Top paddlers in SA set for 300km race
Gruelling four-day PE2EL event attracts 48 single-ski competitors, 42 in doubles
THE biennial PE2EL Surf-Ski Challenge, a 300km contest featuring the best paddlers in South Africa, starts from Port Elizabeth tomorrow. Usually spread over four days, this year an extra day, Sunday, has been allocated in case inclement weather or wind conditions make it impossible for the contestants to row on any of the four days.
The event brings hundreds of visitors to the Eastern Cape, including the paddlers, their families and friends, officials and spectators.
The origin of the race goes back many years to when multi-international paddler Johnny Woods challenged famous long-distance runner John Ball to a non-stop race from Port Elizabeth to East London, which Ball managed to win.
The first stopover is at Woody Cape, which in previous events has seen the destruction of many a surf-ski due to its pounding surf, been known to reach 5m.
From there on the following day the paddlers rest in Port Alfred. The third stopover is scheduled for Hamburg and on Satur- day – or Sunday if the extra day is used – the paddlers will steam in to Nahoon Beach from about 10am, or even later depending on the wind.
“Safety of the paddlers is our No 1 concern,” race director Richard Tebbutt said.
He confirmed that a total of 90 paddlers would contest this year’s Challenge, made up of 48 single surf-skis and 42 in 21 double skis.
“The paddlers will be tracked each day through Saftrx,” Tebbutt said. “There will be land-based crews in four-wheel drives looking after them as well as four NSRI boats.”
He said Saftrx was geared to pinpoint the exact position of each paddler at any given moment, which will certainly put each contestant’s mind at rest concerning safety.
Tebbutt was, however, cagey about who could be among the favourites to win.
He ventured that Bevan Manson, Craig Boechx, Steve Woods, son of Johnny, Carl Frauenstein, Durban’s Luke Nisbet and Cape Town-based Paul Marais all had a chance.
“There’s also an Australian racing this year. He is Brendan Rice, the son of former South African international paddler Sean Rice. I think he will do well,” Tebbutt said.
In the doubles, Tebbutt feels the combination of Haydn Holmes and Phil Smith of Cape St Francis, Durban’s Blackburn brothers, Simon and Andrew, as well as Buffalo City’s Dave Schaefer and Chris Batting could challenge for first place.
Among the women contestants, he favoured up-and-coming East London paddler Nicole Russell and Cape Town-based Bianca Beavitt.
“Nicole has done so well internationally and is a real champion among the female surf-skiers, while Bianca is a hardened, seasoned paddler who always shows courage and determination and she has proven her mettle in tough conditions and over ultra distances,” Tebbutt said.