A MODERATE field took on the world’s oldest surfski race, the Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates Surfski Race on Sunday. Paddlers encountered some tough conditions with South African surfski ace, Hank McGregor, claiming the overall win, with Nicole Russell finishing as the first lady home.

The race, first raced in 1957, had both a long and short course as well as incorporating a number of long standing traditions which include an earlier 7am start as well as all paddlers receiving soup at the conclusion of the race. The older members of the Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club were present at Sunday’s shoot-out further entrenching the prestige of the 59 year old race.

“It was a good race today with a good following tail wind all the way to Umhlanga,” McGregor said after his win. “The wind was against the current so you felt like you were going faster than you actually were and then on the return we were with the current but into the wind which made it a pretty tough day out.”

uMhlanga’s Matt Bouman took second place while Wade Krieger came home in third with the doubles race spoils going to Steve Woods and Bailey de Fondaumire.

The ladies race was won by Fenn Kayak’s Nicole Russell with the mixed doubles spoils going to Russell’s Fenn Kayak’s team mate Mt Edgecombe resident, Jenna Ward, and Brett Hadiaris.

The Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates fell the day after paddlers from around the world united to raise awareness of the environment and the plight of the world’s oceans for a relay event called Paddle for the Planet.