The – 2014 New Zealand surfski scene is building up to a hightened level of activity, with solid races every few weeks currently, as we head into the countries premier event, the 2014 King Of The Harbour, sponsored by Vaikobi Paddlewear. This event doubles as Canoe Racing New Zealand's national ocean racing title event, and is rumoured to have some of the planets finest paddle-weilding atheletes lining up to smash it out in this year's event on the iconic Auckland-Waiheke Island course.
The predominant spring SW’s and late summer NE’s make this a logical choice for an Auckland-to-Waiheke or Waiheke-to-Auckland course respectively. Last year I clocked 24.29km on my Garmin over the same course, which again will be held between Waiheke Island's picturesque Matiatia Bay and Birkenhead Wharf in Auckland's inner harbour. For the first time in many years, this event has lost it's standing on the World Surfski Series, meaning the door is wide open for a New Zealand based downwind event on the series calendar for future years!
The 24.29km course between Waiheke Island and the Auckland harbour, on the Hauraki Gulf:Prone to strong SW's and the odd NE weather system.
Dawid Mocke and Cory Hill (current 2014 World Surfski Series second and thrid placed respectively) are both starters at this early stage. Local boy, Mike Walker, Olympian and multiple previous King Of The Harbour title holder, was heard to have exclaimed at the recent Butty Moore race in Taurange: "I just CANT retire now, bloody Oskar (Stielau) beat me mate!", making him a potential podium contender. A number of other Australian representative paddlers and even a few South Islanders are expected to make the trip. Birthday Boy Ben Fouhy, NZ’s Olympic Medallist in the K1 1000m event and last year's victor could be a threat if his calendar allows for a show this year (Happy Birthday Ben!). Rachel Clarke, last year's Queen of the Harbour is rumoured to be using this as a stepping stone to her Molokai ascent for this year, keeping the womans rankings honest.
A number of local and offshore events are listed below, rounding out the New Zealand surfski season for 2014, with the Tahitian Mara'amu classic drawing the keenest paddlers deep into a winter training regime. There are a number of weekly race series, and the prominant ocean paddling clubs of Takapuna Beach (on Auckland's north shore), and the Royal Akarana Club (for the city boys and girls) have regular squad sessions throughout the week. If anybody is interested in finding out more about the New Zealand surfski scene, jump online the Pacific Paddlers Facebook Group and have a chat with the local paddlers, whether it's a boat you need for an upcoming race, or some more information on events or clubs.
Michael Booth is a small man with big muscles, an infectious smile, and a mop of blond hair piled in a floppy top knot: part Popeye, part Eveready Bunny, part stylish Samurai. Just one kilometer into the 23-kilometer Steelcase Dragon Run, the 22-year-old Ironman from Surfers Paradise glanced right -- all clear. To his left, nothing but brackish chop.
"Holy shit," he thought, pre-race nerves supplanted by an adrenaline rush. "I'm leading!"
“The Steelcase Dragon Run” in 2013 will take place in Hong Kong on Saturday November 16.
This year we will be running 2 races for surf skis and OCs – the “normal” long course race and an out- and- back short course race. In conjunction with the 2 surf ski/OC races, we will be running short course and long course races for SUPs.
Three great races, two weeks of downwind paddling with some of the best surfski paddlers in the world, including the 2013 Ocean Racing World Champion, all in the spectacular mother city of Cape Town in mid-summer. C’mon, you’d be crazy to miss it.
Dawid Mocke showed once more why he’s the reigning Surfski World Series Champion, by winning the Mauritius Ocean Classic for the third time running in a time of 1:19:05. Hank McGregor finished just over a minute later (1:20:14) having outsprinted Jasper Mocke (1:20:20) for second place. Nikki Mocke took control of the women's race, winning in 1:31:59.
The 2013 MOC will run tomorrow, Saturday, 28 June. The race is scheduled to start at 11am but may be pushed out to 12 if the wind is strenthening from the forecast 7-8kt. (It’s ironic of course that the ESE trade winds have been blowing a steady 18-22kt for the last month, and it’s only now during the three day race window that it’s decided to take a break. C’est la vie!)
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The cream of South African surfski paddling will be using the MOC on 29 June, 2013 as a warm-up for the inaugural ICF Ocean Racing World Championships in Portugal two weeks later; they're going to be well fired up and raring to prove themselves...
When some of the best surfski paddlers in the world gathered in Cape Town, South Africa for the inaugural Cape Town Downwind Race, Greg Kitto of White Hot Media was on hand to record the action.
Fish Hoek - Local paddling sensation and recently crowned 2012 Oceanpaddler World Series champion Dawid Mocke and younger brother Jasper overcame their disappointment of Saturday's single ski race when the pair charged across the line first in the double ski leg of the SA Surfski Championships on Monday 17 December.