Mocke is King of the Harbour
6 April 2005
Cape ski paddling star Dawid Mocke won the prestigious New Zealand King of the Harbour title for the second time in succession on the weekend, while his wife Nikki took silver in the women's race.
The race, which attracts many of the world's top ocean ski paddlers, is run from the Viaduct Basin in Auckland Harbour to Waiheke Island, over a distance of 25 kilometres. It crosses some very strong ocean currents, but, thankfully, there was with very little swell running on the day of the event.
A fierce tussle with Fouhey
Mocke was locked in a fierce tussle with Kiwi Olympic silver medallist Ben Fouhey throughout the race, and opted to follow the same route taken by Fouhey, rather than try and make a break on his own.
He shook off other strong challengers such as Mike Walker and Aussie Dave Kissane during the race, and entered the harbour several hundred metres clear of Fouhey, who was in top form, having just
beaten Olympic double medallist Nathan Baggaley twice in the Australian Sprint Championships.
"Local knowledge counts or a lot on this section of sea, so I was racing off them, watching them the whole time", Mocke said afterwards.
Tides, currents, islands, headlands
"What makes racing so difficult here is the added dynamics of tides and currents, as there are many islands and headlands around, with currents swirling around them, sometimes with the same strength as a fast flowing river."
Mocke broke away from Fouhey to reach the port finish 20 seconds clear of the Kiwi hero, with another Kiwi, Mike Walker, in third, a further two and a half minutes back.
Women's race
Mocke's wife Nikki was also locked in a tense struggle for control of the women's race, and finished second to local paddler Katie Pocock by a minute-and-a-half.
The South African took an early lead in the women's race, but
then became nervous when it became clear that Pocock had taken a different route through the tricky currents.
She opted to change course to stay with Pocock, who knows the waters well, and lost her lead in the process.
Summary of results
Men
1. Dawid Mocke (RSA) 1:57.12
2. Ben Fouhey (NZL) 1L57.32
3. Mike Walker (NZL) 2:00.03
4. Tepa Leopold (Tah) 2:01.30
5. Dave Kissane (Aus) 2:01.40
Women
1. Katie Pocock (NZL) 2:07.42
2. Nikki Mocke (RSA) 2:09.18
3. Tracey Wilson (NZL) 2:19.41
Source: Canoeing South Africa
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