DURBAN – Uli Hart and Michelle Burn made best use of some good downwind paddling conditions to claim the men’s and women’s national titles respectively on the second day of the Euro Steel South African Surfski Championships presented by Fenn in Durban on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Hart won his first SA Surfski Championship, while at the other end of the scale of experience, former World Champion Burn picked up what she thinks is “at least” her sixth national title.
The pair both had to work hard to secure their victories in conditions that contrasted sharply with Saturday’s doubles race, which was held on a flat sea. Sunday’s start at the Durban Underwater Club was also almost waveless, but once the competitors paddled beyond the protection of the Bluff, the race to Umdloti was a thrilling contest of downwind skill as the paddlers worked the swells.
In the men’s race, Mark Keeling and veteran Dawid Mocke made it a Western Cape clean-sweep as they claimed all three podium positions, with pre-race favourite Hank McGregor fourth.
In the women’s event, Kira Bester finished second before first junior Georgia Singe ensured the Western Cape claimed five out of the six overall podium places.
“That was hard work,” said Cape Town’s Hart as he contemplated some difficulties he had not knowing the Durban conditions.
“I made a few mistakes. I thought Umhlanga was Umdloti and I came back toward the shore and then had to go out again. And then a bit later, passing the girls who started ahead of us, I started feeling like I was too far out and so came back in again – but it turned out all right.
“I was just pushing the whole way. It was only when I could see the last buoy just before the finish, and I couldn’t see anyone else, that I realised I’d done it – and then I was just glad I did not get caught in that shore break. I was lucky I had a bit of a gap and I had a match left to burn so I could time it right to get to the beach.
“I’m really stoked because it was proper surfski conditions out there, so I am really happy with that one,” added the 2019 junior World Champion.
Durban local Burn had no issues with her navigation, but was under constant pressure from defending champion Bester.
“I was really comfortable out there. I enjoy this course because we do it quite often in training,” said Burn. “So I didn’t have to think too much about the route.
“I had a fantastic start to get to the front and I then just tried to control the race as we were getting out to the runs (waves). I did not want the other girls to cut too far left, so I went to the front to make sure everyone went deep until we got to the good conditions, and then I just paddled and linked up the runs as best I could.
“I pulled away from Kira for a while, but at Umhlanga I looked back and she was right back on my tail. I pulled away a bit again and she came back at me, and for the last three kays she actually pulled up right next to me.
“I was battling with some forearm cramp and I just couldn’t get onto the right bumps (waves), but I just managed to hold it together somehow and in the last 100 metres I managed to get on a wave ahead of her as we came in.
In the junior category, there was some tight racing with the top five all within three minutes. U16 Ryley Smith was the first junior to reach Umdloti, ahead of Heath Clarke and another under 16, Sam Mocke.
LEADING RESULTS
Men
1 Uli Hart 1:25:53
2 Mark Keeling 1:26:23
3 Dawid Mocke 1:26:55
4 Hank Mcgregor 1:27:06
5 Joshua Fenn 1:28:11
Juniors
1 Ryley Smith (U16) 1:31:34
2 Heath Clarke (U18) 1:32:06
3 Sam Mocke (U16) 1:33:10
4 Keegan Vogt (U16) 1:33:51
5 Cody Stallard (U18) 1:34:15
Women
1 Michelle Burn 1:36:29
2 Kira Bester 1:37:04
3 Georgia Singe (1st Junior) 1:40:48
4 Saskia Hockly 1:41:12
5 Melanie Van Niekerk 1:41:50