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 Day 4 of the Old Mutual Bank PE2EL Challenge saw the weather forecast threatening a headwind, strengthening through the day.
In accordance with the race rules, race organiser Anton Erasmus made the difficult decision to shorten the route to 27km, starting at Kidd's Beach and ending at Orient Beach in East London.
Grumbles and Smiles
"Although there were some grumbles from the front of the fleet," said Anton, "there were relieved smiles from those at the back!"
 Day 1: Oscar finishes in the mist
 Day 2, Kenton, Butch Murray
Singles
With a short day and no waves to help the paddlers, the singles weren't going to make any major breaks and the front three stuck together all the way until the harbour wall in East London, when Oscar Chalupsky caught a wave and milked it to lead the trio into the beach with Peter Cole trailing by some 40secs. Paul Marais, with an overall lead of nearly 23mins came in third.
 Day 2, Kenton, Peter Cole
 Day 2, Kenton, Peter Mote & Alan Shuddinh
 Day 2, Kenton, Ross Poacher (front) and Andrew Torr (behind)
Doubles
Apart from Peter Mote and Alan Shuddinh, who had a substantial lead in the doubles, the race was wide open with only 22 seconds separating 2nd from 4th place.
"We pulled the bunch until we were about ten kilometres out," said Peter, "then broke away. But we hadn't gone more than three minutes when Alan said he wasn't feeling good. We rejoined the group but eventually fell off and finished some seven minutes behind."
Alan had succumbed to suspected seasickness in the bumpy conditions, but the pair still won the doubles race by over six minutes from the Eastern Cape pair of Ian Nell and Kyle Nell.
Ian and Kyle won day 4 by some three minutes, leaving Theo van Dyk and Bruce Neil to dice for third place with Rob Welsh and Gary Butlion. After a kilometre-long sprint Theo and Bruce finished in front of the Welsh/Butlion combination.
 Day 2, Kenton, Wayne Oosthuizen and sole woman paddler Nicola Irvine
 Day 2, Kenton, Wojtek Orzechowski
Summary
Paul Marais showed great form from the start of the race and although Oscar Chalupsky put in a credible challenge on the second day when conditions turned favourable, Paul took it out of reach on the third day.
In the doubles, the defending champions, Pete Mote and Alan Shuddinh, stuck to their tactical plan and always looked to win the race on the third day.
No 244km race can be approached casually and none of the paddlers found it easy. "The guys who'd done the distance in training enjoyed it," said Pete Mote, "the guys who hadn't, didn't!"
.jpg "Image") Day 3 Start
 Day 3: Oscar sets off at the halfway point
"It was a good race to finish," Peter Cole added, "in that there wasn't the usual big surf."
"I'd rather paddle four days into the easterly than organise the race again," said a relieved and exhausted Anton Erasmus.
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