THE global surfski community is heaping praise on Durban paddler Quinton Rutherford who set a new Guinness world record on Friday for the greatest distance covered in a 24 hour period by a solo ski paddler, putting into context how physically and mentally demanding the successful record bid was.
The 50 year old father of three set out to better the previous mark of 214 kilometres set by New Zealander Tim Taylor in 2015, and was shadowed by a team of officials from the Guinness Book of World Records to verify his paddle that started before dawn at Cape Vidal setting off south for Durban.
Key to his chances were advantageous weather conditions and Rutherford’s effort was staged with a strong Easterly wind blowing offering him downwind conditions, but few could have anticipated how physically demanding the task would be in the huge six metre high swells.
In other record breaking news: WATCH: Durban North resident runs 100 half marathons in 100 consecutive days
With the global surfski community following his paddle via updates posted by the gutsy support crew braving the big seas on their inflatable, Rutherford went past the target 215 kilometres distance as they neared Ballito, and his paddle ended earlier than planned in a combination of raw emotion and exhaustion off Thompsons Bay.
He stopped to set off a flare opposite the family home of his former doubles partner and good friend Mark Perrow, who was killed in a light plane crash last year, as the record-breaking attempt was always going to be a tribute to his friend on what would have been his 55th birthday.
“It was my way of saying goodbye to Mark,” said Rutherford. Read also: Ward and Hockly reign supreme at surfski race
It proved to be the end of this record-breaking paddle, and he was unable to keep paddling as fatigue and the emotion of the milestone reaching Perrow’s family home ended his solo effort at 227 kilometres, and he came inshore on the NSRI Inflatable to be welcomed by his emotional family members.
“I just couldn’t carry on,” said Rutherford. “I was broken, totally broken. My daughter came out on a charter boat to meet me somewhere off Tinley Manor to encourage me, which really lifted me. But I knew then that my tank was empty.
“After I set off the flare at the Perrow’s house I fell out of my ski twice and I couldn’t even crawl onto the back of my ski. Then I knew I was done and was hauled onto the the escort boat and taken in. Hank (McGregor) was telling me to carry on because everyone was waiting for me in Durban. But that was me done. The fact that I call it quits at the Perrow’s house, on Mark’s birthday, sweetened the story,” he added.
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