Paddling royalty
In the men's race, Salt Rock local Chris Couve (Starboard) went head to head with international SUP athlete Dylan Frick.
Standing or sitting, everyone was paddling at the annual Bay Union King of the Bay, presented by Zurich, on Sunday, which was a twofold race event.
The stand up paddling (SUP) race, which started at the old Stella Canoe Club, saw big names compete from Cape Town and abroad with a total of 32 entrants.
In the men’s race, Salt Rock local Chris Couve (Starboard) went head to head with international SUP athlete Dylan Frick.
“The tough conditions meant that the wave trains broke up and it was every man for himself,” said Couve.
As the field neared the harbour mouth, the full force of the northerly wind had picked up and conditions going out became very rough with a strong headwind of 12-15 knots blowing with some choppy wind swell underfoot. Frick exited the harbour mouth in first place with Couve still pushing hard on his heels.
Despite Couve’s fighting efforts, he came in behind Frick at the finish line at the Durban Surf Lifesaving Club, Vetch’s Pier Beach.
Frick won the men’s elite 14ft class in 1:04 and Chris came in at a close second in 1:05.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the race and am stoked with such a great turnout! The conditions got really rough for a SUP and it was a great test of my all round abilities. Thanks to the race organiser’s, Barry Lewin and the SUPDurbs! Club for once again putting on such an awesome event. I will be certainly try to step it up and hunt for that first position next year and the SUP King of the Bay title.”
The Surfski Series saw paddlers charging across the waters of the harbour and out to sea with world renowned paddling sensation Hank McGregor from Ballito at the front.
He refused to relinquish his lead throughout the 22km tussle and charged home in first place.
“The King of the Bay is one of Durban’s real tough races and is a completely unique event so it is great to see Bay Union and Zurich being part of such an iconic race. I am also really chuffed to have walked away with the win,” said McGregor.
“I opened up a bit of a gap over the others after two kilometres as I wanted to give myself a bit of a buffer and then when we got out the harbour mouth there was a bit of a headwind down to the turning buoy off uMngeni River mouth. Once we turned, I still had a decent lead and so I was able to enjoy the downwind leg all the way to the finish.”.
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