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11 Nov 2007 Granger Bay, Cape Town, South Africa: Dawid
Mocke today won the "Powerade Race", the 5th race in the Cape
Discovery Men's Health Series, using a new design ski from Fenn Kayaks, the
Mako Elite.
 Dawid Mocke powers the new Fenn Mako Elite at the Powerade race (Pic: Justin Vellacott Gameplan Media)
Race Course Changed
The Powerade race was due to be run in Blouberg, but 5m southwesterly
swells produced surf that was unplayable and the race was moved to Granger Bay
near the Cape Town waterfront.
Conditions here were mild for the two lap 18km race a moderate westerly
wind cooling the paddlers on their way upwind but failing to provide much help downwind
in the fast swells which required substantial effort to catch.
 Dawid Mocke at the start of the Powerade race (Pic: Justin Vellacott Gameplan Media)
Dawid and Peter Cole were neck and neck at the end of the first
lap but as they set off upwind, "Dawid just powered away from us," said Peter.
Dawid went on to win by more than a minute from brother
Jasper. Peter Cole finished another twenty
seconds further back. Fiancée Alexa
Lombard, making a return to Surf Ski paddling, won the women's race by nearly
seven minutes.
 Dawid rounds the last buoy of the race well ahead (Pic: Justin Vellacott Gameplan Media)
That Ski
As I was carrying my ski down to the start, I spotted Dawid
putting stickers onto what was clearly a brand new ski. I'd known that Keith had been creating a new
boat, but hadn't spoken to anyone who'd actually tried it.
"So what's it like?" I asked. "Less stable!" was the reply. Dawid had only taken delivery of the ski the
day before and hadn't had much time to form an opinion.
What's it look like?
As you can see from the photos, it doesn't look very different from its
predecessor, the Mako6.
Dawid said that it has less rocker; the seat has moved back
a little and there's more volume in the tail.
 Peter Cole came third (Pic Justin Vellacott Gameplan Media)
After the race
So, what did Dawid think of the ski having paddled the race
on it?
"It felt very maneuverable in the runs," he said, "and it seemed
to pick up the swells nicely."
"I'm not sure whether there's any difference in the top
speed," he added, "but it felt as though it was easier to maintain speed."
Dawid is going to be doing tests on the new ski this week,
timing himself on both the Mako6 and the new Elite. On Thursday the southeaster returns to Cape
Town (with a vengeance) and Dawid is looking forward to trying the ski out in
big downwind conditions in False Bay.
Fenn "Mako Elite"
I called Keith to confirm the name of the ski; during the
day I'd heard that it was the "Mako8" and then that it was the "Millennium
Elite". Keith confirmed that it's the Mako
Elite!
He said that he tried to achieve a more streamlined ski with
a view to making it easier to maintain cruising speed. "It's difficult to know what a ski is going
to do in the runs," he said, "but the guys who've tried it in downwind conditions
seem to like it.
"It's not there as a replacement for the Mako6," he added. "It's
for the guys who don't have a problem with stability and want a faster boat."
He confirmed that the rocker has been flattened out and that
the seat was moved slightly further aft.
"There is slightly more volume in the tail," he said, "but I don't think
it's enough to make much difference."
Adverse Race Conditions
in Cape Town This Season
Last week's race was abandoned after the rescue boats declined
to launch in the strong northwesterly winds and big swells.
"The North Wester and Westerly winds have been a nightmare,"
series organiser Billy Harker told Dave Macleod of Gameplan Media. "We get used
to them occasionally, but this summer we have been dogged by Westerly winds,
which blow directly onto the Atlantic seaboard, and really don't make for ideal
surf ski conditions."
The highly anticipated 35km Knysna to Sedgefield downwind race
is scheduled for next Saturday. The long
range forecast is... not worth looking
at. Here's hoping that the southeasters
forecast for Cape Town later in the week move up to Knysna for the day!
SUMMARY OF RESULTS:
Powerade Blouberg Race
Senior Men
1.Dawid Mocke 1:15.58
2.Jasper Mocke 1:17.10
3.Peter Cole 1:17.31
4.Tom Schilperoort 1:20.02
5.Ian Trautmann 1:21.17
6.Ian Black 1:22:04
7.Steve Farrell 1:22.25
8.Christie Augustyn 1:23.24
9.Justin Maddock 1:23.40
10.Ernest Van Riet 1:23.51
Senior Women
1.Alexa Lombard 1:30.39
2.Kendall Alford-Loots 1:37.12
3.Rebecca Newson 1:39.51
4.Jackie Barnes 1:41.22
5.Bianca Beavitt 1:43.09
Junior Boys
1.Sean Rice 1:25.00
2.Jayden Alford-Loots 1:30.00
3.Brett Dorman 1:37.54
Junior Girls
1.Bianca Beavitt 1:43.09
Veterans
1.Neil Bailey 1:25.00
Masters
1.Shaun Butler 1:30.26
More information can be found at www.surfski.co.za
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