| KIA DURBAN SUMMER SERIES – RACE 10 AND OVERAL RESULTS The series ended up on a high note with race 10 run in very exciting strong onshore conditions. A two lap course was set to benefit as much as possible from a downwind, down swell last 2 km to the finish on each lap. An interesting scenario unfolded near the end of the race that makes me realize why I enjoy surfski racing so much. The front four double ski’s broke away and were bunched together at the top turn in very rough unstable conditions. Myself and partner Linton Hope were in this front bunch at the time. As we reached the turn the front two boats came across a single ski paddler, (who we were now lapping) lying on his ski, side on to the chop unable to get back into his ski. He looked very tired and had obviously been there for some time. Oliver Burn and Barry Lewin, the front paddlers in the leading two ski’s jumped out of their ski’s and assisted the paddler to get back on to his single ski. Myself and Butch Murray, the front paddlers in the other two doubles also stopped instinctively and waited for the other two double skis to get going again. We could see the remainder of the field coming upwind towards us but the two rescuing paddlers managed to remount, recover their composure and line up with us again and without a word exchanged between us, when all 4 ski’s were level and facing downwind, we proceeded with a race off down wind to the finish. Barry Lewin has only done a few of the races in the series due to other commitments and used race 10 as an opportunity to introduce a development paddler he has been coaching, Stembiso Mbatho, to double ski racing using our demo APEX Ytech double ski. They posted an impressive win over the series leaders and favourites, Oliver Burn and Dave Maritz, who just edged out myself and Linton Hope also on an APEX double ski. While Oliver Burn and Dave Maritz were on one of our MARK 2 double ski’s it was clear to see how much advantage paddlers have in downwind conditions on the APEX. In 4th place in the race was mixed doubles pair Mark and Angelique Mulder also on a MARK 2 double ski. A great advert for our products having two of our new boats and the overall winners plus some of the category winners of the series on our double ski’s. The attached picture is of Barry Lewin and Stembiso Mbatho riding a wave in to the finish on the new APEX. The overall results in the series was once again very close in most of the categories. The full series results are attached:- Kia Motors Marine Surf Ski Series 2008 - Overall Series Results Singles, Men, Open: 1 Herman Chalupsky, 2 Andre Pohl, 3 Steve Woods. Veterans: 1 Herman Chalupsky, 2 Murray Smith, 3 Derek Hauptfleisch. Masters: 1 Peter Duncan, 2 Joe Boy, 3 Stephen Evans. Juniors: 1 Jabin Lyons, 2 Luke Chalupsky, 3 Terry McDougall. Women, Open: 1 Michelle Eder, 2 Tiffany Kruger, 3 Natalie Veckranges. Junior Women: 1 Lauren Felgate, 2 Jenna Ward, 3 Kerry Segal. Doubles, Men, Open: 1 Oliver Burn / Dave Maritz, 2 Mark & Angelique Mulder, 3 Mark Lewin / Linton Hope. Veterans: 1 Mark Lewin / Linton Hope, 2 Trevor Vernes / Gary Probert, 3 Ian Nicholson / Michael Johnson. Masters: 1 Buck Symons/ Solly Segal, 2 Mark Johnson / Len De Beer, 3 Stephen Knight / Russell Sobey. Women, Open: 1 Cara & Penny Bush, 2 Belinda Carbutt / Kim Adamson, 3 Jenna Ward / Tori Neal. Mixed: 1 Mark & Angelique Mulder, 2 Sean & Alison Uys, 3 Michael Cousins / Judy Eder. See you on the water MARK |
