The Varsity College SA Schools Surfski Champs produced racing of the highest standard with the incredibly strong Orka Training Squad who made their way up the coast for the event destroying the KZN's junior talent and claiming both the boys' and girls' title.

The battle at the front of the boys' race was fierce as the lads from Cape Town set a blistering pace from the outset.

A strong interval by defending champ Dom Notten (Wynberg Boys' High), Craig Flanagan (SACS) and the inform Kenn...
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Firstly I must appologise for the lack of news, running a factory, training again and being Mom leaves little time for much else, but I have made a promise to keep you all more up to date with the goings on at Orka Paddles and Pete's Orka Training Squad, so here is the first installment.

This weekend a wealth of top junior surfski talent from around the country is headed for Durban’s shores as school pupils from the Western and Eastern Cape look to tackle KwaZulu-Natal’s finest ocean pad...
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Pietermaritzburg – Brothers Richard  and Nhlanhla Cele of the Change A Life academy threw the cat amongst the pigeons and sent out a strong warning to the rest of the elite The Unlimited Dusi canoe marathon field when they claimed a shock victory in the tough Campbell’s Farm to Dusi Bridge race on the weekend.

The siblings took the line honours ahead of many top Dusi title contenders in the key race that incorporates most of the tough paddling and portaging sections of The Unlimited...
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Fish Hoek – World marathon champ Hank McGregor added the cherry on the top of his most successful season ever by winning the Fenn Cape Point Challenge, presented by Hansa and Di Data, in a gruelling showdown with the Mockè brothers and defending champion Sean Rice.

The race started at dawn at Scarborough beach where a large group raced with a moderate South Easter  blowing to the halfway mark at Cape Point, at times challenging the paddlers with a modest headwind.

McGregor tagged along...

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With the top Cape boys and girls, baring Jasper Mocke, all back in town this race was destined to be a cracker.What we didnt know is that the wind would play ball as well.

With the race at Strand traditionally held on the Saturday and in an area of Cape Town, some call the other side of the world it was interresting to see who pitched up. There were new faces and old faces even some long forgotten faces. Definatly a few faces missing but the small field that did manage to find its way to the S...
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Fish Hoek - Sean Rice threw the race for the Discovery Sunglass Hut Surfski Series title wide open by winning the New Balance Surf Challenge in dramatic circumstances on Sunday.
For the second week running the race was decided in a sprint finish up the beach. This time it was Rice who upstaged Dawid Mockè and Tom Schilperoort to win the title by less than a boat length in a thrilling finale.

Dawid Mockè, who was race director, had a tough call to make after days of heightened shark act...
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Well after thinking I had retired in 2008 to have our first child, Jarryd born in May 2010, I am quite surprised to find myself back in a boat. It all happened quite by chance. Pete has got a fantastic Orka Training Squad running with some of the best paddlers in the world hammering it out daily on the Swamp in preparation for various races. Included in this bunch are some extreemly tallented junior paddlers who he wanted to take to the SA Marathon Champs in Durban in August. I thought it wou...
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Cradock – Defending champions Hank McGregor and Grant van der Walt have a firm grip on a unprecedented hat trick of victories after totally dominating the 49km first stage of the Hansa Fish River canoe marathon.

The duo blitzed a four and a half minute lead at the end of their total domination of the first stage that saw several top contenders sidelined by dramas on the river.

“It was just a perfect day for us, one you always dream of having at the Hansa Fish,” said McGregor, who is...
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Action a plenty at day two of SA champs

Despite Mother Nature's best efforts to put a dampener on affairs at day two of the SA flatwater marathon champs at Shongweni dam on Sunday, on the water the action was sizzling hot and there was simply no stopping Hank McGregor and Grant van der Walt as the pair powered their way to front of the pack and crossed the line just seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

With no less than five former world champs on the senior men's start line and a wea...
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McGregor and Cole crowned SA K1 champs

Hank McGregor continued his incredible run of form in the paddling world as he comfortably claimed the top step of the podium in the senior men’s K1 race along with another national title at the SA flatwater marathon champs held at Shongweni dam on Saturday 13 August.

Against the exquisite backdrop of the Shongweni Msinsi reserve there was action aplenty on the water as the country’s leading K1 paddlers battled it out for the prestigious nationa...
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