SA Kings of the Harbour 2004
29 March 2004
South African canoeist Dawid Mocke won the prestigious NutraLife King of the Harbour ski race in Auckland, New Zealand, with three other South Africans snatching places in the top six, thus securing top spot for South Africa in the team competition.
Cape Town-based Mocke beat 2002 champion, and last year’s runner up, Tim Jacobs of Australia, in the race which starts and finishes at the Viaduct harbour in Auckland. Forecasts of gale-strength winds forced the race organizers to alter the course from the traditional loop around Rangitoto island to a looped 33km course around Watchman’s and Brown’s Islands.
Early lead
Mocke took the early lead in the race, as the paddlers left the Harbour Bridge, and then rode the very strong tailwind after turning at Watchman’s Island. He was handed a chance to break clear when Jacobs took a swim after hitting some rough water near Devonport Wharf.
However, the powerful
Australian sprinter ground his way back into contention and caught Mocke as they turned around Brown’s Island for the difficult final leg into the strong headwind. The duo were together with 5km to go, with defending champ Mike Walker of New Zealand gambling on a line very close to the shore in an attempt to catch them.
Mocke and Jacobs entered Auckland harbour side by side, but in a sprint finish the Capetonian took the honours half a boat-length. Durban’s Darryl Bartho finished third, ahead of Walker, with fellow South Africans Matthew Boumann and Keith Anderson filling fifth and sixth positions, and Ant Stott eighth spot.
Downwind domination
Mocke said afterwards that he had raced well on the tough downwind leg and realised that he could win the race after dominating on that leg. Jacobs heaped praise on the South African for the win, and said it had been the toughest race he had ever been involved in.
The landslide win by the
Format Interiors South African team bodes well for the inaugural Men’s Health Mazda World Cup, which will be taking place over the Easter weekend in Cape Town. Mocke’s entry for this event has been confirmed, while Bartho and Bouman will be representing the official SA team at the event.
The event organisers have confirmed entries from very strong teams representing Australia, New Zealand, France and Tahiti, as well as a huge entry of South African paddlers eager to be part of the first formalised ski racing World Cup.
Results:
1. Dawid Mocke SA 2.41.58
2. Tim Jacobs Aus 2.42.00
3. Daryl Bartho SA 2.43.32
4. Mike Walker NZ 2.46.27
5. Keith Anderson SA 2. 46.53
6. Matt Bouman SA 2. 48.35
7. Danny Morrison NZ. 2. 49.27
8. Ant Stott SA 2. 50.50
9. Eugene Marsh NZ 2.51.15
10. Lewis Laughlin Tahiti 2.52.00
22. Katie Pocock NZ 3.13.00 (1st Woman)
Source: Canoeing South Africa
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