Birkett back for the Drak Challenge

THE timeless expression “A good time was had by all” was certainly very much in evidence at last week’s ExPro Toys for Joy Christmas lunch hosted by the Durban branch in the spacious first-floor dining room at the Greyville Racecourse.

The ExPro chairman, the hardworking Johnnie Louch, kept the party moving along throughout the meal, with the highlights of the afternoon the light-hearted interlude provided by stand-up comedian Mel Miller and the intensively interesting interview of the guest speaker, Springbok rugby player Bakkies Botha, who was introduced by the respected Junior Springbok and former SuperSport rugby commentator Hugh Bladen.

Botha, who was regarded as one of the best locks in the game in world rugby in his day, amassed a total of 85 Springbok caps in an international career that spanned 12 years (2002-2014) and was a member of the side that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.

He played Super Rugby for the Blue Bulls (2002-2011) before relocating to France where he ended his professional career with Toulon (2011-2015).

Botha kept us all enthralled with his anecdotes based on his three victorious Currie Cup finals with the Bulls in 2002, 2004 and 2009, along with three winning Super 14 campaigns in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

He also won the Heineken Cup and the European Rugby Champions Cup with Toulon in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to become one of the most decorated players in world rugby.

Louch said he had been overwhelmed that 670 sportspeople had attended the lunch, the most since the founding of the organisation by a modest group of a dozen footballers in 1996 in Johannesburg. Lunches are now held annually in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Louch said that more than 2 000 individually wrapped toys had been donated at the Durban lunch. They were formally handed over to Barry Roberts of Rotary for distribution among underprivileged children.

More than 25 000 toys and R2.5 million has been gifted to charity by ExPro since 1996, some of which has gone to individuals who have fallen on hard times and who are struggling financially.

Among the many famous faces at the lunch was former Test cricketer John Watkins, the oldest surviving international player in the world at 93.

Watkins was born in Durban on April 10, 1923, and is the last surviving member of the Springbok side that toured Australasia in 1952-53.

It was his best series with the bat – he made 352 runs at 35.20.

In the fifth Test at Melbourne, Australia batted first and made 520, but Watkins, batting at No 3, compiled his highest Test score of 92 in his first innings and then 50 in his second to help South Africa to victory by six wickets, which squared the series at 2-2.

Other prominent sportsmen at the lunch included: footballers Bobby Chalmers, Henry Hauser, Gavin Laing, Neil Tovey, former Bafana Bahana coach Clive Barker and Stella FC old boy Ernie Hayes, all the way from Auckland, New Zealand; cricketers Kenny Cooper, Henry Fotheringham and brothers Mike and Trevor Madsen; rugby union’s Tubby Hannaford, Wally Watt, Brian van Zyl, Butch James and Stan Holmes; hockey player Mike du Plessis; and former Durban City player Paul Lafferty, now better known in racing circles, along with retired jockey Kevin Shea.

Dave Macleod

TRIPLE N3TC Drak Challenge defending champion Andy Birkett has vowed to complete a fourth win in a row at the highly competitive 72km twoday race in January.

The Pietermaritzburg-based Euro Steel star is working his way back to top form after a well-earned breather following his podium finishes at the World Marathon Championships and the Fish River Marathon last month, and sees the southern Drakensberg’s Drak Challenge as key training for his Dusi campaign next year.

“From the training side, being based in Underberg is so beneficial. The Drak is such a fun event and a fun river to paddle on that I really want to spend time up there,” said Birkett.

After making his Drak debut as a schoolboy, it took Birkett eight years to come back and tackle the race again. This year he will be aiming for his 10th Drak.

“Your river skills are so, so important on the Drak – maybe more important than any other race,” he said.

“You just can’t make any mistakes. It is an intense race and normally the racing is quite hot.”

Birkett will almost certainly have to square up to eight-time world champion and three-time Drak champion Hank McGregor once again at the front of the race.

“I really enjoy close racing,” Birkett added. “It makes it so much more exciting and a lot more enjoyable, and to race against someone like Hank, who is the best in the world, makes it even more special.”

The Drak Challenge Canoe Marathon will take place on January 21 and 22 next year. See www.drak.co.za.