Paddlers prepare for 2017 surfski opener
The surfski tournaments will kick off in early January next year.
KZN’s paddling fraternity will be using the festive season to brush up on their surfski skills ahead of the arrival of the much-anticipated 2017 FNB Surfski Series in January.
The popular 10-race series is one of the biggest of its kind globally and attracts 100s of paddling enthusiasts to the Marine Surf Lifesaving Club at Addington Beach each week for the Friday evening contests.
With an 8km or novice-friendly 4km 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.
“2017 is set to be another cracking year for the FNB Surfski Series and we’re really looking forward to hosting hundreds of past participants and scores of new faces each week,” said series coordinator, Barry Lewin.
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.
“It is always great to race against a quality field and Durban hosts many of the top 10 paddlers in the world, while we also often get some out-of-towners join us too. You know you’re in for a great race each and every week of the FNB Surfski Series,” said Hank. “It’s great to test yourself on a Friday evening and the series is a really nice way start the year again after recharging a bit over the festive season.”
The women’s title challenge will be a hard-fought, richly contested affair as Nicole Russell, Hayley Nixon, Kyeta Purchase and Jenna Ward are set to square off.
The FNB Surfski Challenge, race one of the 2017 FNB Surfski Series, starts on Friday, 6 January at 5.30pm at the Marine Surf Lifesaving Club. The opening encounter is however preceded by a series registration function at Robsons on Point in Durban’s Point precinct on Thursday, 5 January from 4pm to 7pm.
Race entry is R100 a paddler and participants will receive a 20 per cent discount if they enter all 10 races upfront.
