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 This is Dawid's race review, the headline is his - "The best race
ever!".
Be sure to check out this incredible family's website: www.TheMockes.com - Alain.
Today was the ARB Surfski World
Cup...awesome, fast and controversial all in one. I ended up 6th,
a position I haven't occupied in years... In the big scheme of things
its probably where I'm meant to be as I'm not paddling my best. Still,
I'm completely content. How privileged I am that I can use my
talents in their totality and at the highest possible level! I'm super
stoked!
The race threw possibly the
best conditions ever at the field. It was like having Pipe break
at 10ft for the Pipe Masters; 30knot winds and big runs.
The race was from Amanzimtoti and took the field of 350 to the Durban
Point just s skip around the harbour mouth, a distance of 29kms or so.
Skill in big downwind conditions
was of the essence. There were some proper drops and I heard story
after story afterwards of guys mine-shafting and coming off. Also,
a bunch of guys lost their skis...GONE. And also a whole host of guys
got into trouble and had to be rescued.
MY RACE...
My race started pretty well
and Hank McGregor and I traded runs for the first 10minutes....until
I SWAM....PARDON!!! Yes its true, I took a dip and also almost lost
my ski. That set me back and a wack of okes caught me (Matt Bouman,
Tim Jacobs, Steve Woods, the Chalupskys etc..). I consolidated,
found my own water and then worked my way back to third...ish, taking
a tiger line all along the, now solid, backline. At one point
Herman joined me, but I only saw him again on the last stretch. I was
alone most of the way. By the time we started getting to the business
end of things near the harbour wall I was narrowly holding third in
front of 2 Ozzie legends (Tim Jacobs, Dean Gardiner) and SA stalwart
Mathew Bouman. Just behind them was another group with too many
names to mention. This is where the controvesy happened.
CONTROVERSIAL
About 1 minute in front of
us were Hank (shallow) and Oscar (deeper). We could see this big-ass
ship bearing down, and we ALL KNEW what the call was in this case –
RED FLAG and STOP! I could see the red flag up, but didn't see
the guys stopping...and then the next moment the flag was down, but
as soon as we got there, it was up again. So there we were watching
as Hank and Oscar paddled away and we waited. Bleak.com! This
also re-grouped us and now it was a race to the line. JEEEEEPPPPEERRS.
How strong were Dean and Tim, they just paddled away from me into the
wind, with Matt haaaaaannging on. Behind us was a HUGE group.
This truly was a very close race the whole way through.
Final results:
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 and my bro Jasper in 11th
spot.
Chicks race – Alexa Lombard
pulled one out the bag by beating South Coast legends on their own turf
– Michelle Eder 2nd, Tiff Kruger 3rd.
Katie Pocock from New Zealand had a mare. She busted her rudder
soon after the start on a shark net buoy and couldn't finish.
Loved...
...the fact that I could be
out there doing what I love and what I'm good at, with the best in the
world, in the best conditions in the world.
Hated...
...the damn TV boats freakin
going in front of me all the time and messing up my runs. This
cost me a run or two, but the odd support was nice.
Judging...
...the controversy. I feel
that the rules were clear.
Giving...
...all credit to Hank and Oscar
though, bottom line is they were a minute ahead of us.
Sorry...
...for you if you lost your
ski. Bummer dudes.
Wont forget...
...hanging out with the boys
of South Pier of the harbour wall watching this big container ship.
It was quite surreal actually. And spared a thought for Adam V Koeverden
and Greg Barton...long story.
View Dawid's race stats on Motionbased
Coming soon..
view Dawid's Garmin GPS track using Google earth...
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