Stunning way to ride the surf
AS MANY are preparing for the festive season, the holidays represents a golden opportunity for KwaZulu-Natal’s paddling fraternity to enjoy spending time on the ocean, brushing up on their surfski skills ahead of the arrival of the much-anticipated FNB Surfski Series next month.
The popular 10-race series is one of the biggest of its kind globally and attracts hundreds of paddling enthusiasts to Marine Surf Lifesaving Club at Addington Beach each week for the Friday evening contests.
With an 8km or novice4km race option, easy surf entry, on-water safety crews and endless lucky draw prizes, the series is the ideal way for beginners to get into the sport while sharing the start line with some of the globe’s top elite racers who also lock horns weekly.
“Next year is set to be another cracking year for the FNB Surfski Series,” says series coordinator, Barry Lewin.
“Coming to the FNB Surfski Series on a summery Friday evening in Durban and racing with or against your buddies then swapping a few battle stories and claiming the week’s bragging rights – we don’t believe there is a better way to start the weekend!” he adds.
While much of what has made the series the success it has become, one exciting change to the mix sees banking giant First National Bank (FNB) take over as the series’ sole title sponsor having shared this with Varsity College for the past two years.
FNB’s enlarged backing of the series sees them further entrench themselves in South African paddling circles having already established strong ties with the iconic Dusi Canoe Marathon and the Durban Downwind surfski race.
“FNB Business is delighted to be a sponsor of the FNB Surfski Series,” says KZN provincial head, Howard Arrand.
Having gone head-to-head during the series’ clashes for the better part of a decade, global surfski stars Hank McGregor and Matt Bouman are again expected to contest the weekly spoils while Wade Krieger, Luke Nisbet, Steve Woods, Gene Prato and Bailey de Fondaumiere add depth to the world class men’s field.
The women’s title challenge will be a hard-fought, richly contested affair as the likes of Nicole Russell, Hayley Nixon, Kyeta Purchase and Jenna Ward square off while Michelle Burn and Donna Tutton could add great experience to the mix as well.
The Series gets under way on Friday, January 6 at 5.30pm at Marine Surf Lifesaving Club.
Race entry is R100 per paddler. – Gameplan Media