The country’s best surfski paddlers will be out in force tomorrow as the annual Pete Marlin Surfski races set off.
The massive race, which incorporates a world series race, the South African and Eastern Cape champs and the Pete Marlin event will head off from either Orient, Nahoon or Yellow Sands beaches depending on the weather on the day.
With it being a world series race, paddlers from Spain, Sweden, Dubai, France, Israel and Namibia will be competing in the event.
However, the most interesting racing should be between the top-placed SA paddlers who should be competing for the win.
On the men’s side, double defending Pete Marlin champion Dawid Mocke will be eager to claim a treble, and with being ranked fifth in the world series, he will want maximum points to try and climb the rankings.
But an extremely tough fight should come from his brother Jaspe Mocke, who finished runner-up to him in last year’s race and is currently the highest-ranked South African paddler in the world series in second place, and full points will go a long way to him taking top spot in the series.
Other major challenges should come from East London-bred Kyle Friedenstein and SA canoe marathon legend Hank Mcgregor, who are ranked sixth and eighth respectively in the world series and will also be hunting maximum points.
These same four will be the main challengers on the SA champs side as well, however a number of local paddlers will also be pushing for SA champs and EC champs honours.
Steve Woods and Bevan Manson should be the top threats from the local side overall, while juniors Luke Johnson, Josh Fenn and William Wood and seniors Brendon Thompson, Hennie Roos, Andrew Carter, John de Smidt and Mark Symons should all be in the mix for age-group honours.
On the women’s front, local girl and defending champ Nikki Russell will be aiming for a fourth Pete Marlin title in five years.
Russell knows the race extremely well and picked up titles in 2012, 2013 and last year, while finishing runner- up in 2014.
“The people here are so wonderful and it is my home turf so I am very excited,” said Russell.
“... it would be wonderful to win another title here in East London, but the competition is really tough and it’s going to be a fierce battle out there.”
She will also be looking for world series points to try break into the top 10. Her biggest challenge should come from Great Britain’s Chloe Burnett, who is currently ranked fifth in the world series.
However, other SA paddlers such as Haley Nixon, Kyeta Purchase, Jenna Ward, Donna Tutton and Kerry Segal will also be in the running.
“There are about six or seven girls who are really good and all of them will have a good chance in the race, so we will have to see how it goes on the day,” admitted Russell.
In all, more than 190 paddlers are expected to take to the water and compete for glory in what is the 28th edition of the Pete Marlin race.
The singles race will be in full flow tomorrow morning, with the paddlers pairing up for the doubles on Sunday.
Wavebusters braced for glory
The massive race, which incorporates a world series race, the South African and Eastern Cape champs and the Pete Marlin event will head off from either Orient, Nahoon or Yellow Sands beaches depending on the weather on the day.
With it being a world series race, paddlers from Spain, Sweden, Dubai, France, Israel and Namibia will be competing in the event.
However, the most interesting racing should be between the top-placed SA paddlers who should be competing for the win.
On the men’s side, double defending Pete Marlin champion Dawid Mocke will be eager to claim a treble, and with being ranked fifth in the world series, he will want maximum points to try and climb the rankings.
But an extremely tough fight should come from his brother Jaspe Mocke, who finished runner-up to him in last year’s race and is currently the highest-ranked South African paddler in the world series in second place, and full points will go a long way to him taking top spot in the series.
Other major challenges should come from East London-bred Kyle Friedenstein and SA canoe marathon legend Hank Mcgregor, who are ranked sixth and eighth respectively in the world series and will also be hunting maximum points.
These same four will be the main challengers on the SA champs side as well, however a number of local paddlers will also be pushing for SA champs and EC champs honours.
Steve Woods and Bevan Manson should be the top threats from the local side overall, while juniors Luke Johnson, Josh Fenn and William Wood and seniors Brendon Thompson, Hennie Roos, Andrew Carter, John de Smidt and Mark Symons should all be in the mix for age-group honours.
On the women’s front, local girl and defending champ Nikki Russell will be aiming for a fourth Pete Marlin title in five years.
Russell knows the race extremely well and picked up titles in 2012, 2013 and last year, while finishing runner- up in 2014.
“The people here are so wonderful and it is my home turf so I am very excited,” said Russell.
“... it would be wonderful to win another title here in East London, but the competition is really tough and it’s going to be a fierce battle out there.”
She will also be looking for world series points to try break into the top 10. Her biggest challenge should come from Great Britain’s Chloe Burnett, who is currently ranked fifth in the world series.
However, other SA paddlers such as Haley Nixon, Kyeta Purchase, Jenna Ward, Donna Tutton and Kerry Segal will also be in the running.
“There are about six or seven girls who are really good and all of them will have a good chance in the race, so we will have to see how it goes on the day,” admitted Russell.
In all, more than 190 paddlers are expected to take to the water and compete for glory in what is the 28th edition of the Pete Marlin race.
The singles race will be in full flow tomorrow morning, with the paddlers pairing up for the doubles on Sunday.
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