Gauteng-based Riccardo Talevi and St. Francis paddler Phillip Smith upstaged the locals to claim top honours at the annual Scottburgh To Brighton surfski ultra marathon on Saturday.
The duo powered past Gene Prato and Bryce Lawson in the closing stages of the race to claim the bragging rights, with Jason Ekstrand teaming up with Brendon Waters to claim the last step on the podium.
The long race, with a compulsory beach stop at Amanzimtoti, was made tougher by the prevailing weather, with a typical winter offshore wind switching to a headwind at times.
“The surf at the start in Scottburgh wasn’t too hectic,” said Gene Prato. “The starter let us go off in a lull between two sets.”
Five boats quickly settled into a lead bunch, working together until Winklespruit. When Smith encountering a problem with his drinking system Prato and Lawson made a break and led the race coming into the mandatory beach stop.
“I cut it a little bit too fine coming in at Toti and we took a little swim,” said Prato.
Talevi and Smith planned their charge to perfection after the Toti stop and stormed past Eckstrand and Water before catching Prato and Lawson four kilometres from the Brighton Beach finish to win by a minute and a half.
Teenager Sarah Jones paired up with Luke Swinney to claim the mixed double honours, finishing just outside the top ten overall.
The single ski honours went to Brent Chiazzari, well clear of second placed Russell Seymour, with Kwanele Banda claiming third.
The Western Cape paddling pair of Bianca Beavitt and Crispin Thompson excelled by filling the next two single ski positions, with Beavitt the first female paddler home.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
SCOTTBURGH TO BRIGHTON
1 Riccardo Talevi/Phillip Smith 3:50:16.57
2 Gene Prato/ Bryce Lawson 3:51:44.65
3 Jason Ekstrand/Brendon Waters 3:53:29.31
4 Marco Magni/Vernon Vogt 3:57:41.03
5 Nic Burden/Paul Rabinowitz 4:01:27.34
6 Barry Lewin/Mark Lewin 4:04:41.77
7 Michel De Rauville/Luke Symons 4:09:46.65
8 Brett Hadiaris/Ross Fountain 4:09:49.16
9 Luke Steenkamp/Glenn Hilliar 4:11:06.00
10 Benjamin Bradford/Trenton Lamble 4:13:04.08
11 Sarah Jones/Luke Swinney 4:18:52.22
12 Perry Cobbold/Keagan Kruger 4:23:23.27
13 Konrad Karcz/Warren Cooper 4:27:07.78
14 Colin Simpkins/Lance Howarth 4:31:23.07
15 Brett Frost/Craig Cook 4:36:27.60
16 Dave Harker/Justin Swart 4:36:47.47
17 Simon Grout/Marc Descoins 4:40:39.21
18 Emilio Chiccaro Anton Fouche 4:45:12.22
19 Angus Warren Rodger Swinney 5:04:02.12
SINGLES
1 Brent Chiazzari 4:24:08.63
2 Russell Seymour 4:32:18.50
3 Kwanele Banda 4:41:24.06
4 Crispin Thompson 4:42:07.45
5 Bianca Beavitt 4:43:24.61
6 Michael Coutts 4:45:09.62
7 Gareth Miles 4:57:10.19
8 Paul Cormack 5:11:42.74
9 Simon Weare 5:19:54.38
10 Gavin Botha 5:43:16.53