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 I think it was Mark Lewin or maybe Billy Harker said, "Yeah, the Scottburgh to Brighton: there's always some kind of surprise." And this year's race was no different.
The 2006 Men's Health Scottburgh to Brighton, driven by Gateway Toyota was run on Saturday 8th July and a record number of competitors (115 doubles and some 40 singles) lined up at Scottburgh beach.
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Mean Start at Scottburgh
The surf at Scottburgh was exceptionally powerful, and the earlier batches were decimated with some nine skis being smashed on the way out. The usual line close to the rocks was perilous and several skis damaged their rudders on rocks before they'd travelled ten metres. Several more crews retired after repeated unsuccessful attempts to punch through the backline.
Those that did make it out found swell running towards ‘Toti combined with an offshore wind that made for tricky "technical" runs. Experienced paddlers revelled in the conditions. "There were runs the whole way," said Billy Harker, "It was a cracker, the best Scottburgh to Brighton that I can remember!"
 Billy Harker coming in at Amanzimtoti (Photo: Rob Mousley)
Daunting Amanzimtoti
Conditions at the halfway checkpoint, Amanzimtoti, were daunting. Lines of breakers could be seen from the beach up to a kilometre out to sea. More skis were broken and some crews retired at this point, unwilling to go out again and risk their craft in the massive surf
 Now you see them...
 ...now you don't... Ouch! (Photos: Rob Mousley)
Cape Challengers Fade
Cape Town brothers Dawid and Jasper Mocke lead from Scottburgh until about 5km before ‘Toti when they were caught by Piers Cruickshanks and Australian visitor Tommy Woodruff. After ‘Toti, another two skis had caught them and they finished fourth overall. Dawid's comment on the surf? "Hectic!"
Clint Pretorius and Brett Bartho won the race in 03:16:33 beating Barry Lewin and Daryl Bartho by just over a minute. Piers Cruickshanks and Tommy Woodruff came third.
Ladies Race
In the ladies race it was the formidable combination of Nikki Mocke and Donia Kamstra who won, coming in 16th overall. They played it safe at ‘Toti, waiting for the gap in the mid-break. "We didn't want to chance it since we knew were in the lead," Nikki said, "The race took longer than we expected and we were very glad to get to Brighton."
International Flavour
Several international paddlers had stayed on after the ARB Surf Ski World Cup race the weekend before: the first mixed double crew to Brighton was ex-South African Pat Hemmens with his wife DeAnne. Another Californian, Dave Jensen, teamed up with Capetonian Neil "Beetle" Bailey and came third in the competitive veterans' category.
Frank Fifils and Frederic Lonca from Guadeloupe braved the totally unfamiliar surf to come14th out of 115 doubles. Stuart Knaggs and Tonguy Zou also competed.
In the single skis, Rowan Matthews won the race in 03:57:29 beating Travis Wilkinson by nearly five minutes.
Below are a selection of photos of the action at Amazimtoti taken by Rob Mousley (who had broken his ski the previous weekend the day before the ARB Surf Ski World Cup and who was very happy not to be on the water...)
Full results are on www.surfski.co.za
This article first appeared in the SA Paddler Magazine
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