 Official Results and a transcript of the coverage of the ARB Surfski World Cup. We were in cellphone contact with the race referee John Parton and his crew who relayed events to us as they unfolded from the race support boats.
There was massive drama in the form of a container ship that crossed the path of the leading bunch and plunged the race into controversy.
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Official Results
Oscar Chalupsky was confirmed as the winner followed by Hank McGregor and Dean Gardiner. This after Hank lodged a protest against Oscar's win claiming that he was prejudiced when they were required to stop as the ship was about to cross their path. Oscar and Hank arrived at the ship together and were stopped by race officials, they were then waved through ahead of the ship. The protest was investigated but in the end Oscar's win was upheld. Apparently Hank was not at the prize giving. It will be interesting to get Hank and Oscars version of the events and view the video footage.
Arrival times at the ship were noted and finishing times were adjusted for these times, therefore the arrival time at the beach may differ in some cases. There were no other protests but I'm sure there are some happy and some much less happy finishers.
Mens Race
- Oscar Chalupsky - SA
- Hank McGregor - SA
- Dean Gardiner - AU
- Matt Bouwman - SA
- Tim Jacobs - AU
- Dawid Mocke - SA
- Herman Chalupsky - SA
- Barry Lewin - SA
- Ash Nesbitt - AU
- Daryl Bartho - SA
Jasper was 12th (just thought I'd mention it before you grill me about my wild race prediction).
Women
- Alexa Lombard - SA
- Michelle Eder -
- Tiffany Kruger - SA
Doubles
- Simon and Andrew Blackburn - SA
Veterans
- Oscar Chalupsky
Masters
- Rod Taylor
Team Prize goes to South Africa.
12:00 - It's been fun and thanks for all the comments. Keep them coming an keep them clean. If anyone has further news please post them on the comments.
11:30 - Rob M has just called in, the talk on the beach is that Dean Gardiner was in third place behind Hank who was behind Oscar, after that things are scratchy.
He says the seas were BIG, the biggest swells he has ever paddled, he took a swim after "going over the falls backwards". On a Millers Run Scale he gives it 11/10 - "there were huge sea swells coming inshore and smaller wind swells going out, you could catch the wind swell and turn onto the giant fast moving sea swells, I was screaming along at 23km/h at one stage - it was awesome fun".
11:20 - Well it is an anticlimax to a great race, there will be a meeting in an hour's time to listen to the protests.
10:56 - It must have been mayhem out there. Skis racing in a big downwind within sight of the finish, all gunning it, and along comes a massive container ship right across their path, two ski's slip through ahead of the ship and the chase boats hold the rest of fleet. It must have been like herding cats and some slipped through. I can just imagine the chaos - I can't wait for the TV footage.
John can't give official results, even Oscar and Hank's positions are not confirmed.
10:45 - No official result, protests are flying as some contestants allegedly pushed past the container ship under a red flag. Paddlers on the beach are Oscar, Hank, then in no specific order the Aussies Tim Jacobs, Murray Stewart, Kissane, SA's Steve Woods, Japs and Daw Mocke, Barthos bros, Barry Lewin, Paul Marais.
The image below shows where the drama occurred. You can see where the harbor mouth and the race course cross. It was the worst timing possible for a ship to be leaving the harbor.
10:36 - OSCAR is first home by 150m followed by Hank, the sprint pack are coming in, they are going to finish seconds apart. Apparently there were skis all around the massive container ship, bad timing Mr Harbourmaster.
10:35 - Oscar is sprinting in 100 meters in front of Hank he read it perfectly coming in from the deep and skirting around the point. Behind is a chase pack of 10 boats.
10:30 - Massive drama, a container ship is coming out the harbour mouth, two skis have skirted in front of it Oscar and Hank the rest are being held by the chase boats.
10:26 - Back from the deep are Dawid Mocke and Oscar Chalupsky, they are up with Hank after taking a 'deep deep line'...
The paddlers are approaching the harbour mouth..
Other in contention are Woods, Jacobs, Lewin and Bartho.
10:15 - Dawid Mocke is nowhere to be seen! Did he take a swim or is he on a different line. The chase boats report difficulty keeping tabs on the leaders as they spread out in the swells. With all the whitecaps every wave looks like it has a surfski on it.
Hank is being caught by Woods, Jacobs, Jasper Mocke, Barry Lewin and Darryl Bartho. It is impossible to tell who is in the lead.
The inshore line is the faster, paddlers are flying and are expected in within the next 15 to 20 mins. They will have to round the bluff and turn toward the beach with the wind and swells from their side.
10:05 am - Postitions unchanged, HMG, SW, TJ, DM.
The leaders are approaching the "bluff" which is the finger of land that separates the harbour from the sea - check it out on google earth by searching for Durban.
Apparently on half a dozen boats never made it out through the surf but double that are scattered along the shore. Nothing serious but hard work for the support boats. There is also a helicopter keeping an eye on things.
10:00am - Hank McGregor is still in the lead. Big surprise though is second placed Steve Woods!!! where did he come from? Third is Tim Jacobs and then Dawid Mocke. Those are all the positions I have.
Steve Woods is a new name to me, apparently he is a paddler from East London a coastal town between Cape Town and Durban, better know as 'slummies'. His dad is a big legend in surf lifesaving.
John says they are very busy on the water with safety issues. I guess the big conditions are tough on those more accustomed to flat water.
9:40am - Big drama at the start in the surf, the race is 40% underway, they are flying and are already at Isipingo near the airport, top four are
-
Hank McGregor
- Dawid Mocke
- Tim Jacobs
- "One of the Chalupsky's"
The doubles started 20 minutes after the singles and there was drama at the start with broken boats and lost paddles. A few paddlers have retired with broken of lost equipment. One paddler got a "surfki in the back" and is "sore", he is being treated by medics (we don't know who it is).
Most boats got out fine.
John is on his way to Durban by car, he is in cell phone contact with the chase boats but with the wind they are not hearing their phones ringing.
You can see Isipingo on the image below where the first arrow head points.
9:25 am - John's phone is ringing, the race is scheduled to be starting now which is probably why he is not answering....
9:00 am - Waiting for the start... this is going to be a great test of who is the best surfski paddler in proper downwind conditions. I think most paddlers will follow Oscar's line, he knows this route better than anyone and must have paddled it hundreds of times. The beach start adds compexity to the race, if you take a swim you will struggle to make up the time lost. Those that get around the cans first and into the downwind leg with the swells and wind behind them will increase their lead substantially over those still paddling across the wind and swells.
Here's my top 10 wild prediction for the race based on nothing but gut feel, bias and optimism. Jasper and Dawid introduced me to this sport at surfskischool, Oscar and Dean are surfski legends - good enough reason in my book for the top 4 places.
1. Jasper Mocke
2. Dawid Mocke
3. Dean Gardiner
4. Oscar Chalupsky
5. Barry Lewin
6. Tim Jacobs
7. Hank McGregor
8. Matt Bouwmann
9. Clint Pretorius
10. Dave Kissane
As for our roving reporter and good friend Rob Mousley, well he broke his ski last year and damaged his shoulder the year before so his big match temperament is doubtful. I'm sure the surf is freaking him out too, once he is on the runs he will do great. Sorry Rob you don't make the top 10 buddy but all the best.
8:30 am - Bill Harker is busy with the race briefing, the wind is pumping, I can hear it through John's phone, he says it is more like 35kts at the moment. The paddlers are lined up on the southern side of the beach which gives them a clear run to cans (buoys) out at sea, paddlers must round the cans on the seaward side before turning north for Durban. Darryl Bartho says this is going to be a fast race and predicts a winning time of 1h40 for the 29km to Durban.
There are seven rubber ducks following the race with officials, safety crews and TV crews. I for one am looking forward to some excellent video footage of top class paddlers in classic downwind conditions.
8:00 am - Race Referee John Parton says conditions are 'absolutely perfect' for a downwind race, there are smiles all around on the faces of the SA paddlers and the International paddlers are equally excited. Out at sea there are big swells running tipped with whitecaps. The surf break at the beach is "flat as a pancake, you won't even wet your hair going out" according to Alan. Roving Rob however nervously reports a "bit of a break"...
The start will be between 8:30 and 9:15 and will be from the beach, it is much easier to line the paddlers up on the beach than out at sea in a 30knot wind. Lifejackets are recommended but not compulsory.
Amanzimtotoi beach from the website www.amanzimtoti.kzn.org.za
7:30am - Conditions in Durban are perfect for a classic downwind, I had a chat to Rob earlier and he says the wind is 'howling'. This is fantastic news for most paddlers and the organizers. Downwind paddling is more a test of how much energy you can get out of the sea than how much you put in. These conditions must favour the old men of the sea like Oscar and Dean who have spent more time in a surfski than anyone else.
Windguru shows the wind will be blowing between 35 and 42 km/h from the SW with a swell of 2m running in the same direction. According to Rob there are a few clouds around.
7:00am Text messages have gone out to all the competitors from legendary race organiser Billy Harker, the message reads "ARB
Surfski World Cup. Race Check in close 8:15. Must get a wrist band @
check in. Bring L/Jckts + Leash. Wind IS Blowing! Start @ Toti Main
Beach" - this commentator is glad safety gear is being checked, safety has clearly been
given high priority after a paddler got into trouble in the surf during a
series race a few weeks ago and was rescued by fellow paddlers. See the article Surf Smashes Paddlers for more on the incident.
The course, Amanzimtoti to Durban
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The wind is currently blowing at 19-21 Knots SW and will get up to 25- 35 Knots SSW in an hours time, according to Durban Weather Office. Bring it on, finally a proper downwind. May the best Ski paddler win!!
Oscar Chalupsky