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 The inaugural $10,000 Dubai Shamal Surfski race was run on Friday 1 December 2006 in at Dubai, UAE, hosted by the Dubai Surfski and Kayak Club.
I predicted that Oscar would fade on the flat water and the heat of Dubai... I also predicted that Hank McGregor would win the 20km race...
Here are the results:
Results:
1. Dawid Mocke (SA) 1:31
2. Oscar Chalupsky (SA) "one second behind"
3. Darryl Bartho (SA) 10-15sec behind
4. Hank McGregor (SA) + 5-10sec
5. Barry Lewin (SA)
6. Clint Pretorius (SA) + 3min
7. Zsolt Szadovszki (USA)
8. Ash Nesbit (Aus)
9. Boyan Zlatarev (Dubai)
10. Ian Kingon and Gavin Dickinson (Dubai) (Double)
11. Ken Collins (SA)
Race Course
 The race course: out and back through the canals
Race Report
The race was run on an "out and back" course. "The sea was glassy," said an elated Dawid Mocke, "and there was a big group together going out. A couple of the guys were going too hard too soon so I just hung in there and bided my time."
After about six kilometres he made his move. "I started applying pressure and that broke the group up." At the turning buoy the front group, by now some 60m ahead, consisted of Dawid, Hank and Darryl and they paddled back together, taking turns to pull and steadily leaving the rest of the pack.
But, the wind arrived as they came within three kilometres of the coast - and the slight help gave Oscar all he needed to make up ground on the leaders. The big man charged and and made back all the ground that he'd lost.
They entered the canal system together. Dawid said, "I put the hammer down, found a tiny little wave, milked it for all it was worth and broke away from Hank and Darryl." But Oscar was on his tail and at the finish was a mere second behind. "I was expecting Oscar to come past at any moment, but I just managed to hang on."
"This was a great race. It had flat, it had runs, it was tactical and you had to think." He added, "This was the last big race this year, the best in world were here and it's a pretty good indication of the way things are in surf ski right now."
Dawid said, in a classic understatement, "Oscar surprised us all!" And this writer has to eat humble pie - gladly!
Well done to Oscar - but well done especially to Dawid Mocke, the Cape's own!
Skis
And for those who always ask what skis the top guys were using:
Dawid: Fenn Mako 6
Oscar: Epic V10
Darryl: Fenn Mako 6
Hank: Epic V10
Barry: Custom Kayaks Icon
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