Arthur rules the roost in Winklespruit

THE ET Security/Andre’s Electrical Winkle Surfski Challenge, saw the fourth race winner crowned in as many races when Wade Krieger claiming his maiden victory of this year’s series while Hayley Arthur secured a second consecutive race win in the women’s clash.

Krieger made the transition from surf lifesaving to surfski relatively recently however his consistency and willingness to learn has seen him become a regular presence amidst KZN’s world class field of elite paddlers.

With many of the province’s top athletes absent from Winklespruit’s start line due to their participation in the weekend’s Mauritius Ocean Classic and having seen victory slip through his finger two weekends ago at the Seabreeze Build it 5 Beaches, Krieger wasn’t about to miss out on his first race win of this year’s series this time despite Winklespruit local Gene Prato breathing down his neck throughout.

“It was really nice to get the win,” said Krieger. “Other than a four to five foot wave at the start, it was quite a long, hard grind out there. I see every race as an opportunity to become a better paddler and I’ve really enjoyed the different challenge that racing on the south Coast brings,” he said.

For Arthur, her back-to-back victories in the women’s race will give her good confidence ahead of next weekend’s series feature race – the FNB Durban Downwind – as she looks to take on some of the sport’s top female competitors, including a resurgent Michelle Burn.

All the attention now turns to the series fifth and final race, the FNB Durban Downwind, next weekend. For more information visit www.durbandownwind.co.za