Rob Mousley

EuroChallenge was the first major international surfski race to be held in Europe.  This year the organizers are pulling out all the stops to make it a proper downwind event. 

Ben Fouhy, showing great form, took out last Saturday's King of The Harbour in Auckland, in mild conditions. The confused harbour and weather conditions caused race director Terry Newsome some angst, the wind swinging from SE, to SW to back to SE again a few hours before the race start. He finally opted for the Waiheke back to Birkenhead course, and ultimately did well in securing a predominantly downwind course for the field of 67 ski paddlers plus Stand Up Paddle-boarders.                       

The 12th King of the Harbour Ocean Ski Race will be based from Auckland’s waterfront in the heart of Auckland, 6 April 2013. Race Director Terry Newsome has promised a $8000 (NZD) prize-bucket, and free-of-charge glass FENN ocean-ski's for all international and South Island paddlers, attracting a contingent of overseas/international paddlers. If last weekend's conditions are anything to go by, this could be another exceptional downwind event - Cyclone Sandra's tailings left a 5m swell sneaking through the Colville Channel and a 40knot following NE tailwind. Will we see 2012 Jeremy Cotter's 1:25:42 record fall?

Overseas Contingent

With three of the Tahitian team staying at my place on Waiheke Island (including Sebastian Mosole, Race Director for the highly successful Mara'amu World Cup Surfski race in beautiful Bora-Bora), there's no secret to which course we are favouring! It's also no secret that someone is seeking retribution, for being forced (almost!) to eat the legendary fermented raw fish Tahitian delicacy 'fafaru' directly following an epic Pacific island crossing at last years race. I am not sure New Zealand has an equivalent, but I expect that some exposure to volcanic region of Rotorua's sulfurous/noxious fumes might be a good start.

The Tahitian connection is strong: most international flights to Tahiti fly via Auckland. Terry talks of future races aligning with the Mara'amu. There are bound to be a few good stories from this race - book your part in this now by entering this iconc event at the below link.

Course Options

One of Auckland's iconic Fullers ferries will be used to transport competitors and their skis to the start or from the finish for the King of the Harbour, as we have done in the past. 

"Not only does travelling by water add to the excitement and atmosphere of the race, it will also add a unique dimension to this race when compared to any other ocean ski events around the world as spectators will be able to see how the race unfolds aboard the Fullers Starflyte." declares Terry.

As wind direction is fundamental to a successful race, one of four courses will be selected to present the competitors with at least 80% down-wind paddling. The final course will be determined by the wind direction 24 hours prior to the race. Last years event saw a wicked little NE swell making for a blistering downwind run from Waiheke Island to Auckland's viaduct.

2012 winner Jeremy Cotter completed the 22km from Waiheke to Auckland in 1:25.42.

One of the following four courses will be selected to offer paddlers at least 80% downwind paddling:

(Above) Gulf Harbour to Auckland or Auckland to Gulf Harbour (Distance 25km), favoured if a Westerly or Easterly prevailson race day.

(Above) Waiheke Island to Auckland or Auckland to Waiheke Island (Distance 19km) if winds are NE on the day, as seen in 2011 and 2012, or SW.

The prevailing SW provides a consistent wind chop from Auckland back to the island, and indeed my record time paddling this stretch of water is set at dusk on a pumping Sou' Westerly. However, there is nothing like the ocean swell that the NE brings into the Motiuhe Channel, and as paddlers depart from Matiatia ferry terminal on Waiheke, the rushing tide and ocean swell can make the first 13km's of this stretch world class in terms of downwind paddling.

Race Day Schedule

Carbonology Sport launches a new surfski into the beginner market today: the Carbonology Cruze.  The Cruze is aimed at the same market segment as the Think Eze, the Fenn Bluefin and other ultra stable skis.

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.

Alex Matthews is a Sea Kayak instructor from British Columbia.  Bob Putnam lent him a Think Eze surfski for the winter (eeek - that's cold!).  Bob said that Alex "had been resistant, almost anti-surfski."  Clearly though, sea kayakers are a tough breed and Alex is now hooked on surfski and has been playing in a tidal race called Baynes Channel.  The first thing he had to do though, was practise remounting the ski.

Second time out on my new V10 Double - in some challenging downwind conditions - and we take a swim...  Nothing like being 2km offshore to try out remounting a new ski!

"I didn’t have a specific race plan or line," wrote Jasper Mocke in his post-race report, "but being in front and staying there seemed like a good idea!"  

Chasing 3m breaking waves in 35kt gusts is the best fun you can have outside of tangled sheets – but gear failure can be a much bigger issue.  You have to be mentally and physically prepared for things to go wrong…

The heat and almost windless conditions made for brutal conditions two weeks ago when some of the world's best surfski paddlers lined up for the 2012 Steelcase Dragon Run.  But defending champion Tim Jacobs made it all look too easy...