Paddlers awarded
Local paddlers were awarded at a recent prize giving for the Da’Real Downwind Paddling Series.
LAST Friday accounting firm BDO paid tribute to the courageous sportsmen who battled the open ocean and strong winds to win out at the six races that make up Da’Real Downwind Paddling Series.
During the year end prize giving ceremony, a wide variety of awards were presented. These extended from junior through to masters' categories.
Speaking after the event, BDO KwaZulu-Natal’s marketing head, Samantha Worthington, said the company was proud to have had an opportunity to sponsor kit, branding and prizes for what is becoming an increasingly popular series among the surfski paddling community worldwide.
Angus Ferguson, the series organiser from FSPORTZ, explained that Da’Real Downwind Surfski Series comprised six races held between August and November.
These included the first four races between Pirates and Umdloti on 23 August, 6/7 September, 27/28 September and 11 October as well as the gruelling 50km Downwind Challenge and Relay that spans Pirates, Umdloti and Tinley Manor on 25/26 October. The series culminated in the four day Da’Real Richards Bay to Pirates downwind challenge over four days between 5 and 9 November.
The name of the series comes from paddlers wanting to take on “real” ocean conditions which, for seasoned sportsmen, involves paddling downwind in challenging conditions. Al
Top achievers in the series included Jason Ekstrand, Brett Hadiaris and Ross Fountain, Quinton Rutherford, Malcolm Pitt, Bryan Taylor, Matthew Bouman, Bevan Manson and Gavin Dickinson and Steve Woods.
