Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series Media Release

 No: SSSCT0902

24 Oct 2009

Farrell powers to victory in the Driftwoods Lagoon Dash
Cape Town - Peninsula Canoe Club’s rising star, Steve Farrell, shattered the hopes of a star-studded field of surf-ski racing paddlers, by registering a sensational victory on Saturday, at the 15kms Driftwoods Lagoon Dash, at Langebaan on the Cape’s picturesque West Coast.

After starting the race from within the time-handicapped batch of ‘B’ Grade paddlers, Farrell had paddled an excellent and well-judged race around the “T”-shape course consisting of two 7.5km laps. In perfect but warm and almost windless conditions, the field of some 100 entrants, had to work honestly after setting off in a northerly direction, before rounding Schaapen Island and negotiating the ominiously calm waters of Shark Bay back at the southern-end of Langebaan-Lagoon.

After the 1st lap, it became clear to excited spectators on the beach that neither of last week’s top runners Tom Schilperoot or Graeme Solomon were going to give the 2009 New York Mayor’s Cup Champion, Sean Rice (20), too much room to move in, as Rice charged to the front of the field. After a frantic charge at the eventual finish-line, Rice pipped Schilperoot by a nose with Solomon third across the line.

However, unknown to the apparent ‘top-3’, modest Wynberg paddler Steve Farrell and Milnerton Canoe Club new-comer to surf-ski racing, Gavin White, a national team KI canoe-sprint team member had put in some unbelievable ‘sprint-intervals’ from the ranks of time-handicapped ‘B’ batch and had managed to cross the line just behind Solomon! On an eventual elapsed-time result, Steve Farrell emerged as a somewhat surprised yet elated and popular winner of an exciting day’s racing.

In the Elite Ladies 15km Race, Fish Hoek Lifesaver Rebecca Newsom chalked up her second win in the series, with Milnerton’s young national-team K1 member Bianca Beavitt in second and Fish Hoek’s Jackie Barnes in third.

The thrid leg of the Discovery Men’s Health Surf-Ski Racing Series takes place on Sunday 01 November 2009 at New Balance Fish Hoek SLSC’s clubhouse starting at 09h00. For more info go to www.surfski.co.za.

Elite Men 15 Kms Single Ski Long Course
1. Steve Farrell 1:04:51
2. Sean Rice 1:04:56
3. Tom Schilperoot 1:04:57
4. Gavin White 1:05:05
5. Graeme Solomon 1:05:08
6. Ian Trautman 1:07:40
7. Justin Maddock 1:08:42

Elite Women 15 Kms Single Ski Long Course
1. Rebecca Newson 1:14:04
2. Bianca Beavitt 1:14:44
3. Jackie Barnes 1:15:39
4. Angie Gaffney 1:18:54
5.Lisa Scott 1:31:31
6. Jade D'Hutton 1:32:25

Mens Double Ski 15Kms Long Course
1. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms 1:02:47
2. Patrick & Andrew Birkett 1:02:48
3.Craig Mockford/Kevin Goodspeed 1:13:13

Mixed Double Ski 15 Kms Long Course
1. Kevin Bauer/Mandy Simpson 1:14:01
2. Brett Steyn/Alex Capostagnio 1:18:02

Veteran Men 15kms Single Ski Long Course
1. Ian Trautman 1:07:40
2.Glen TRueb 1:09:42
3. Bruce Neill 1:09:49

Masters Men 152Kms Single Ski Long Course
1. Shaugn Butler 1:12:37
2. Dale Lippstreu 1:16:13
3. Paul Lange 1:17:01

D Grade 15Kms Long Course
1.Alistair Glass 1:10:09

C Grade 15 Kms Long Course
1.Mike de Villiers 1:08:4

B Grade 15 Kms Long Course
1. Steve Farrell 1:04:51

Men 7 Kms Single Ski Short Course
1.David Walmer 41:16
2.James McKay 42:04
3. Conrad Swart 42:34
4.Chris Lucas 42:37
5.Brett Kelly 42:40

Women 7Kms Single Ski Short Course
1.Natasha Bracalle 42:29
2.Terry Wampaeh 412:59
3.Hanlie Groenewald 51:15
4. Melanie Perusie
Full details of the series can be found at www.surfski.co.za

ENDS
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Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series 2009 Logo (Rectangular).  

Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series 2009 Logo (Horizontal).  

River paddler Steve Farrell powers to the finish to claim the title of the Driftwood Lagoon Dash which forms the second leg of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series.

Jon Vellacott/ Gameplan Media

Tom Schilperoort (left) and Sean Rice dice for the finish of the Driftwood Lagoon Dash which forms the second leg of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series.

Jon Vellacott/ Gameplan Media

Fish Hoek Lifesaver Rebecca Newsom takes the title of the Driftwood Lagoon Dash which forms part of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series.

Jon Vellacott/ Gameplan Media

Graeme Soloman comes in to take third position at the Driftwoods Lagoon Dash which forms the second leg of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series.

Jon Vellacott/ Gameplan Media

Under 21 K1 ace Bianca Beavitt powered into second position of the Driftwood Lagoon Dash this Saturday as part of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series.

Jon Vellacott/ Gameplan Media

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