The 2022 Durban Winter Series kicks off this weekend as surfski paddlers from Durban enjoy the stellar winter conditions that the famous Durban beachfront has to offer with the series Grading Race on Sunday.
The Winter Series has become popular over the years as paddlers enjoy the ideal conditions on Sunday mornings as they enjoy a number of different races that take paddlers to different parts of the Durban coastline.
The series consists of five races which will see paddlers take on this weekend’s Marine Grading Race, followed by the Marine Golden Mile Challenge, the famous Bay Union King of the Bay, the world’s oldest surfski race the SBS Tanks Pirates Umhlanga Pirates and finishing off with the Scottburgh2Brighton.
This weekends’ Marine Grading Race is a crucial race for paddlers because the series has taken the decision to reintroduce the grading system.
All paddlers that take part in this Sunday’s race will be graded on what percentage they finish of the overall winner’s time. This percentage will determine which grade they race in for the rest of the series.
With five very different races making up the Winter Series paddlers are spoiled with variety as the races take in both the South and North Coast waters and the one and only chance paddlers have to paddle out of the harbour at the King of the Bay.
With Durban’s popular waters comes some of the country’s most successful surfski paddlers and the series is set to attract a number of South Africa’s best ocean paddlers.
Recently crowned SA champion Hank McGregor is a big supporter of Durban’s seasonal series’ and is expected to be on the start line for a number of the races on the calendar and he will have a handful of local stars to contend with throughout.
Having recently returned to competitive racing after an injury, Michelle Burn is on her way back to full fitness and might use the winter series races as a way of sharpening her skills before she represents South Africa again at the ICF Ocean Racing World Championships in Portugal.
Many other local stars like young world champion Saskia Hockly is also likely to be present at the races this season along with the experience of the likes of Matt Bouman and Gene Prato in the men’s category.
“Surfski paddling in Durban in Winter is second to none and we know how much the Durbanites revel in the winter conditions,” race organiser Trevor Martin said.
“Sunday morning races have always been very popular and I think with the variety that we have given paddlers for the series you will see them turn up in their numbers.
“It’s great value for money and we will have some fantastic lucky draw prizes for those that enter and come down to race.”
The grading race taking place on Sunday will happen at Marine Surf Lifesaving Club at Addington Beach with check-in starting at 08:00 with the race start at 09:00.
2022 Durban Winter Surfski Series Calendar
Sunday 8 May – Marine Grading Race (±7km / ±14km)
Sunday 22 May – Race 2 – Marine Golden Mile Challenge (±9km / ±18km)
Sunday 29 May – Bay Union King of the Bay (±10km / ±22km)
Saturday 11 June – SBS Tanks Pirates–Umhlanga–Pirates (±14km / ±26km)
Saturday 2 July – Scottburgh2Brighton (±47km)