Latest Surfski News

Tuesday, 17 October 2023 07:11
“What the bloody hell are you doing here?” I thought to myself a few moments after launching on the brand new V10 4G for the first time. It was getting dark; it was raining; the squalls were lifting sheets of spray off the water… directly offshore. What WAS I thinking? The answer is that I’m a sucker for new toys – and if I get my hands on one, I HAVE to play with it. Damn the weather, full speed ahead… Since then I’ve paddled the boat many more times, in much pleasanter weather. Here’s what I think of this,…
Thursday, 08 June 2023 12:42
East London, South Africa: Angus Warren watched helplessly as the shark’s teeth crunched through the hull of his surfski. “It seemed to go on and on,” he says, “pushing and chomping. I was thinking, why is it not working out that it isn’t food? “I can’t tell how long it took, but I had enough time to shout a couple of times to the others.” The next thing he knew, he was in the water…
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Thursday, 27 April 2023 18:42
CAPE TOWN - Hank McGregor and Josh Fenn convincingly claimed back their Prescient Freedom Paddle title on Thursday in a dramatic race marked by tough conditions and a rain-delayed start.  Conditions were extremely tough - a brisk northwester blowing spray from the big confused chop into the paddlers' faces as they headed out to the island.  Huge breaking surf on the far side of the island ensured a wide line but the wind dropped as the fleet started on the journey back to the finish, making it that much more difficult and energy sapping to catch the runs.  
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Tuesday, 25 April 2023 11:50
Last Friday, however, I paddled with Dawid on a windless autumn evening in Cape Town. Cruising from Fish Hoek to Muizenberg, we paddled together, stopping at all the coves to surf a few waves. In short, the operative word was "fun". This was a different Dawid - off duty - and, well, I've never paddled with anyone so noisy before. Whistling, singing, shouting to folks on shore - yahooing as he caught a wave. Heading home at dusk we crept up behind a group of seals lazing on the surface. Dawid began barking like a five-year-old paid by the bark...until…
Thursday, 09 February 2023 07:39
A look back - aaaaargh! A mountain. Let it go through... A smaller one, with a glimpse of something massive lurking further out to sea. Catch it, catch it! Sprint, sprint, you’re on it, here’s the break zone, keep going, keep going, the roar from behind and the sudden acceleration as a massive foamy caught up to me, keep it straight, keep it straight... Phew. Arrived. Panting. Stop the watch. ok. Made it. Empty the boat, pick it up to prevent it knocking you down. Done.
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Saturday, 26 November 2022 17:16
The South Africans cleaned up today at the most prestigious surfski race in Australia – arguably the most prestigious race in the world - taking five out of the top six places and the entire podium at the Shaw and Partners “The Doctor” in Perth. Defending women’s champion, Kiwi Danielle McKenzie won the women’s trophy.
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Saturday, 19 November 2022 13:01
Gold Coast paddler, Cory Hill, took first scalp in the five-event ocean ski racing series, the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, winning the inaugural race today, the 24km Fenn West Coast Downwinder from Fremantle, just south of Perth, to Sorrento Beach. In fine conditions with a 16 knot SSW wind courtesy of the famed Fremantle Doctor, the start off Port Beach was intense with the top paddlers in a terse battle to make the first break.   But it was 33-year-old Hill – the 4-times DOCTOR champ who relishes the Perth conditions – who was able to shake the field…
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Tuesday, 16 March 2021 13:54
It’s not easy to catch a rolling, runaway single ski in 30kt of gusting wind – and as they attempted to grab it, Alex and his doubles partner lost their balance and fell into the water. By the time they’d remounted, the single ski was gone – blown away by the strengthening near-gale. They turned and paddled back upwind to find their buddy.
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Wednesday, 03 March 2021 12:08
Accident reports are easy to write when the story ends happily, but this one didn’t and it’s with a very heavy heart that I’m writing this, with a view to learning what we can from it.
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Wednesday, 15 July 2020 09:13
When the NSRI found Duncan MacDonald, he was approximately 6km off Smitswinkel Bay, drifting rapidly further offshore. Gale-force squalls whipped sheets of spray off the waves, reducing visibility almost to nothing. What Happened? Given the small size of the surfski community, there’s always intense interest whenever there’s a rescue. What happened? What did they do wrong? What can we learn from it? Clearly there are lessons to be learnt from any mishap – so here’s a description of what happened, shared with the permission and cooperation of the folks involved in the hope that we might all learn from this…
Friday, 24 April 2020 11:41
Durban – As the continued coronavirus lockdown grips the country, Canoeing South Africa will host a 24 hour Canoeing4COVID-19 event this weekend as a way to raise funds for members of the broader paddling community that have been badly affected by the lockdown.
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Wednesday, 11 March 2020 14:35
“Hey, Rob! Help!” The shouts penetrated the sound of the howling wind and crashing waves – and even through the noise it was obvious from the tone of his voice that something was seriously wrong. I turned and headed back upwind.
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Tuesday, 03 March 2020 14:43
Many paddlers use Personal Locator Beacons, or tracker apps like SafeTrx on their mobile phones. But handheld VHF radios are also a great choice to consider – especially when they’re DSC-capable like the Standard Horizon HX870E.
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Monday, 24 February 2020 12:01
I finally got my hands on a demo Fennix Swordfish S this weekend and did two Miller's Runs in succession to see if I could feel any difference in handling between the 2018 Swordfish S and the new Fennix model.  Conditions were challenging: False Bay was covered in whitecaps, whipped by a combination of a 25-30kt southeaster and small, confused seas.  The result?  I definitely want to spend more time in this boat.
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Thursday, 26 December 2019 10:30
The shark smashed like a freight train into Roger Swinney’s surfski in an explosion of noise and spray, knocking him off into the water.  “I managed to get back on the ski,” he said, “but I fell off again and as I remounted the second time, I saw the swirl and tips of the shark’s fins. “I didn’t see it clearly, but from the force of it and the movement in the water, it looked big!”
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Dawid's Spanish Blog - Hola! (** videos **)

Saturday, 02 August 2008 11:23 | Written by  Dawid Mocke
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[Editor: Dawid is spending some time in Spain as the guest of the Federacion de Piraguismo de Comunidad de Valencia.  He's been giving paddling clinics and will be taking part in a championship race this weekend...  He's been writing to tell us about his trip...]

Dawid Mocke in Spain - 2008
Upwind Spanish Style! Dawid & host Jonathan Neill

29 July 2008

I LOVE SPAIN!!!!!  It's barely my first day here and it seems I've probably experienced Spain the way that one would imagine it.  Off the plane straight into "siesta" with a awesome lunch of fresh bread, cold meat and a potato-tuna salad.  My host Jonathan Neill (Aqua-Ventura) and the President of the Valencian Kayak Federation (who are sponsoring my trip) picked me up from the hairy port and took me straight to the club where I was introduced to some of the local gang.   

From my first minute in Spain the Spaniards strike me as a very individualistic nation not prone to any type of cosmopolatinism.  These guys have figured out what works for them and you'd beter slot into the system buddy.  No room for hang-ups here.  They are friendly, helpful and interested.  But the thing I love most is, it seems that eating well is very, very important.


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Spanish Surfski 2008
On the Spanish World Cup (2009) course

Jonathan and his wonderful wife Violetta live in a five hundred year old villa on a small farm in the Spanish countryside at the foot of some majestic mountains.  The home is exquisite (9 bedrooms); they have a 25m long crystal clear natural spring at the bottom of the garden; they have a well in the kitchen where they get their drinking water from and their 2 kids, Isabella (6) and Dillan (4) run wild with as little clothes on as possible (generally none).  Jonathan and Violetta run an adventure tour company called Aqua Ventura and their lives revolve around being outside and being active.  They do what they love and love what they do, in short, my kind of people!

So we arrived at the beach with a fresh breeze blowing.  Wonderful, great for downwind!!  Jono was keen and I was keen, but we were rushing to get done before the wind died, so we paddled upwind Spanish style....check the video.  The stretch of ocean we paddled is where they will be hosting a race in April next year, and judging by all the indicators, it's going to be an awesome race.

Dawid Mocke in Valencia, Spain 2008
Magnificent landscape!

I have quite a full schedule here with clinics the whole day Thursday, Friday, Saturday; and then on Sunday the last of their local series race.

Keeping logging on to see new pics and videos of the trip.


Dawid Mocke paddling at the 2009 Spain Surfski World Cup Venue.  The 2009 race in April will form part of the European leg of the Surfski.info World Series


So this is how the Spaniards like to paddle upwind..????  No, we were scared of missing the wind which apparently hasn'tbeen blowing for a while, so we hitched a ride upwind for 10kms.  Come to thinking padlding would've been easier...


The Mediteranean must be one of the best places to surfski.  Dawid Mocke and Jonathan Neil go for a paddle and a swim off Alicante on the Spanish coast.


2 August 2008

Dawid Mocke Speechless in Espana!

So here I am to help promote surfski paddling in southern Spain and to add some momentum to the awesome race they have planned for April next year.  BTW the local Government here is seriously amped at putting on what will be a fantastic race, so keep your diaries open, SPAIN ROCKS! But, back to me, so here I am you know the guys flew me over; and you kind of think you're a big deal you know; kind of celebrity type.  Cameras flashing, newspapers TV  Well, what I thought made me quite the conquistador was left pale in comparison to what I saw last night.  Made me feel quite ordinary really.

Dawid's Spanish paddling clinic - August 2008
Dawid's clinic class - 'learning paddling, but not much English!'

Last night I was left speechless!  I sat with my mouth wide open marveling at the human body and what it is actually capable of.  I'm sure you've heard of the Cirque De Soleil?  Well if you haven't then check out the website (or YouTube it or something) and if you ever, ever, ever have even the remotest chance of going to see a show then you must take it because it is truly inspiring.  I can't even begin to explain what these athlete/performers, or "Performathletes" as I've dubbed them, can do.  They are almost super-human.  I reckon, if it wasn't for the stares I was getting from my fellow members of the audience, I probably could've clapped, whooped and whistled from start to finish.  Man, I tell you, even if it was only the percussion/music team on stage (ALL sound is live), you would be amazed, let alone the precision choreography involving a revolving stage and a superbly effective overhead cabling system.  The outfits are fantastically esoteric to say the least, and it's going to take the square root of Barry Ronge (and that's a whole lot of Barry to go around) to explain to you the theme of the show, but let's just say that I reckon their message was something like: "Out of this World" or something to that effect. 

Other that Cirque De Soleil the daily routine have involved "The Breakfast of Stunning Views", followed by the drive along "The Pass of Improbable Narrowness" down the Paddling/Yacht Club.  A morning session of exercise and the like is on the cards followed by my personal favorite....yip you guessed it...Siesta!  I've picked up that Spanish people like eating well, and I'm all for that.  The afternoons are for being inside out of the sun and then at about 18:00 ish I'll head out for some alternative form of exercise.

Today was Clinic #2 of 3.  Our group today consisted of juniors from the area.  Yesterday was mainly aimed at senior paddlers from the club, and Saturday's clinic will be for paddlers travelling to Alicante for Sunday's race.  Now, regarding the clinics, these guys aren't keen on the standard hour to hour and a half thing.  Noooooooooo!  Here you are given enough time to pass on your entire life's lessons and experience on to those willing to spend the day with you.  We start at 10am and go all the way until 14:00.  You can't go longer because it's siesta of course.  Then, after siesta at 16:00 we're on the water again for some training.  Make no mistake Hombre....these dudes KEEN!  I especially enjoyed working with the juniors today; it seems that surfski paddling has a bright future in Espana.


Dawid Mocke takes his 2nd of 3 clinics in La Villa Joyosa, ALicante Spain.  This is the venue for the April 2009 debut Spain surfski event which promises to have really good conditions, competition and prizemoney.  This clinic was with a bunch of juniors who are super keen.  With these guys here the future of surfski in Espana is bright indeed.