Search results Tuesday, 12 September 2006 20:22 Who's Ready for Pure Core? One of the single toughest physical events anywhere in the world is approaching - the longest, most gruelling surfski race anywhere. You guessed it, the Surf Ski Challenge, Port Elizabeth to East London. It's nothing but pure hardcore racing over four days between two famous coastal cities: 244km's over one of the world's most treacherous coastlines. Read more...
Wednesday, 25 October 2006 10:17 [Editor: Anton Erasmus sent this latest information on the PE to EL Challenge]
Thanks for the many responses to the Challenge questionnaire. Here is a bullet summary of the feed back. - Having a reserve day was a big no no. Race must be over 4 days (some felt that the race should be held a week later)
- Check points, varied opinions. Majority wanted to keep them but with stop in race time. Also if surf is dangerous then turn around a buoy of ducky - i.e. a safety call.
- Woody Cape - majority want it in but not if it is a mega boat breaker of a day - again a safety call.
- Head butt vs. turning days. Most felt that the race should be PE to EL BUT if the wind is forecast to be in excess of 15 knots (some said 10 others 25) then turn it. A number suggested a there and back if the wind is hectic and also changing start time to accommodate the wind prediction.
- Two paddlers said the race should be from EL to PE.
Read more...
Tuesday, 05 September 2006 14:49 Paddlers have fewer than 100 days to train for the single most challenging event in the Surfski calendar: the 244km Port Elizabeth to East London "Surfski Challenge".
Changes this year include the omission of Woody Cape on the first day, and the one-way running of the race. In the past, organisers have run sections of the course "backwards" during bad weather to give paddlers a downwind leg. Not this year. In addition the Sunday is being reserved as a spare day in case any of the other days has to be cancelled due to inclement weather. Read more...
Tuesday, 18 July 2006 09:59 THE world‘s longest, most gruelling surfski challenge is gearing up for another exciting set of qualifying rounds, with entrance to the event opening on August 1. A four-stage marathon which runs 244km along the coast between Port Elizabeth and East London, the PE2EL Surfski Challenge is held under guidance of professional sports company Sports World on behalf of Eastern Cape Lifesaving. Read more...
Tuesday, 11 July 2006 16:38 Michael Zoetmulder, head of the organising committee for the 2006 PE to EL Surf Ski Challenge, has announced the dates and some further details... The race will be run from 13th to 16th December with 17th December allocated as a reserve day. Read more...
Tuesday, 11 July 2006 11:28 As we all know, Surf Ski is growing as a sport. But that growth is presenting race organisers with a dilemma. More and more paddlers want to enter the "classic" races like the Cape Point Challenge and the PE to EL Challenge. But these races have reputations for extreme conditions, both in terms of endurance and the sea states that can occur on the course. Read more...
Latest Race News Durban – Team Best 4 Kayak Centre captain Hank McGregor reclaimed his customary place at the top of the pile when he cruised to victory in the Stellar Kayaks surfski race, race two of the Discovery Best 4 Surfski Series, on Sunday morning. Written on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 in Africa Read more... A week of great paddling awaits those going to the fourth edition of the Mauritius Ocean Classic. Starting on Sunday, 24 June 2012 with ski issue and then into training sessions with Dawid Mocke and Barry Lewin. Everyday there will be scheduled downwind paddles, allowing all to get familiar with the conditions and ready for the races. Written on Saturday, 12 May 2012 in Africa Read more... In another all-out heart-bursting sprint finish, Simon van Gysen managed to boost his ski's nose a few cm past Sean Rice to take the second EuroChallenge race along with the overall title. Written on Sunday, 06 May 2012 in Europe Read more... “Van Gysen is pulling ahead of McGregor… it’s his race to lose. No! He’s heading for the harbor instead of the buoy… He’s realized; he’s turned. McGregor’s right up with him! He’s around, they’re sprinting for the finish…” Written on Sunday, 06 May 2012 in Europe Read more... It’s only a few weeks until the 11th King of the Harbour Ocean ski race and excitement is building in the surf ski community. It’s a close-knit group and all agree that our race here in Auckland is unique in the world and one of the best. Written on Tuesday, 20 March 2012 in Aus/NZ Read more...
| | Latest Product Reviews Transcribe the accumulated wisdom of two of the best surfski paddlers in the world, add some truly stunning photographs, and in case that’s not enough, make things even more clear with beautifully executed diagrams. That’s SURFSKI with the Pros in a nutshell. Written on Sunday, 27 November 2011 in Product Reviews Read more... When Mario Graziani called to say that there was an Allwave CX surfski in Cape Town and would I like to try it, I leapt at the chance. At the same time I was a little apprehensive – what could Italians possibly know about making surfskis?! Written on Saturday, 20 August 2011 in Product Reviews Read more... “Ok, let’s sprint to the other side of the harbor,” I said. Issuing a challenge like that to my training partner Dale Lippstreu always results in a ball-bursting, neck and neck, 110% redline effort. This time though he just disappeared (behind me) and 200m later I looked back to see him paddling backwards. “I thought I had something on the rudder,” he said. Nah. We did it again and the same thing happened. I was on an Carbonology Sport Atom – and on flat water it made me look like a paddling super-hero. Written on Sunday, 12 June 2011 in Product Reviews Read more... Let’s start by clarifying that this is an independent product review. Secondly, I have won numerous national kayak titles in both sprint and marathon, and was selected to represent Australia at the World Cup and other International Events. I have also competed in surfski events at state and national levels in surf lifesaving. Summary – independent and qualified advice on craft. Written on Thursday, 02 June 2011 in Product Reviews Read more... A year ago, Kayakpro released an updated version of their Speedstroke kayak ergometer. In an effort to be on the leading edge of the indoor paddling world, I made the switch from their older model, the Speedstroke which was introduced in 2001, to their newer model, the GYM, one year ago. KayakPro is owned and operated by British ex-Olympian and World Champion Grayson Bourne. Written on Sunday, 30 January 2011 in Product Reviews Read more...
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Latest News Richard Kohler, attempting to circumnavigate the SA coastline for charity, has been hammered for the third time by the unforgiving KwaZulu-Natal conditions. Written on Tuesday, 13 December 2011 in Latest Surfski News Read more... The email was brief: “Newsflash - Richard was attacked by a shark. He is safe, but his surfski is seriously damaged (entire rudder system trashed).” Later came an update: “Richard is safe, though he had to stop 3 times on his paddle today to empty his boat. “ Written on Thursday, 08 December 2011 in Latest Surfski News Read more... A solo Cape Town paddler is braving the entire South African coastline on a kayak, a first-ever attempt, to raise awareness and funds for children born with cleft lips and palates. Written on Thursday, 01 December 2011 in Latest Surfski News Read more... Here are the 2011 Surfski World Rankings, courtesy of Dean Gardiner and Ocean Paddler who have put it all together... Written on Tuesday, 23 August 2011 in Latest Surfski News Read more... Imagine taking ten days out of your life to paddle with (and be coached by) two of the best surfski exponents ever… In 2012, you have three opportunities to take a spectacular trip to some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the Western Australian coast with Dean Gardiner and Oscar Chalupsky. Written on Monday, 20 June 2011 in Latest Surfski News Read more...
| | Latest Tips & Tricks Here’s a debate that pops up quite often: what length is optimum for surfskis? Ralph Baker, a student at the Newcastle University School of Marine Science and Technology (phew what a mouthful!) recently completed an eight month long project looking at this precise question. Written on Saturday, 12 May 2012 in Tips: Other Read more... [Editor: When Jean Mars Tavignot tried out his new Red7 Surf 70 Pro in downwind conditions, he was not pleased; his 10 year old Fenn Millenium handled the short steep Mediterranean waves better! Nothing daunted, he took out his toolbox…] Written on Tuesday, 09 August 2011 in Tips: Other Read more... I have always wanted to fit an elliptical rudder to a Fenn, particularly a Mako 6 as it is my favourite ski. I can paddle an Elite but I prefer the 6 for all round stability and performance particularly in chop. Its main weakness is that the shark fin loses bite because of the ski's rocker and the fin's proximity to the tail causes the odd broach particularly in big swells. Written on Monday, 01 August 2011 in Tips: Other Read more... "Life's too short to learn from our own experience, instead, learn from others and save the expense..." I recently hurt my back and was forced to stop training in my kayak and ski for six weeks. In the process of repair I found some amazing things I’ve been doing wrong for at least eighteen months, and thought surfski.info readers might benefit from my mistakes. Written on Sunday, 17 July 2011 in Tips: Other Read more... Rudders are a critical part of any boat’s design – and in my opinion many of the rudders on surfskis are sub-optimal, to put it mildly. But at last a manufacturer has got off their butt to offer a wide range of rudders for different conditions. Written on Wednesday, 15 June 2011 in Tips: Other Read more...
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