Ash Nesbit race day report! I woke at 5am to Dean Gardiner watching TV in the Bathhouse lounge room. I could hear the wind outside and I must say I was quite excited. Dean and I chatted for a while then chowed some breakfast. We (Dean, Daryl, Brett and Wes Bartho) had already prepared our race kit the night before so we could get away quickly in the morning. Normally it takes Daryl around an hour to beautify himself!! I did have a nervous minute when the practical joker Brett Bartho decided it would be funny to let us know the SMS he got before we left, said we would be doing laps…..funny Brett!! On arriving at the start my excitement grew even more as I could see the angles of the wind now against the coast line. It is the opposite wind side for me with the wind that normally comes over my left shoulder at home in Perth, so I was a little concerned that I hadn’t had a training paddle in the conditions. 

As we lined up on the start my nerves where a little different to starting a flat water race as there was definitely not going to be any wash riding or worrying about being dropped, I have to say I was very calm and looking forward to getting out there and enjoying myself. GO - I did miss the start a little as the starter called go as I was walking down to the water. Heading out I hit a few smallish waves losing my Thiess / Kentz hat. Heading around the ARB turning buoys I was a fair way back with Oscar on a outside line so I decided to shadow him. I did have a small chuckle to myself as I saw Daryl Bartho try to cut over the shark nets and get caught up. As I predicted I was having a little trouble getting used to the runs coming from the other side and Oscar quickly put 100m into me.  Around 40mins into the race I started to hit my rhythm with the ocean and my Fenn Millenium was starting too really fly. Having small glances down at my Garmin GPS I was seeing speeds of 25km to 30km consistently.

At times I must say I went down some very big runs and it got quite unnerving as I did broach twice during the race, one time even turning me back the other direction!! I was on a really deep line out to sea worrying at times that I was to far out, but every now and then I could see Dean Gardiner pop up at the top of a run then disappear again about 200m ahead of me (I could see his yellow Australian race jersey). I could also see the support and media boats on the inside, so I figured I was at the pointy end and continued towards the harbour. Around 2km out from the harbor I could see a massive container ship coming……I new then I was in trouble as I was going to hit the mouth at the same time.  Around 500m off the southern end of the harbor wall around 9 skis appeared: Daryl, Barry, Tim, Jasper and Steve Woods and just ahead was Herman, Matt, Dawid and Dean. We crossed behind the massive shadow of the container ship through the turbulent water from its massive propellers.

The guys behind didn’t get held up at all as we battled into the head wind that had helped us for the previous 28km. My speed had now dropped to 11.5km and my heart rate was up to 170++ beats per minute as I strolled past Mr. Beautiful Daryl Bartho and finished in 9^th position. After packing away my trusted Millenium it was off to the beer tent to discuss the Oscar/ Hank controversy. I believe the committee made the right decision on the outcome - but hey if they want to fly me back for a re-race I would love to go.  I will be back for Durban ARB World Cup next year….congrats on an awesome well run event. I must make special mention to Terry Henebrey Thiess / Kentz for his support and help throughout the week, also thank you to Gavin Searle and ARB for the best event I have been to. Last but not least to Keith Fenn for dusting off the Millenium mould and building another awesome boat in record time.

ASH

Click on the read more link to see the full results for the 2007 ARB Surfski World Cup. Click on the Gallery menu above for race photos.

"I was fortunate enough to have taken part in Sundays race and have to rate it as one of the best experiences I have had for a while. Although I am bitterly disappointed at not having completed such an epic (not the boat version) adventure I learnt a lot about ego and commonsense. I paddle an old Otter that is used as a fishing ski by my mate who lent it to me (Vernon O’Connell) and it was just the perfect craft for the conditions. After catching some amazing rides but always tacking out to sea I went down a mine shaft and was too straight on and the resultant foamy after the wave had broken separated me from the ski, now this is where I have lost sleep on over the past couple of days replaying the events.

 If I’d had a leash there would have been no problem at all and secondly the 5 seconds to make a decision between ski or paddle were critical I chose the paddle and tried to swim after the ski, now here is the no brainer at some stage round about this time I lost my ARB peak and swam after it (why?). I was approximately 1km off the military base phoned John and took an hour to swim in with my paddle. I was picked up on the beach by Butch Murray and his partner (drives that F250) and would like to express my appreciation to them, some paddler has them to thank for going all the way back down the path and recovering a Wavemaster ski (what was the make again mister Saddler?). I am thankful that I wore my lifejacket, took my cell phone and used the Otter instead of the V10 also offered to me by Vernon (who needs a lawyer when you have friends like this).I was STUIPED not to use a leash which contributed towards the stress of organizers who had enough on their plate on the day. Needless to say that shiny new leash at this weekends Pirates-Umhlanga flat water event will be mine. Thank you to all involved and I must admit that these conditions could become addictive as that feeling in the pit of your stomach , the brrrr when on a run combined with the fear/thrill factor is invigorating. Finally if amongst the flotsam there is an ARB peak I would value the memory. Gordon "

"ANDREW CHURCH  (7870 ) and VINCE BOULLE (1951) finished in 2hrs 53 minutes in 190 th place. This was their story to their mates over the email this morning

The Bush pairing  finished in 189 th position 50 seconds ahead of their saved male pair - well done to you two - an example of grit , determination and sportsmanship .

Brad Youens was the man on the Red Flag - we will hear from him later

59 year old Surfski legend DAVE GILLMER (6678) and finisher of no fewer than ten PE 2 EL Challenges was just 5 km from the finish when he was parted with his ski. Here is his story

" I was having such a good race and was just past the 2nd Fence off the Bluff when my paddle must have just fallen into a hole and over i went.I really struggled to get back on my ski ( Carbon Vacuumed Mako 6 , super light). I had my leash on and was worried i might get tangled up so decided to unclip myself but in the process my ski just flew off and was gone. I left my paddle and decided to swim after it , in vain. Luckily i was spotted by the rescue chopper who dropped down a line and harness and before i knew it i was on the beach. They didnt hang around and i managed to link up with an Indian fisherman who kindly gave me a cup of tea and a sarmie( sandwich). He had a few family duties and had to fetch his son but kindly gave me a lift back to the finish at about 13h30.While i was on the beach waiting  a French guy came in with a broken rudder ( must have been Morgan Joncour of the French Federation Team) and the rubber duck dropped off Rodger Winter (2366)who had also been parted  with his ski. (Later found by the police alond with Dave's paddles.) There was no beach so the guys and the rubber duck got pretty messed up on the rocks. I was calm all along and should have probably just relaxed until i had rested enough to get back on my ski without undoing the leash. Another thing i thought of doing was undoing the bung on the ski and letting some water in to make the ski a bit heavier and more manageable. Perhaps i should get myself a more stable and heavier ski in conditions like this. "

I am sure Dave would like to extend his thanks to the chopper crew and he will rest assured be back on the water.  Dr Gilmer's ski has still not been found although a Fenn was spotted on the beach near Umdhloti this morning.

I actually had a bad race by my standards as when I jumped into my ski I got my GPS and drinking tube tangles. I wasn’t fast off the beach and ended up getting a few waves over my head which pushed to about 30th around the turning buoy. I was told my Len DeBeer that he dived the day before at the bluff and said that there was a current going with us about 2km out, I went on his advice and worked my way out.

Once I was going down wind I started to relax a bit and started to sort out my drinking system. Once I untangled it my join had come part. I had two pieces of tube I had to join while screaming down huge runs. I managed to do this so that I had a little Cytomax. Once I had joined my drinking pipe I started going better and waited before I had my 1st sip only to find out that my bite value had come off and I ended up with not a drop to drink. It is not a big deal no juice for 1 hour 40 mins but we were going so fast I could have a done with a sip or two.

The runs were perfect and I just conserved for the 1st 1 hour and I never saw anybody after the 1st 20 minutes. I could see the Helicopter and nothing else. At 1 hour I said to myself I will push hard till the harbour wall. I new I was going well but I never saw a soul.

When I got closer to the harbour entrance I finally saw the press boat and Hank about 50m or 3 runs ahead. In no time I had it down to one run and it was very easy to catch him. I think I was still fresh and Hank was a bit tired. I was just getting on the same run when they said the red flag was up, so we both stopped together. We were 3 meters apart.   The boats were a lot further off the piers than I had hoped as I had my route sorted. They say Hank was 7 seconds ahead but depends when you stopped the clock. I chatted to Hank saying that we can make the entrance and then I asked the official boats and they told Hank and I that we could go. I took off on my predetermined route and paddle like hell into the wind. Once I was on the other side I kept asking the camera boat where Hank was. One of the signs of weakness is turning around. They told me 200 meters and I new I had it in the bag "