What a weekend! Durban got to host the 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, attracting a record field of more than 500 paddlers from over 30 countries. DUC was chosen as the start venue, for multiple reasons, including the club facilities and the fact that the bay is typically flat like pond. Given that the best downwind racing conditions appeared to be on the Sunday this was reserved for the main event, the S1 race up north to Westbrook, and the S2 race was set to run south to Amanzimtoti on the Saturday.
Many of those vying for the S1 title then didn’t paddle on the Saturday, including the 2024 champion, German Gordan Harbrecht, Australia’s three-time champion Cory Hill, and a long list of potential Saffa winners like Hank McGregor, Nic Notten, Uli Hart, Josh Fenn, the Mocke brothers, etc – nor did Kira Bester, Melanie van Niekerk or Michelle Burn – so it was always going to interesting so see how the likes of Matt and Saskia who were contesting the Mixed Doubles would fare on the Sunday following their efforts on the Saturday. It was also always going to be interesting to see how the international paddlers would handle the Durban surf conditions because as Harbrecht said earlier in the week: “What is a little bit special is the surf when we are coming into the shore, because we do not have anything this big.”
Saturday served up a mild North Easter with a well-established swell, so at DUC there was a shore beak with some big waves to beat that resulted in a lot of unexpected swimming at the start, and then there was proper gala at the finish in Toti – even the rescue Rubber Ducks were seen upside down. Unfortunately the live feed was stopped long before all were in, so online viewers missed seeing much of the swimming and carnage. 172 boats started – 151 boats finished. The main S2 race was the Mixed Doubles, so they went off first. Matt Fenn & Saskia Hockley had a great start, rounded the harbour buoy in first place and then led the whole way home, milking run after run and averaging 15kph to win comfortably, some two minutes ahead of a French crew. It looked like a Spanish crew would come third, but they swam coming in and battled to remount in the zone while Hamish Lovemore & Jenna Nisbet cruised through the surf to claim Bronze. Well done the Saffas! Also in the top 10 were Andy & Nix Birkett who finished in two hours. It seems our top guys are fantastic in everything from sprints to marathons to rivers to ocean swells with testing surf conditions – which they truly were on the way to Toti.
First home from Dabs in the MD’s were Carol & Bevan who won their age group. Next were Sarah & Sheldon followed by Karen & Chad. Fantastic finishes for the Fields! The rest of our TVL Navy peeps paddled in the Men’s Masters divisions. First home was Dave Ham Brown with Matt Gunning, then Benji & Moolies, followed by Tex & Gary, then Geachie & Bruce ahead of the SCARCies Sibusiso & Mvelo and then Benjamin & Sbusiso. A few of our crews chalked up DNFs, one feeling sick and turning home soon after the start, one having to use Safe Trax to get rescued out at sea as their ski was sinking and others having broken their boats. Sorry boys; next time. DUC, otherwise known as Durban Underwater Club, is the home of the Gerriatskis, a bunch of seasoned and salty old sea dogs who paddle out religiously on most mornings, a few of whom were the back bone of the organizing committee who put the whole event together. One of these characters told our guys on the beach at DUC that Toti would be “mild and manageable,” but his boat went home in two pieces.
Sunday then served up almost mild conditions. Overcast with a bit of drizzle, and a light South Westerly meaning the DUC bay was well protected and without a wave – vastly different to the day before. There were still great runs for the paddlers to catch, and fortunately the Westbrook surf conditions weren’t as big as in Toti although there was a naughty shore break that caused a lot of chaos. The ladies started ahead of the men, and then over 400 guys went off. What a spectacle – it was fantastic to see. In total 480 boats finished (there were 39 DNS’s and 5 DNFs) – with one of ours coming last, over half an hour behind the 82 year young Paul Chalupsky.
It looked like Kira Bester was comfortably leading the ladies the whole way; in the end she came in on some knarly waves and did really well to stay in her boat to beat the New Zealander Danielle Richards by just 23 seconds and claim her second world title; recognising the late Peter Cole for her win. The bronze medal went to Rosie Edwards from the UK, just beating Georgia Singe and Jade Wilson and also winning Gold in the U23’s. Interestingly young Rosie fancies a Fenn boy, but wasn’t in a Fenn boat. Perhaps he will make her one for Christmas.
In the men’s it was unclear for some time as to exactly who was in contention for the medals and some suggested that timing chips and/or drone footage would have helped viewers and commentators, for what was otherwise an exceptionally well organized world class event. In the end Cory Hill claimed his 4th win finishing some 47seconds ahead of Frenchman Pierre Vilella with a Portuguese paddler Bernardo Pereira claiming Bronze, some 10 seconds ahead of Nic Notten. The 2024 winner, Harbrecht came in 5th followed by Uli Hart and Josh Fenn. Dawid Mocke came 9th while Jasper was 11th. Hank was clearly disappointed finishing in 14th place while Bevan Manson showed us how strong he is coming 16th overall. While most of the front runners cruised up onto the beach, many of the back markers didn’t read the shore break and created a lot of entertainment for astonished onlookers.
Well done to Ricci Talevi who was the next Dabs paddler home, ahead of Mike Arthur, and then Benji Cockram, who only just Beat Mark Garden, who just beat the Dusi Duke Martin Dreyer. Martin lit up the social media pages on Sunday when he was filmed running with his ski for a couple of kilometers to get past a massive accident which caused the closure of the N3 at Westville – what a legend! Brad Fish was our next man home followed by Chris Visser. Then came an ex-Dabs guy Chris Carnegie followed by John Konyn and then another ex-Dabs guy Graham (Tex) Holm. Then we had Sheldon Baker, Chad Andrews and Peter O’Connor almost together followed by Bruce Dixon, Gary Ralph, Peter Geach, Riyaz Sader, Karen Field, Danny Hanff and finally Robert McFarlane, who was stone last. Bob wasn’t aware there was any need to rush, as he was escorted home by 5 NSRI boats, while the organisers were fuming because he was holding everything up. But finish he did; well done Bob!
Well done to all the paddlers who supported the event, particularly those who came from afar. Well done and thank you to the organisers, led by Dave Harker and Colin Simpkins, for pulling it all together and thank you to the title sponsors Shaw & Partners and EuroSteel for supporting our sport. Thanks to Dave Macleod, Travis Wilkinson and Oscar for the on-couch commentary, and well done to Brad Boulle, the on-beach commentator. Credit and thanks to the guys out on the boats filming things and to Graham Daniels for these pictures. Finally, well done to Elandrie for getting people to watch Sundays spectacle at Dabs. What a weekend! Be sure to be at the clubhouse on Thursday evening; there will be lots of war stories.
Till next time – Go Dabs!