on KZN home turf. It's a win Linton has claimed in his category for over ten consecutive years, and Bruce has been right there beside him for every one of them.

There's something to be said for two paddlers who've shared that much water together. They don't need to think — they just move.

Consistent, patient, heart rate-based training isn't just what Linton coaches — it's how he lives. And the results speak for themselves.

Well done to both of them. 🙌