Bouman stretches his dominance in Durban surf thriller

Durban - Matt Bouman extended his dominance in the popular Discovery Sunglass Hut Surfski Series with an emphatic victory in the Hi-Q Marine race, using his years of experience in the Durban surf to make critical breaks that paved the way for his victory.

Racing a testing 12 kilometer course that took the paddlers out to a deep turning buoy before returning through the surf to beach stops at Pirates, North Beach and South Beach before returning to the race base at the brand new Marine Surf Lifesaving clubhouse at Addington beach, Bouman was locked in a three boat tussle with Capetonian Tom Schilperoort and Grant van der Walt as they approached the backline for the first time.

Bouman read the swell perfectly and was able to power ahead onto a wave that took him racing into the beach, while the other two leaders floundered behind him after failing to get onto the same wave.

After turning on the beach in front of Pirates Lifesaving clubhouse, Bouman capitalised on this advantage by putting in a solo sprint that quickly earned him a 250 metre lead, setting up his eventual victory margin of sixty five seconds.

"It was great fun to be able to get onto that wave, and look back over my shoulder and wave at the other two behind me as I surfed in!" said Bouman, who remains the leader of the popular winter series, having lost only one series encounter to date - the Dunlop Surfski World Cup, which he lost by millimeters in a sprint up the beach to World Series champ Dawid Mocke.

"I was able to put the hammer down after that, and by the time we all got tired I had a decent enough lead," he added.

Despite their combined efforts, Schilperoort and van der Walt were unable to reel in Bouman. "There isn't anyone on the water today who can beat Bouman over ten kilometres," conceded Schilperoort afterwards.

Donna Winter took full advantage of the absence of women's series pacesetter Michelle Eder to blitz the women's field, winning by seven minutes from Nathalie Veckranges and up-and-coming junior Jenna Ward.

Overall line honours went to the class crew of Barry Lewin and Ant Stott, posting a minute victory over Jeffrey Smith and Warren Jacobs. The crew of  Gary Waud and Debbie Lewis were comfortable winners in the mixed doubles race.

The plucky Marine SLC Surfboat crew also completed the race, coping well with the three beach stops and returns out through the surf, and remain on track for their goal of completing every series race, including the Scottburgh to Brighton ultra marathon.

The race celebrated the completion of the state-of-the-art new Marine Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse at Addington beach, providing the sport of surfski paddling with a magnificent new base for races in the future.

The Discovery Sunglass Hut Surfski Series continues with the Discovery Winkle race at Winklespruit race on Sunday 13 June.

More information and results can be found at www.surfski.co.za

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
DISCOVERY SUNGLASS HUT SURF SKI SERIES
Hi-Q Marine Race
Men
1.Matt Boumann 56.42
2.Tom Schilperoort 57.49
3.Grant van der Walt 58.15
4.Wayne Wilson 1:00.01
5.Marc Holtzhausen 1:00.19
6.Richard Burn 1:02.49
7.Murray Smith 1:02.59
8.Adam Nisbett 1:03.38
9.David Lindeque 1:03.58
10.Mark Lewin 1:04.09

Women
1.Donna Winter 1:08.40
2.Nathalie Veckranges 1:15.26
3.Jenna Ward 1:21.07

Double ski
1.Barry Lewin/Ant Stott 56.25
2.Jeffrey Smith/Warren Jacobs 57.37
3.Quinton Rutherford/Brian Taylor 1:00.09
4.Sean Wisedale/Rowan Matthews 1:00.17
5.Dwayne Powell/Steve Atkinson 1:00.56