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Welcome to surfski.info's live coverage of the Perth World Cup! We've already had a couple of photos from our guys on the ground at Rottnest Island and it looks like a perfect day for the race.
 Perfect day at Rottnest Island! (Pic: Wade Kelly)
(We'll be doing our normal thing - hopefully for the last time - where you have to keep refreshing your browser in order to see the latest comments, which will appear at the top of the page. We'll soon have our new live-coverage console that will include a shoutbox-like control that will refresh itself. Note all times are local WA time.)
18h25
OK, well, that's a wrap. Thanks for watching - we'll have photos, a more formal race report including Oscar's reaction in a little while. Thanks for being here - as usual it was a blast.
Thanks for watching!
18h05
OK, here's the result. Oscar was penalised some time. Not sure exactly how much but it's put him back into third position. So here are the top 22 positions again:
Clint Pretorius, Daryl Bartho, Oscar Chalupsky, Dawid Mocke, 5: Herman Chalupsky, Tim Jacobs, Dean
Gardiner, Barry Lewin, Dean Beament, 10: Lewis Laughlin, Dave Kissane,
Tim Bird, Steve Woods, Matt Reece, 15: Dane Floss, Jasper Mocke, Heath
Write, Brendon Sarson, Brett Bartho, 20: Michael Baker, Bevan Manson,
Jamie Stewart
17h39
I was incorrect about the women's results. Katie won, then Ruth Highman (Aus), then Natasha. Don't have any times.
17h35
And what if it's decided that the big O is in the wrong? Is the penalty actually written down? I.e. if you miss a buoy out, you will be DQ'ed? I know Dawid was DQ'ed a couple of years ago at the Perth race when he missed a buoy (when he was so busy fixing his boat that he missed the briefing. That was a mare of an event for Dawid - his ski was damaged in transit and sank on the first day. Then he was DQ'ed on the second day.)
Note to all race organisers: make sure you have the rules written in black & white including the penalties.
17h26
What were the women's results?
1st was New Zealand's Katie Pocock. Second was Natasha Leaversuch "a couple of minutes behind". We're trying to find someone with the results - the timekeeper isn't answering her phone!
17h25
Jeez, what can be taking so long? This is unbearable.
17h05
Just spoke to Ash - could hear furious argument going on in the background. Still no decision, "a few more minutes".
 Oscar leading, late in the race
16h55
The tension is mounting... waiting for the call from Ash Nesbit.
 Clint takes a hotspot
 Dean Gardiner & Tim Jacobs go head to head
 Oscar and Barry early on in the race
16h46
Just spoke to Ash. They're reviewing video footage to see what was said in the boat. He hopes to have a decision in about ten minutes. They're all sounding very tense over there - and no wonder.
Some more great photos coming up.
16h45
Still no decision.
What a pity - whichever way it goes there are going to be unhappy people. Bottom line is that the big O paddled a phenomenal race - as did Clint. And the race organisers made massive efforts to get it right... Just shows that things can go wrong no matter what precautions you take.
16h30
Note to race organisers - if we'd been in Perth, we'd have had hi-res photos up by now... hint!
16h25
Still no decision, but just had Oscar on the line to correct what I wrote below. He says that he didn't ask the race boat where to go, they told him.
(This is degenerating into a "he told who and what". We'll just wait for the result. I just hope that the race referees make a firm decision soon.)
16h05
Dean Gardiner: "The race committee is still discussing Oscar.
"Apart from that, my race was ok. Probably got off a bit too slowly at the start and I just don't have the strength anymore. But I had a good race with Herman Chalupsky and Tim Jacobs. We hit the beach at roughly the same time.
"Conditions were spot on. Water temperature around 19-20C. Still guys coming in, the punters and so on. No-one should have had problems with today's conditions - and anyway there are lots of big boats out there and they'd just get blown into shore anyway."
Ash Nesbit will call us as soon as there's a decision on Oscar.
15h55
Katie Pocock: "Tell Dubai to send the bill for the lock to 'Katie Pocock, New Zealand' and I'll take care of it!
"The race was very good, really fast, great wind, just really good fun.
"I hardly saw anyone during the race. I was thinking to myself it doesn't actually matter if I don't win, it's just such good fun.
"We get a lot of wind in NZ, but these waves were quite different, slightly bigger, and definitely more powerful than we get at home."
15h45
Daryl: "It went alright, not too bad!
"Oscar would have won if he'd gone around the buoy.
"Conditions were great; the swell wasn't there but the wind was. There were V-waves, you'd hook in going left then hook in going right...
"Clint flew off the start. I'm sharing a room with him and he said he was going to just go for the Hotspots. I was waiting for him to burn out but he's such a talent in the runs. I just wanted to be in contention with Oscar and Dawid but towards the end of the race I realised, hey, he's going to win this thing! He was leading until close to the end, Oscar was off to the left somewhere then came across and moved slightly ahead. Fantastic race."
15h40
Katie Pocock just won the womens' race in 1:47:29.
The situation with Oscar is still being considered so his win is not yet confirmed
His time was 1:26:30.
Clint's time was 1:26:43
15h35
Oscar, Clint, Daryl, Dawid, 5: Herman Chalupsky, Tim Jacobs, Dean Gardiner, Barry Lewin, Dean Beament, 10: Lewis Laughlin, Dave Kissane, Tim Bird, Steve Woods, Matt Reece, 15: Dane Floss, Jasper Mocke, Heath Write, Brendon Sarson, Brett Bartho, 20: Michael Baker, Bevan Manson, Jamie Stewart
15h27
Just spoke to the guys.
Dawid: "We went hammer & tongs! I took a line slightly too far north so I had the runs coming in from the side as I came back over the last stretch. Oscar & Clint were brilliant!"
Oscar: "I asked the guys on the lead boat which way to go and they said to the right of the buoy [Correction: just had Oscar on the phone, he says he didn't ask them which way to go, they were telling him]. A great race." I asked what he thought of Clint's performance. "Well, where do think he got it from?! I trained him!
"I used two GPS units: a 301 for navigation and a 305 to give speed."
Clint: "Awesome wind. I took both hotspots which was pretty cool! The wind was pumping.
"I just wound it off the starting blocks and took the first Hotspot. Then I thought I'd just hang in there, but about 3km from the second Hotspot, Daw, Daryl and Oscar and me pushed on and I caught a couple of runs on the left to take the second hotspot."
It sounds to me as though it didn't make any difference to the result which way the guys took the buoy - but clearly the race committee is going to have to make a rapid decision on this.
 Dawid Mocke on a wave
15h21
Oscar was first on the beach, but didn't go around the buoy.
Clint, Daryl and Dawid...
15h19
"Oscar! You've got to go around the can!" We may have a controversy. Oscar's gone inside the can... Clint has gone around it... oh no. "I've got to go sort this out..."
15h18
Oscar's got 500m to go - looks like he's doing it quite easily at the moment. Clint has had an awesome race - "for a guy who broke his wrist not long ago, he's paddling like a machine." Oscar's a 100m off the turning can, less than 200m to go.
15h16
Will Clint catch Oscar on the beach? They have to sprint about 40m up the beach. Clint is now about 40m behind - not close enough! Daryl another 40m back. Dawid is 200m behind Oscar.
15h15
1km to go. Oscar is now about 20m ahead... 2 waves ahead. Looks like Oscar's got it, he's got 30m on Clint. 4 min to go.
15h13
Oscar & Clint are closer together, but Clint is 2 runs behind. Daryl is 50m back... getting closer to the finish now
15h10
"Come on Lighty, go for it!" "Go Oscar!"
The two paddlers are about 50m apart, Oscar's surged 15m ahead, but Lighty's maybe on a better line. Daryl is about 50m back...
15h09
Clint & Oscar very close together, I'd give it to Oscar at the moment, Daryl is 40m behind, can't see anyone else, about 1.5km to go.
 Current conditions
 The finish
15h04
"Oscar is on the best line and will win if nothing changes. Daryl and Clint are on an inside line but will have to do something extraordinary to win from there. Dawid is on an outside line and will not win from where he is."
15h00
Escort boat is up to Dawid now but they can't see the other leading skis... Where are they??? Is Dawid leading or is he still around 3rd position?
Barry Lewin is paddling Ash Nesbit's Fenn Millennium!
14h57
"We've got about 25min to go, can see the finish clearly".
Front pack is still Clint, Daw, Oscar, Daryl, followed by Barry Lewin and Herman. About 300m back from the leaders are Dean Gardiner, Dean Beament, Tim Jacobs. Tim Bird is about 9th.
14h52
We're battling with connections at the moment, hopefully it'll get better as the race gets closer to shore. Our cameraphone guy is running out of batteries so we're not expecting too many more photos 
The surf at the finish is small. There is a short run up the beach (that'll annoy the old guys!) to the finish itself.
According to windguru the wind is picking up and settling into the SW with the swell as time goes on. Perfect.
14h47
The race has been going for nearly an hour now. Any bets on how long they'll take? 28km. They did the first 13km in about 45min = an average speed of around 17-18kph...
Barry Lewin is coming 5th at the moment... Herman Chalupsky behind him in 6th spot. Does that mean they're ahead of the two Aussies? Sounds like it. Front bunch of Clint, Oscar, Dawid, Daryl. Yep, then Dean and Tim Jacobs further back.
14h44
Just heard from the sweeper rescue boat at the back of the field - no problems with this race so far, everyone seems to be enjoying the conditions at the back of the field, let's hope it stays that way.
14h41
Just got through again. It's still Clint at the front of the lead pack which comprises Clint, Oscar, Dawid and Daryl. There's a "bit of a gap" back to Tim Jacobs and Dean Gardiner.
Looks as though that's how it's going to be for a while...
14h40
We're having problems connecting to Ash at the moment - I'm guessing mid-channel will continue to be a problem.
Where is Lewis? In Dubai he said he prefers longer distances. Interestingly he doesn't do interval training, but does only long distance paddling. He said that Dubai was shorter than he prefers, his favourite distance is 35km plus. He showed in Dubai that he's no slouch at the downwind stuff however, so his reputation for preferring flat water is probably as mythical as that of Dawid being a flat water fundi.
 Tim Jacobs - awesome conditions!
14h31
And it's... Clint Pretorius taking the second Hotspot - brilliant!
It's Clint, Oscar, Daryl, Dawid, Tim Jacobs...
14h30
Coming into the hotspot, 600m, it's Clint Pretorius leading by 50m at the moment followed by ahh... sh#t! [silence]
14h29
Just got a great photo of Tim Jacobs on an awesome run... coming up!
14h26
Keep dropping the signal - mid-channel so the signal's probably weak - but Tim Jacobs and Dean Gardiner are also in the front bunch now. "Clint is looking good for the second Fenn Hotspot."
14h25
Clint has moved in front of Oscar by about 40m - but that means nothing in these conditions where a single run can close the gap.
Less than 50m between the front 6 or so paddlers incl. Daryl, Oscar, Dawid,... line just went down!
14h18
It's going to be fascinating to see how this plays out. Dawid is supremely confident at the moment; Oscar is extremely motivated; Dean has not paddled this route for years and wants to make an impact (is he really as hungry as the other guys though? Doubt it!) Daryl B is flying at the moment. Clint is a wild card having only been training for a month after breaking his arm. Barry Lewin will walk through fire to beat Oscar.
Tim Jacobs has everything to play for and nothing to lose - rumour has it that he's the latest member of the Epic team.
Pity Hank McGregor isn't here - but he has confirmed that he'll be focussing full time on paddling surf ski from the New Year - "watch out Dawid," he'll be thinking!
 Barry Lewin
 Just after the start
 After the start
14h15
Daryl Bartho is leading right now with Dawid, Oscar, Clint Pretorius and Barry Lewin all within 50m of each other.
The Aussies are slightly further back incl. Tim Jacobs, Dave Kissane, with Dean Gardiner "definitely moving up through the field." Dean is around 100m behind Daryl.
No sign of Lewis Laughlin at this point.
 Dean Gardiner
 Pre- start
 Pre-start
 Pre-start
14h07
Latest from the front of the field:
Oscar is leading one bunch with Brendan Sarson, Barry Lewin and Clint Pretorius behind.
Dawid is on a line closer to shore. "If I had to say who was in the lead right now, it's Dawid, he's on a great line".
The field is already quite spread out with Dave Kissane, Daryl Bartho, Queenslander Tim Bird well up there. Dean Gardiner is storming up through the field
13h58
Clint got a couple of runs at the start and got away. Ash said it looked as though Dawid chose not to respond. The escort boat is making its way to the front of the field, having been stopped to judge the Fenn Hotspot. Photos of the start coming up...
13h56
Brief communication with Ash - Clint Pretorius won the first hotspot. The race is underway!
13h54
Cool, we're getting some images through, stand by. Of course while the images are being sent, we don't have voice 'cos the same phone is used to send the MMS's!
13h47
We're listening to the guys on the start boat. Sounds as though there's a certain amount of the usual start chaos and we're told it's going to be another 5 minutes at least. We're hoping for an MMS image of the start...
13h43
Ash sounds harassed & out of breath...! The race is starting in the next minute or so. We'll pick it up again as the paddlers head out to the first Fenn Hotspot. It's only 500m away so it's going to be a hectic sprint
13h40
Ok, enough frivolity, back to the race... Hello Ash... Hello Ash... he's not answering, most likely in the process of starting the race.
13h38
I think I saw Katie Pocock in the photo sent from the beach. Good to see that she hasn't locked herself in the loo... We went for a paddle in Dubai after the race & she locked herself into the toilet - and then broke the key off in the lock. So there we were, her anguished face looking out of the window, Tim Jacobs, me and a few of the Dubai members convulsing themselves outside...
She managed to get out after an hour so by putting that fire training to good use - using bits of pipe, etc to lever the lock off the window. She crawled out and fell into Tim Jacob's arms... the window is about 6ft off the ground!
13h36
Great day here in Cape Town too - sunny, gale-force southeaster... I'm about to get my hands on a new ski, hope to go for a Millers Run (our local favourite downwind run with conditions very much similar to Perth so Oscar reckons.)
13h30
Ha! We have contact. A breathless Ash Nesbit just confirmed that the start will be in about 8 minutes so we'll call him back then. We've activated the shout box on the site, tell us what you think about the race, who's going to win, can an Aussie take this one & break the dominance of the SA paddlers?
13h28
Slight challenges getting through to our guys in Rottnest! But, hey, challenges make life worth living, right? We know that they're about to get on the water so our contacts are probably scrambling onto boats, etc. Ash is running up & down giving last minute briefings...
They're doing a deep water start today - about 100m off the beach. They'll go around 500m straight out to the first Fenn Hotspot, then they'll angle off to head in a NE direction towards the 2nd Fenn Hotspot around 8km towards Sorrento.
13h17
Ash Nesbit, race director is going through the final briefing with the paddlers. Conditions at Rottnest are superb - about 18kt of wind with 1-1.5m of swell, expected to pick up in the channel.
There are 124 competitors taking part in today's race & they're going to have a cracker...
12h45
Can Dawid Mocke's superb performances continue? This race is different to Hong Kong and Dubai in that it's 100% downwind. The conditions are ideal for the senior paddlers (Oscar, Herman, Dean) - steady 20kt wind, big 2-2.5m waves. According to the guys, the waves run in multiple directions, but are easy to read. The trick is to get on a wave and then jump from it to another and another and another. Staying on one more wave than the other guys can translate into a lead of 50m or more.
We'll be contacting Perth for an update in the next 15 minutes. Stay tuned!
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