Durban arrives in numbers for 2016 Marine Surfski Series opener

The much anticipated 2016 surfski season on the KwaZulu-Natal coast got underway on Friday evening when 275 of Durban's eager surfski community tackled the FNB Surfski Challenge, race one of the Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series, a clash that also saw Matt Bouman and Kyeta Purchase open their accounts with early season race victories. A string of strong showings in the final few clashes of the Western Cape season in late December and a return to his favoured Indian Ocean waters, Epic Kayaks’ Bouman was full of confidence ahead of the commencement of the Durban season and made light work of his nearest rivals in the idyllically flat and novice-friendly conditions. Bouman charged home ahead of former surf lifesaving sensation and ever-improving surfski ace Wade Krieger and Gene Prato while Jason Ekstrand secured fourth position and Grand Master flyer Lee McGregor secured yet another remarkable result as he rounded out the top five. The women’s clash was another display of the extraordinary depth of ladies paddling talent in Durban with the race signaling another significant milestone in the series' history as the growth in depth in women's paddling in the region of late saw the series offer a dedicated ladies batch for the first time ever. Up front, junior sensation Purchase edged out Fenn Kayaks team Jenna Ward for victory while emerging star Hayley Arthur claimed third place ahead of Donna Tutton and Sabina Lawrie while Sharon Armstrong and Lynne Hauptfleisch edged out Kelly Biljoen and Wilma Deysel in the women’s doubles race. “Conditions were absolutely perfect, you couldn't have asked for better!” said Purchase. “There was a small wave on the way out and then a slight bump - which you had to work quite hard to catch - on the way down to the bottom can, and then very manageable surf on the way in again.” “I'm training with the seniors every day so it’s nice to be able to mix it up with them and compare where I am against them in the races too. "I've been...

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