Rice proves once again he can take on the best

SOUTH Africa’s surfski world champion Sean Rice proved yet again that he has what it takes to beat the best in the business when he came away from the Cape St Francis Challenge with a third-place spot behind Jasper Mocke and Matt Bouman in idyllic conditions two weeks ago.

Over Easter, however, the old warlords of the sea came to play in the park, making the pace all the more frantic at the Pennypinchers Easter Surfski Classic. Hank McGregor and Dawid Mocke added to the already loaded field to make it easily the most competitive ski race since the staging of the inaugural event in 2008.

Rice, however, made short work of the 18km course which included two 100m portages over the sand spit linking the ocean to the Keurbooms River to take his first title for the year. Jasper Mocke took second ahead of McGregor in an uncharacteristic third place.

Ocean Paddling icon Dawid Mocke finished in fourth after falling off the front bunch after the technical surf entry into the portage section of the race.

“This whole Garden Route tour is just awesome from the magical places we get to see and the tough racing just makes one appreciate what we have right here in our backyard.

“Taking the win was just the cherry on top,” said a delighted Rice.

Running away to win the women’s event was Nikki Mocke, who proved to be too strong for Nicole Russell and Kirsten Flanagan.

Both Rice and the Mocke brothers will be travelling to Spain to take on the Euro Challenge, which has proved to be one of the biggest paddling events on the international surfski calendar.

Wave-riding superstar Jordy Smith can count himself very unlucky not to have advanced out of his round 5 elim- ination heat during the Bells Beach Pro, the world’s longest running contest.

Smith was behind with only seconds remaining after facing off Julian Wilson (AUS) in the heat and needed a perfect 10 to advance. The lanky Durbanite absolutely obliterated the wave with some of the best surfing ever seen out at the fabled Bells break.

However, Smith fell short, scoring a 9.33, much to the surprise of even surfing great Kelly Slater. “That was the best wave I have seen someone surf at the end of a heat ever,” said Slater.