Comments for Southern Shamaal PE to EL Challenge 2008 - The Toughest Ocean Paddling Race in the World at http://www.surfski.info , comment 0 to 2 out of 2 comments http://www.surfski.info Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:54:02 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/771/147/#pc_2650 Anton & Rob will reveal more war tales - for sure. If you have any, pls share them here for us to enjoy. The event web site will be functioning soon & there will be a hall of fame. Pls expand on the Blackburn/Kamstra vs Barton/OC race. I would have said that Barton & OC would have been unbeatable in a double over this distance. Why did Scotty portage? There was also the story about the champion USA lifesaver who tried the race & broke his paddle 1/2 way through day 1...and did somthing like 40km with 1/2 a blade. What a lot of people forget is that these past masters did a lot of these races with wooden flat blades & home made boats. Guff Harvey (Kings Beach SLC) has kindly allowed us access to his scrap books & reading SCOPE or STAG magazine reports from 1977 make for gripping reading. Rob will reveal more, I am sure. - Gavin Dickinson Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:50:43 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/771/147/#pc_2649 This is 'the event' to gauge how tough a paddler you are! It tests your mental & physical grit beyond most seasoned paddlers abilities where sea-worthiness counts way more than speed, but finishing this 4 day enduro is worth every ounce of pain! Whilst the Molokai is considered the Holy Grail of events, the Challenge deserves its own hall of fame! Perhaps Anton could dig through some of the annals of time to list the 'unheard of legends' who have completed this magical epic...Tony Scott, Robbie Bester, Ralph Tuelings and several others are guys who have finish 10 of challenges. Then a trio of females Kim Rew, Michele Eray & Erin Leybrand are the only females to finish in singles, whilst Donia Kamstra & Andrew Blackburn could have beaten Oscar & Greg in 2002 but their 10 min arguement at Mpekweni scuppered their 4 minute lead. Lets hear some of the legend tales of 11 hour paddles into head winds or 3 hour portage along the beach in 2004 that Scotty & co took, schools of dolphins along the neverending cliffs, whilst the pounding surf kept Alister Fraser busy for one & a half hours at the start of day 2 from Wood Cape in 2000 or in 2002 after four days of contemplation on the open sea Neil Henderson finished last to his girlfriend embrace and prompty asked her to marry him! This Challenge will change you! - Jamii Hamlin Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:38:16 +0100