Classic sea battles expected at ICF Ocean Racing World Champs 2025

The waiting is almost over and the world's best are eagerly looking forward to the weekend action as Durban, the "Home of Surfski Paddling", prepares to host the 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships.

The finalised programme will see the battle for mixed doubles world titles on Saturday and the main attraction, the singles World Championship race on Sunday. All races start at the Durban Undersea Club with the doubles heading south to Amanzimtoti, while the overnight change of wind direction means the singles will race to Westbrook, about 34km north of Durban.

Sunday's singles races are shaping into a classic battle between Australasia and South Africa, with a sprinkling of northern hemisphere thrown in.

On a neutral course, Sunday's predicted strong wind and surf conditions mean the men's pre-race favourite would probably be Australian Cory Hill. However, the three-time World Champion and last year's runner up faces an armada of South Africans racing on their home waters – led by veteran Hank McGregor whose regular training ground is almost the exact race venue for Sunday's race.

The long list of McGregor's compatriots who could triumph include Uli Hart, the 2024 SA Champion on a course from DUC to Mdloti, current SA Champion Nic Notten, former World Champion Kenny Rice, and brothers Joshua and Matt Fenn who have both been U23 World Champions.

German Gordan Harbrecht leads the northern hemisphere charge and will be keen to show his 2024 World Championships win in Portugal was no fluke, while Pierre Vilella from France, Bernardo Periera from Portugal and Walter Bouzan from Spain could also be in contention.

The women's race is expected to be a showdown between three current and former World Champions. Defending Champion, Cape Town's Kira Bester, probably has the best record over the past 12 months; while Durban's Michelle Burn, like McGregor, has a confidence-building home-water advantage; but both will have to be at their best to beat New Zealander Dani Richards' all round ability.

Others in the mix include multiple age-group medalist Saskia Hockly, who is also the favourite to claim the U23 title; Melanie van Niekerk; former U23 World Champion Jade Wilson; last year's junior World Champion Georgia Singe; Nix Birkett; and last year's bronze medallist, Spaniard Judit Vergés.

The decision to hold the singles race on Sunday means many of the top mixed doubles crews will not be racing, with paddlers opting to save themselves for Sunday's battle. That means the defending champions Hart and Singe are unlikely to race, and the McGregors, Hank and Pippa, are probably also going to take a watching role on Saturday.

However, one crew that has confirmed they will be aiming for glory is Marathon World Champion Andy Birkett, who is teaming up with his wife Nix and they are probably the favourites for a home-country victory.

2023 mixed doubles winners, Spaniards Vergés and Bouzan, will be looking for their third medal in a row after finishing third overall and second senior last year, while last year's runner up, former South African now paddling for Spain, Chloe Bunnett, and Jorge Vila Del Rosario are also likely to be in contention.

The mixed doubles or SS2 race will see crews paddling around The Bluff and then making use of the north easterly wind to race 27km to Amanzimtoti.

The 180 degree switch of the wind on Saturday night means Sunday's SS1 race will be a straightforward downwind blast from the first turning buoy 500m from the start to the checkpoint and turning buoy 400m off Umhlanga beach, and then on to Westbrook.

Saturday's mixed doubles race starts at 8am and the singles race at 9am on Sunday.