Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series Media Release

 No: SSSCT0805

2 Nov 2008
Dawid Mockč scoops third series title in the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay Surf Ski race

Hout Bay - Fish Hoek's king of ocean-paddling Dawid Mockč chalked up his third win in the Discovery Men's health Surf Ski Series when he raced away alone to win the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay race over last week's Langebaan race winner Graeme Solomon and his Peninsula Canoe Club team-mate Peter Cole.

The race got under way in murky, overcast conditions with a gentle on-shore breeze and formidable bumpy ocean-swell steadily pushing the fleet of about 100 craft along one of the world's most spectacular  ocean-paddling racing venues.

The testing 18 kilometer race course took the paddlers around Hout Bay's towering Sentinel Peak, dodging the notorious Dungeon's  'growlers', before past Sandy Bay, Llandudno beach, the Rocklands Nature Reserve, to the finish at Camps Bay.

"It was particularly daunting negotiating some of those spooky sections - like at the wreck where a big modern ocean cargo-ship came short some years ago" Mockč explained after the race.

"I chose a wide course, further out to sea, gambling on a safer uneventful trip home, rather than risk potential disaster on a shorter off-shore course" he added. Graeme Solomon was leading the fleet some 45 minutes into the race but Mockč & Cole capitalised on the pushing swell & exchanged the lead periodically before Mockč broke away to win by an impressive 53 second margin

In the keenly contested ladies single surf-ski category Plettenberg Bay's Michéle Eray was a comfortable winner, despite being plagued by a right forearm muscle malady. The Olympic Games sprinter triumphed over Fish Hoek's national Lifesaving ski-champion Kendal Alford-Loots by a full fourteen minutes, with Milnerton junior Bianca Beavitt coming in third, two minutes later.

"I was going along quite beautifully until, rather like Graeme Solomon, I was becalmed," said Eray afterwards. "I wasn't strong enough to pull my boat onto the big pushing ocean swells effectively enough - so it was tough!". Eray eventually finished in a disappointing 83% of Mockč's men's winning time, as against the previous week's ladies' 89% of the men's winning time.

The big field thoroughly enjoyed the swell and challenges on the epic surf ski course, and entertained the crowd at Camps bay by flirting with the big swell and breaking waves that periodically rose just off the backline.

The fifth race of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series  takes place on Sunday 11th November when the Powerade Fish Hoek 15km Surf Challenge takes place.

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

Summary of Results.
Discovery Hout Bay - Camps Bay Ocean Challenge Race.
Leg four of the Discovery Men's Health Surf-Ski Series
Men's Elite Single-Ski Category
1. Dawid Mockč 83:38
2. Graeme Solomon 84:31 
3.Peter Cole 85:04
4.Tom Schilperoort 85:43
5.Steve Farrell 86:29 
6.Rory Cole 89:38 
7.Ian Trautman 90:06 
8.Justin Maddock 90:54
9.Shaun Rice 91:48
10.Christy Augustyn 92:19

Ladies Elite Single-Ski Category
1.Michéle Eray 97:41 minutes
2.Kendall Alford-Loots109:33
3.Bianca Beavitt 110:51
4.Kim Brugmann  112:21  
5.Robyn Henderson 120.01  
6.Jemma Hofmeyer 125:37

Junior Men's  U21  Category   
1.Tom Schilperoort  95:43minutes
2.Sean Rice 91:48 
3. Lance King 95:54
4.Adam Bothma  96:03  
5.Lyle Maasdorp 107:26

Junior Men's U18 Category:
1.Jayden Alford-Loots 93:53 minutes

Junior Ladies U18 Category:
1.Bianca Beavitt 110:51 minutes

Men's Double-Ski Category
1.Andrew McPherson/Mark Gevers 88:13 minutes
2.Joe Kearney/Edgar Boehm 89:55
3.Rory van Zyl/Richard McMartin  92:05 

Mixed Double-Ski Category   
1. Mark Torrington/Janet Vorster 102:53 minutes

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

ENDS
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Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series 2008 Logo (Rectangular).  

Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series 2008 Logo (Horizontal).  

Dawid Mocke racing to victory in the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay race that formed leg four of the summer Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski series.

Jon Vellacott/
Gameplan Media

Runner up Graeme Solomon in action in the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay race that formed leg four of the summer Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski series.

Jon Vellacott/
Gameplan media

Peter Cole sprinting downwind during the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay race that formed leg four of the summer Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski series.

Jon Vellacott/
Gameplan Media

Michéle Eray racing away to win the women's race of the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay race that formed leg four of the summer Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski series.

Jon Vellacott/
Gameplan Media

A doubles crew takes off on a massive swell right at the finish of the Discovery Hout Bay to Camps Bay race that formed leg four of the summer Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski series.

Jon Vellacott/
Gameplan Media

For any further information, or if you cannot access the images, please contact:
Gameplan Media
(031) 764 3017
info@gameplanmedia.co.za