YOUNG paddling sensation Kyeta Purchase showed her temperament in difficult conditions after she took advantage of a Nicole Russel blunder to take her second win of the 2016 Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series with victory at the Hansa Surfski Challenge on Friday evening.
The north-easterly wind reared its head providing some testing conditions for the big field that turned up however a mistake from Russell on the way in paved the way from Purchase to sneak home and secure another win.
“The race was quite difficult and I was a bit tired going into it but it went well which was good. I didn't see Nicole coming in and I saw a break so I went hard and then I saw her swimming so I knew that I had to go hard to get up the beach and across the line first. Conditions were good, quite rough and a bit up and down getting to the third buoy but I enjoyed it,” Purchase explained.
The men’s race was won by Durban paddling stalwart Wade Krieger who managed to pull away from Barry Lewin on the second lap to give himself his first win of the series. Despite a watered down field Krieger was still happy with the win and with that he has opened his account for 2016 with six of your best results to count.
The race at the front was tight as Lewin managed to reign in Krieger however the latter put in a good surge to pull clear of Lewin on the second lap handing him an advantage that he would not relinquish.
Despite his win and the chance of an overall title Krieger does not see the overall title as his main priority with getting back to top form being a major goal of his and the series win would be a positive by-product.
The Thule Surfski Challenge, race four of the 2016 Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series, takes place at 5.50pm on Friday 29 January Marine SLC, Addington Beach. More information can be found at www.marineseries.co.za
