In some of the toughest ocean conditions, the Discovery Surfers Challenge paddlers launched on their way to Nahoon Beach, with one positive advantage being the wind, which showed itself in the recorded times.
The first paddlers in were on single skis, with Tayne Thompson paddling to a comfortable 62:32 win over Steve Woods, one of the most experienced men in the province, who finished in 64:30, one minute and 14 seconds quicker than his 2023 time.
He was chased all the way by Matthew Tebbutt, who finished only twenty seconds adrift, while Tyde Malherbe was another six seconds off the pace.
The first double ski of Dylan Cloete and Quinton Rheeder was next in 66:18. Veterans of sport can never be kept down or out, and Hennie Roos followed on his single ski in 68:23.
The second double ski was that of Jethro Johnson and Dale Heidtmann in 73:04, followed by Kelvin Herman and Mike Watson in 73:36, Josh Fowles and Russell de Jongh, Jan Swanepoel and Roelof Steyn in times of 74:36 and 76:15 respectively.
As has often been the case, the mixed doubles title went to Shane and Joy Roach in 77:21 against their previous times of 88:10 and 92:25, confirming the wind advantage of this year’s contest.
Madison Malherbe repeated her win of last year with an 84:33 effort.
One of the regular mixed doubles partnerships faced what they described as “a lot tougher conditions than expected”.
Angus and Sophia Warren told the Daily Dispatch: “We spent 12km bracing and making our way slowly, but then we took an unfortunate swim after three sisters.
“We battled to turn the boat into the oncoming swell and wind, and then we lost our grip, and the boat drifted slowly away from us.”
Keeping calm, Angus called the NSRI and sent them a pin from his phone.
“They picked us and the boat up in a few minutes,” he said.
“Sophia was cold and was treated for hypothermia. They took her in the rubber duck while I paddled with some difficulty, before having another unscheduled swim through the surf.”
Angus is not new to the adventure of the sea, shark encounters included.
Fortunately, husband and wife are fully recovered and were out cycling on Sunday morning, as they do.
Brendon Thompson, who serves as the paddling spokesperson on the surfers’ organising body, also experienced problems with his paddling partner, Andre van Wyk.
“Unfortunately we had our rudder taken out, and it was sheered off about 1.5km out from Gonubie Point. We do not know what it was, but we could not finish the race.”
They remain unsure as to whether “an object hit them or they hit it”.
Thompson said: “It made a rifle-like sound, and we were both almost knocked out of the boat and were forced to brace aggressively with our paddles.” Floundering around without direction, they were forced to paddle roughly “3km back against the wind, sans a rudder”.
Having been in contention for a win, it meant the fun element had been withdrawn and their race was over, but they do have a unique experience to share with younger paddlers coming through the ranks.