Organisers extend closing date for Dunlop Surfski World Cup

Thursday, 22 April 2010 09:19

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Organisers of the 2010 Dunlop Surfski World Cup have agreed to extend the closing date for normal entries by a week to cater for the paddlers caught off guard by the rescheduled date of the race.

The FIFA Soccer World Cup forced the organisers of the Dunlop Surfski World Cup Durban to move the event seven weeks earlier to Sunday 16 May this year, and in the process shifted the usual one month entry deadline to before the start of the Discovery Sunglass Hut Surfski Series.

"It has caught paddlers by surprise," said series boss Billy Harker. "We are also using a new entry portal through the ROAG website which is another reason why we are trying to accommodate the paddlers who might not have entered yet."

However Harker confirmed that there are already 180 entries for the event, and he is expecting a field of around 250 paddlers to take part in the 32km race, making it the biggest event on the snowballing international calendar.

"International paddlers are asked to make contact with us directly to get their $25 entry in, as the ROAG online system is geared towards South African athletes," said Harker.

By the original closing entry date, a delegation from France and Spain had already entered, with the big guns from Australia and New Zealand expected to lodge their entries in the coming weeks.

Many of the top local contenders' names are amongst the 180 entries already processed, including Capetonian superstar Dawid Mocke, Durban iron man Matt Bouman, the reigning marathon world champion brothers Grant and Brandon van der Walt and Herman Chalupsky.

The women's field currently includes defending champion Michéle Eray, Toti star Michelle Eder and the on form Donna Winter.

"There is also a strong doubles field assembling for the Dunlop World Cup," added Harker. "The event is a single ski championship event, and all the top men and women will be entering in single skis. But the good double ski field is a sign of the steady growth in the sport, and in Durban as a premium paddling destination."
The Dunlop Surfski World Cup takes place on Sunday 16 May over a distance on 32 kilometres. The final race course will be decided by the prevailing weather. More information can be found at www.surfski.co.za

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