AS the summer months approach, the surf at Pirates SLC becomes the home of the six-leg 2016 Illovo Suncoast Pirates Wall and Back Surfski Series which will kick off tonight (Friday, 14 October) for another edition of the action-packed, drama-laden series that takes paddlers from Suncoast Pirates Lifesaving Club to the harbour wall and back.
The famous surfski series is one of the tougher series on the East Coast’s calendar as the tricky surf at Pirates makes the exit and entry difficult.
That, however, won’t stop droves of paddlers taking on the eight kilometre course to the harbour and back every Friday evening for the next six weeks.
The series’ testing conditions has meant it attracts the crème de la crème of surfski paddlers in the Durban region and the 2016 series will be no different as the intense rivalry between 2015 series winner Hank McGregor and his regular opponent, Matthew Bouman resumes with the challenge for the ladies title set to be just as competitive.
“It is a great series and I will try and race in as many of the legs of the series as I can this year. The surf is definitely the most challenging part of the race and as far as surfski races go, it is one of the trickier races as it is not over until you have got through the surf and are back on the beach. That element of nature that you have to contend with is one of the main components that makes the Wall and Back series so unique. The series ups the skill levels of everyone who takes part and is a proper test for all, setting it apart from the other Durban series,” McGregor said.
A chocker-block international surfski schedule may well curtail McGregor’s march towards another Wall and Back Surfski Series title however he has committed himself to as many races as he can do as he looks to meet the series’ minimum criteria that requires paddlers to complete four of the six races to be in line for the series’ spoils.
The women’s series honours will be just as exciting with a number of high-class paddlers in the running for the overall title. Training partners Jenna Ward, Kyeta Purchase and Nikki Russell will lead the charge, however others, such as Hayley Nixon, will be chomping at the bit for a chance at success.
Purchase won the overall women’s title in 2015 however she will have her work cut out for her this year with a stellar field expected to be contesting for the honours.
