Basson, Kriel speed ahead
2007-02-01
THE third WP rubber duck surf regional competition was held at Blouberg Strand last weekend.
The competition was decided over two heats and a final round with the boats racing in a surf circuit.
Every heat consisted of nine laps with performances in the heats deciding the grid position of the last day’s final.
Saturday greeted the contestants with perfect weather conditions although the sea conditions changed continuously.
This situation made things difficult at the starting line-up, with the more mature racers putting their experience to good use.
Growth in the sport was clear as a couple of new teams showed up at the races.
The first day of racing was hard and fast with only three boats taking a flip.
Poor visibility due to foggy conditions put a brake on Sunday morning’s start.
Conditions cleared however and by 12:00 the racing continued, but this time only around six laps.
Jacques Groenewald and Frans Laubscher (Team Zing) of Wellington could only compete on Sunday due to work responsibilities. They had a satisfactory run in the standard class.
Locals JD de Villiers and Chris Vos (Team Quantum Wealth) competed in the Blue Print class. It was their first time racing in a surf event and they fared well in this very competitive class.
Jacques Matthee and Andras Molnar (Team Ceasar/Ranger Outback Promotions) of Boland Agricultural High School also raced well in the standard class, managing a fifth place on Sunday and a first place on Sunday. Breathing in their necks were Trans Agulhas winners Dreyer van Niekerk and Dudley de Reuck.
The other Wellington team of Steyn Basson and Jan Kriel (Team Champ) also gave a good performance. They achieved a fourth and second place respectively.
What made this result in the blueprint class especially gratifying is that they raced against the current world champion Stefan Lindeque and Danny Havenga as well as the Springbok racers Dian Gilomee and Wimpie Ackerman and beat both these teams.
In the construction championship Ceasar inflatables also took the honours.
The next regional competition will take place near Rawsonville at the Kwaggaskloof Dam on 24 and 25 February.
The national season begins on 8 February at the Gariep Dam.
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