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One of the best things about doing paddling races all over
the place is that you get to race in locations that normally you may never even
go to...
 Formidable coastline near Cape Naturaliste Jennings Hopkins Real Estate King of the Cape: Nov 3 2007
For most of us, Cape Naturaliste on Western Australia's South
Coast is one of those places. It's a formidable
piece of coastline that cops the full brunt of waves and weather from the
Southern and Indian Oceans. This is place where huge ocean swells generated
south of Cape Town
finally hit land and explode on beaches, bombies and cliff faces along the coast.
The area is very well known for its perfect massive surf (and
when it's blown out, for the fine wineries that litter the country side!). What
more can you want? Perfect waves in the
morning and great reds in the arvo...
For ocean paddlers the combination of wind and swell moving
northward against an impressive and threatening cliff face creates the perfect
playground for the downwind racer in all of us. The swell moves shoreward and
the backwashes follow up allowing the skillful the rides that they crave. And the not so skillful? Well it moves them just a little out of their
comfort zone.
 Cape Naturalistas - Greg Mickle is the short guy in green at the front (Photo from Ningaloo Dreaming North Western Australia Expedition 2005)
Greg Mickle
Held for the first time last year the King of the Cape was
inspired by local ironman legend Greg Mickle. One blustery winter's day, Mickle
launched his trusty Millennium off the beach at Yallingup in front of some of
the hard core local surfing fraternity (who just happened to be sitting in the
car park that day). Walking down the
beach with the car park crew hurling a barrage of abuse like, "You won't get
that out through there, Stumpy!" and "Is that a goat boat on steroids?" the
gutsy veteran proceeded to negotiate the surf and made it out the back, much to
the disappointment and dismay of the car park surfer boys.
 King of the Cape course
After re-adjusting and sticking his finger up at the mob on
the hill, he started his way along the coast and made his way around "The Cape".
Now Mickle wasn't the first to take on this formidable journey but definitely
the first in such conditions.
 Where the heck is Cape Naturaliste?
Last years race saw Ash Nesbit and me make a pact 1
kilometer from the finish and cross the line together. The sweetness of beating
the young speedy kayak freaks was victory enough for me as I am sure it was for
Ash.
This year the field will once again feature some of Australia's top
paddlers both ocean and kayak. The US$1000 reward for the winner (if he takes
up the "Cash to Compete" deal for the Dubai Shamaal) should be enough incentive
to get the best on the line.
For those that don't want to take on "The Cape" there will
be an awesome coastal short course race in Geographe Bay. Starting at
Dounsborough, short course paddlers will paddle west towards "The Cape" pulling
in at one of Australia's finest resorts at Bunkers Bay.
The "King of the Cape" is part of a big weekend on the South Coast
with the Anaconda Adventure Race to be held the next day. Most of the team
paddlers and some of the individual competitors from the Anaconda Event will
take part in the King of the Cape and short
course event the day before.
This is the first of 3 events on the Spirit Surf Ski WA
Ocean Racing Series. The series will also feature the World Cup Event on
December 8/9 featuring the biggest names in Surf ski paddling.
For more info go
www.myocean.com.au
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As for Greg Mickle.... I know Western Oz surfers, and if they were sitting in the car park that day, well then I'm shouting out some serious respect!