Bouman wraps up ski series with victory in treacherous
conditions
Durban - Matt Bouman clinched the 2010 Varsity College Marine Surfski series
title on Friday night with a victory in the seventh race of the series in
very difficult conditions in a howling easterly onshore wind that whipped
Durban Bay into a choppy maelstrom.
Racing against one of the strongest fields assembled for the popular Friday
night series, Bouman mastered the tricky choppy sidewinds and unpredictable
swell to canter to his sixth win in seven starts, and with it he secured an
unassailable lead in the series.
Darryl Bartho was second, with his younger brother Brett Bartho edging out
series stalwart Ollie Burn in the dice for the last place on the podium.
Toti ace Michelle Eder bagged another series win, entrenching her place at
the top of the women's standings. The Varsity College student was the only
women brave enough to take on the tough conditions in a single, and proved to
be one of the race's most dramatic casualties.
She was well placed in the field after the first lap heading for the turning
buoy off Ushaka beach, when she was caught by surprise by a breaking rogue
wave, and was heavily dumped several hundred metres offshore.
However. after being swept most of the way back to the beach, the plucky star
remounted her ski and raced back into the race field to complete another
series win, her fourth victory in five starts in the series.
The doubles race honours fell to the dominant crew of Herman Chalupsky and
Andre Pohl, posting a three minute victory over Warwick MacNicol and Dwayne
Powell, with visiting British wild water international Ben Oakley teaming up
with local ace Marc Mulder to take third place.
"It really was all over the place," said Chalupsky afterwards. "We were being
banged about quite a bit and there were breaking waves far out to sea."
The duo have a slim lead in the overall series doubles standings, having won
five of their six starts in the series.
"We can wrap it up next week if we win that race," said Chalupsky. "We would
have been able to wrap it up on Friday night if we hadn't had those rudder
problems that messed us around in race six. But apart from that it has been a
steady series for us," he added.
His older brother Oscar Chalupsky, arguably the most experienced surfski
paddler in the field was another of the race's casualties.
The burly veteran was charging down a run when the nose of his ski slid under
the shark net rope off the backline, and causing a lengthy delay as he
disentangled himself, prompting a spate of jokes from other competitors about
whales trapped in the nets.
One of the unsung heroes of the race, which saw a number of novices opting to
sit this race out due to the demanding conditions, was 16 year old Kloof
schoogirl Kylie Winterburn. By far the youngest paddler in the field, she
completed the 4km short course race without incident, coping with the
difficult wins, swell and chop impressively.
The race was staged over a triangular course, from uShaka beach to New Pier,
then onto the strong easterly headwind to a turning buoy some way out to sea,
and then a downwind leg back to Ushaka beach.
"Safety in the varsity College Marine series is not negotiable," said series
organiser Barry Lewin. "There are always a number of rubber ducks out on the
water to be on hand to deal with any problems. Most importantly it gives
every single paddler a feeling of security out in the Bay."
The eighth race of the series, the Varsity College Marine Surfski School
Challenge takes place
next Friday evening 12 March at 5:30 from Ushaka Beach.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
LEG 7 OF THE VARSITY COLLEGE MARINE SURF SKI SERIES
Long Course Singles - Men
1.Matt Bouman 32:34
2.Daryl Bartho 34:39
3.Brett Bartho 34:59
4.Oliver Burn 35:02
5.Quinto Rutherford 35:37
6.Mark Lewin 36:32
7.Jeffrey Smith 36:37
8.Shadrtack Mkhize 37:41
9.Anton Fouche 38:18
10.Steve Cohen 39:39
Long Course
Singles - Women
1.Michelle Eder 44:01
Long Course Doubles - Men
1.Herman Chalupsky/Andre Pohl 33:16
2.Warwick MacNicol/Dwayne Powell 35:02
3.Ben Oakley/Marc Mulder 35:15
4.Wayne Ashford/Steve Atkinson 36:16
5.Sean Wisedale/Trevor Vernes 36:29
6.Joe Boy/Stephen Evans 38:18
7.Dirk van den Bergh/Mark Essery 38:59
8.Pete Rowan/Angus Stewart 41:43
9.Andrew Atkinson/Rex McGregor 48:17
Short Course Singles
1.Bruce Brauteseth
27:37
2.Malcolm Pitt 29:04
3.Kylie Winterburn 29:57
4.Jade Wilson 30:07
5.Kelly Wood 33:01
ENDS
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Matt Bouman powers into the finish to claim victory in race
seven of the Varsity College Marine Surf Ski Series, and in the process
secured an unassailable lead at the top of the overall series rankings. |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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Michelle Eder bounced back from being dumped by a rogue wave
to win the women's race in race seven of the Varsity College Marine Surfski
series. |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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Herman Chalupsky and Andre Pohl wrap up a fifth series in in
leg seven of the Varsity College Marine Surfski Series. "We can wrap it up
next week," said Chalupsky. |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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Visiting British wild water international (back) raced onto
the podium in Race Seven of the Varsity College Marine Surfski series with
local ace Marc Mulder. |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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An unidentified paddler gets unceremoniously dumped in the
shorebreak during Race Seven of the Varsity College marine Surfski Series. |
Anthony Grote/
Gameplan Media |
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