Bridgitte Hartley

“Woah! They’re in trouble…!” I looked up to see a mountain of a wave racing in towards the northwest tip of Robben Island. A lone double surfski turned to meet it, the crew paddling frantically. Up, up, punch through the feathering crest… Phew, they were safe, but what about us?  

Cape Town – The women’s race for the 2019 edition of the Freedom Paddle surfski race around Robben Island on 27 April has been shaken up by the confirmation that the defending champions have split up, and current world champ Hayley Nixon has done a deal to reform her partnership with Michelle Burn that took them to the top five in the world in 2017.

With eight km to go, Sean Rice decided to accelerate.  “There were three of us at that point and I felt I could do a burn to get rid of one of them,” he said.  To his surprise, both Cory Hill and Gordan Harbrecht dropped back.  But the race wasn’t over yet…

…and most of the world’s best surfski paddlers, both men and women, are in Ireland to take part.  Here’s what you need to know about the world’s richest surfski race.

As he followed Jasper Mocke inside the rocks at Cape Point, 22-year-old Kenny Rice glanced back, looking for race favourite and defending champion Hank McGregor.  He was nowhere to be seen.  “Game on!” Rice thought to himself.  “Hurt the guys NOW!”

Durban - Hundreds of paddlers turned out on Addington Beach once again at the Borland Surfski Challenge, presented by Marriot. Race 6 of the 2017 FNB Surfski Series with all the participants revelling in the fine conditions and warm surf that the event has become known for.

Durban - Multiple marathon world champion Hank McGregor underscored his ocean racing class by claiming his fourth back-to-back win in the FNB Surfski Series, while Hayley Nixon, recently crowned women's World Surfski Series champion, powered home to take the ladies spoils.

Durban, South Africa: Typical summer rainfall could not dampen the spirits of one of the largest fields the iconic FNB Surfski Series has seen on Friday evening, as well over 300 paddlers took on either the long course, short course or stand-up paddle boarding race with Race 1 winners Hank McGregor and Bridgitte Hartley making it two wins from two at the sharp end of the field at Race two’s Funky Pants Surfski Challenge.

Durban - With hundreds of excited paddlers lining the Addington Beach for the first race of the 2017 FNB Surfski Series on Friday, the race produced a big surprise as former Olympic bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley beat off the tough ladies competition to claim a maiden win at race one while stalwart Hank McGregor took the honours in the men's race.

Durban - Fish Hoek's renowned Mocké clan capped off a sublime family weekend's effort in KwaZulu-Natal by winning three of the four SA S2 Surfski Championship titles up for grabs at Sunday's second day of the inaugural FNB Mazars Durban Downwind surfski race.