Salt Rock resident and Flatwater Marathon World Champion Hank Mcgregor will today paddle away in the opening leg of the Illovo Suncoast Wall and Back Surfski Series.

Suncoast Pirates lifesaving club are hosting the beach front series which returns to Durba’s surfski calender. The series is made of six leg races over the next six weeks.

“The Wall and Back series is a fantastic string of races and I’m really excited to see it back on the calendar!” said McGregor.

The races will take place on Friday evenings and, according to Mcgregor, racers will have a great opportunity to enjoy the warm Durban waters.

“Weekday races are always really well supported in Durban and to be able to head down to the beach and have a good paddle with everyone else on Friday evening is fantastic and really helps kick start the weekend early,” said McGregor.
The race itself sees paddlers head out through the surf in front of the Pirates clubhouse and then turn towards the Durban harbour wall before racing back to the finish at Pirates to complete the eight kilometre.

“It’s always a really good, fun course because often there is a bit of a wave at Pirates which keeps things nice and interesting and then, once you’re out, it all depends on which way the wind is blowing as to whether you will have to paddle into or with the wind on the way home when the racing really starts.”

Suncoast Pirates Club Chairman Anton Fouché believes the short format races on a Friday evening, the race’s history and the support of the title sponsors Illovo sugar will make the revival of the series a great success.

“The series did not take place last year for the first time in many years so we really keen to try take the series to new heights with very similar numbers taking part in the races that the series used to enjoy some years ago,” said Fouché.
“The Wall and Back Surfski Series is one of the oldest series in the world, from what we understand, and I’m sure we’re in for a great six weeks of surfski paddling,” he added.

The first race will hit the waves at 5.15pm tonight. Entry is R60 per paddler. For more information check out www.wallandback.co.za.