The 2013 PRIMI Naish Downwind Championship decider was held at Woodbridge Island, Milnerton on 11th Dec. The race takes the paddlers 10.1km downwind to Big Bay. Conditions were very contestable with 17-23knots of wind and no swell.

As the country mourns the loss of one of the worlds greatest leaders, our paddling fraternity dedicated this paddle to the life of Nelson Mandela and held a one minutes silence prior to the start in his memory. It was quite emotional event having Robben Island as a backdrop, just trying to fathom how Madiba managed to come from incarceration to making such a profound difference in all of our lives – Respect.

But back to the paddling – Dylan Frick was holding the lead going into the 10th and final race of the season. 4 races were cancelled due to lack of wind but fortunately the weather co-operated making it our 6th completed race this year. Ethan Koopmans was only 2 points behind in the championship and after last weeks photo-finish it was a hard one to call. Ethan has been improving in the lighter winds and this weeks conditions were sort of in between. There were lots of runs, but anything under 25knots is considered weak by Cape Town standards, so Dylan was definitely the favorite. The battle for the lower placings was pretty much over so all the focus was on the lead pair. Ethan needed two paddlers to wedge themselves between himself and Dylan to take the championship – a tall ask after the pair had dropped the field by 6minutes last week!

First start saw Armien Wohlgemuth fly onto the runs with Brigette van Aswegen also making a nice impression. The leading lady, Mishka Steyn, got off the beach around midfield and had some work to do. Armien led the first batch from start to finish and ended up in 8th overall with a time of 56.22. Mishka caught up to Brigette and took over 2 minutes out of her – and claimed her first PRIMI Naish Downwind overall title! Mishka is only 16yo and has now finally broken Brigettes stranglehold on the downwind discipline. Mishka now holds the Overall Ladies title as well as the Junior Ladies title – well done Mishka!

The first start had some epic close battles with amongst others Sean Avni and Nico Pfitzenmaier being literally side by side the entire way in a battle that eventually swung in favour of Nico. Nico is a multiple mountainbike champion including the current World Cross Country title – so there is a weapon for you! Sean reckons Nico had a little more left in the tank at the end….and yes, we wouldn’t argue with that….

Another noteworthy performance came from a first timer who had only ever done 2 downwinders prior to his first race. It was with some trepidation, as he was convinced he’d seen the landlord on his training run earlier in the week – but with dad on hand to chaperone our youngest competitor to date, 9yo Cameron Tripney, took to the seas and conquered, 1hr14min and 31st overall – and he weighs 27kg!!!! Brilliant cricket! Some of you may have seen the video we posted earlier in the year of his maiden run – if you haven’t, do yourself a favour and watch it now – it’s a hoot!

In the second start Dylan, as always, got off the beach in a hurry while Ethan dropped it going over a 2ft wave. Peter Petersen quickly filed into 2nd and tried to hang onto Dylan while eying Ethan catching up and taking over the pursuit duties. Brad Adams was hanging in 4th on a slightly wider line with Joshua Robertson close by. Dylan paddled like a man possessed and by halfway he’d built up a sizeable lead on Ethan – there was no way anyone would wedge themselves between Ethan and Dylan and Ethan did not look like he was in a position to close the gap. This meant that by halfway Dylan had pretty much cemented his position as the Downwind King of 2013! Dylan won in 48.54. With Ethan taking second in 50.33…Peter Petersen claimed 3rd in 52.55 holding off the youngsters barking from behind. Excellent performance from Dylan Frick who keeps posting the results – and he is our new Overall Downwind champ 2013!

Ethan’s 2nd place overall puts Joshua Robertson into 2nd place in the Juniors while a welcome return from injury saw Kimon Dos Santos take 3rd. This would also be their order in the overall series ranking – so well done Ethan, new junior champ! Ethan also claimed 2nd overall in the Open category while Joshua Robertson took a fine 3rd overall – well done juniors.

In the masters Peter Petersen cemented his masters title with a category win and 3rd overall while Gary van Rooyen was runner up in 6th overall. Third Master was Armien Wohlgemuth with his 8th place overall. Pietro Muscas takes second in the masters overall ranking, while Rob Munro’s consistency sees him take a deserved 3rd overall.

Monika Wohlgemuth improved on her husbands fine performance and took out the Lady masters race and title with Maleen Hoekstra once again taking second. Overall Patricia Kohrs managed to sneak ahead of Maleen to take 2nd – well done ladies – you guys rock!

Thanks to our intrepid timekeeping team, Lolo, Jen and Aden – the Wild Timing Team for making us look like pro’s and our sponsors: PRIMI, Naish, Bondiblu, Bodytec, Ocean Minded, BulkSMS, Vitaminwater, Island Tribe, SUPHQ, Mystic, Watersports Warehouse and SIC

That concludes our 10 race PRIMI Naish race series – we ended up racing 6 out of the 10 weeks and had 60 paddlers ranked. We’ll be back next year when the new 10 race series starts on the 8th of January.

Full Race results: http://www.sup-culture.com/results.html

Overall Results:
Mens Open:
1st Dylan Frick – Starboard 14’ Allstar
2nd Ethan Koopmans – Naish 14’ LE
3rd Joshua Robertson – Naish 14’ LE

Ladies Open:
1st Mishka Steyn – Mocean 14’ LE
2nd Brigette van Aswegen – Starboard 14’ Allstar
3rd Monika Wohlgemuth – Naish 14’ Glide

Juniors:
1st Ethan Koopmans – Naish 14’ LE
2nd Joshua Robertson – Naish 14’ LE
3rd Kimon Dos Santos – SIC 14’ Bullet

Junior Ladies:
1st Mishka Steyn – Mocean 14’ LE

Kids:
1st Cameron Tripney – Hurricane Prone 10’6

Masters (o. 45yo):
1st Peter Petersen – Naish 14’ LE
2nd Pietro Muscas – Naish 14’ Glide
3rd Rob Munro – SIC F-16

Masters Ladies (o. 45yo):
1st Monika Wohlgemuth – Naish 14’ Glide
2nd Patricia Kohrs – Naish 14’ Glide
3rd Maleen Hoekstra – Naish 14’ Glide

*****

2013/2014 PRIMI Naish Downwind Dash Series – Final Leaderboard

#	NAME	Board	Class	Race #1	#2	#3	#4	#5	#6	Best 5
1	Dylan Frick	Starboard 14' Allstar	Open	0.7	0.7	3'	2	0.7	0.7	4.8
2	Ethan Koopmans	Naish 14 LE	Junior	35'	3	0.7	0.7	2	2	8.4
3	Joshua Robertson	Naish 14 LE	Junior	2	4	7'	7	4	4	21
4	Peter Petersen	Naish 14 LE	Masters	7'	6	6	6	3	3	24
5	Tyran Cooper	SIC 14' Bullet	Open	8	7	40'	10	7	10	42
6	Greg Bertish	SIC 14' Bullet	Open	3	5	4	5	27	34'	44
7	Brad Adams	Fanatic 14' Falcon	Open	15	11	16'	8	5	5	44
8	Kimon Dos Santos	SIC 14' Bullet	Junior	4	8	9	36'	27	9	57
9	Pietro Muscas	Naish 14 Glide	Masters	6	9	10	14	27	34'	66
10	Rob Munro	SIC F-16	Masters	19'	17	13	11	11	14	66
11	Sean Avni	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	20'	13	19	12	10	12	66
12	Chris Bertish	SIC 17'6 Bullet	Open	35'	2	2	3	27	34	68
13	Mishka Steyn	Mocean LE	Lady junior	16	14	15	17'	9	16	70
14	Armien Wohlgemuth	Naish 14 Glide	Masters	35	36'	12	15	6	8	76
15	Tom King	Fanatic 14 Fly	Open	5	36'	5	36	27	7	80
16	Brigette van Aswegen	Starboard 14' Allstar	Lady	17	12	18'	18	15	19	81
17	Craig Ginsberg	Naish 14 Glide	Masters	12	21	17	36'	14	20	84
18	Christopher Howell	Naish 14 Glide	Open	21	18	20	19	12	34'	90
19	Michael Fiet	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	14	10	14	36'	27	34	99
20	Doug Jenman	Naish 14 Glide	Open	25	36'	32	24	19	34'	100
21	Ivan van Vuuren	Coreban 14' Dart	Masters	35	36'	8	4	27	34	108
22	Mark Herd	SIC F-16	Open	26	29	31'	23	16	18	112
23	Alex Neusol	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	36'	19	30	36	27	34'	112
24	Cameron Rein	Naish 14 Glide	Open	13	36	40'	36	27	34'	112
25	Guy Bubb	Naish 14 Glide	Open	10	36	40'	20	13	34	113
26	Wayne Robertson	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	23	26	25	27'	18	21	113
27	Jason Wallbanger	SIC 14' Bullet	Open	18	16	40'	36	27	17	114
28	Gary van Rooyen	Coreban 14'	Masters	9	36	40'	36	27	6	114
29	Nicky Carstens	Coreban 14' Proto	Open	35	36'	11	9	27	34	116
30	Grant Donald	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	24	25'	22	22	22	26	116
31	Oscar Wollheim	Naish 14 Glide AST	Masters	11	15	40'	36	27	34	123
32	Monika Wohlgemuth	Naish 14 Glide	Lady Masters	29'	24	27	26	21	29	127
33	Wade Keet	Fanatic 14 OO	Junior	36'	22	24	21	27	34	128
34	Steve Tripney	SIC 14' Bullet	Masters	22	28	29	36'	17	32	128
35	Barry Boswell	Naish 14' Glide	Open	36	36	40'	16	27	15	130
36	Craig Girdlestone	Naish 14 Glide	Masters	27	27	34'	29	24	29	136
37	Adrian van Varik	Coreban 14' Dart	Masters	34	30	37'	30	20	24	138
38	Ernest van Riet	Fanatic 14 OO	Open	36	20	40'	36	27	27	146
39	Nico Pfitzenmaier	Naish 14 Glide	Open	36	36	40'	36	27	11	146
40	Patricia Kohrs	Naish 14 Glide	Lady Masters	35	36'	26	28	27	34	150
41	Tim Starke	Starboard 14' OO	Open	36'	36	28	25	27	34	150
42	Tammy Robarts	Naish 14 Glide	Lady	36	36	40'	36	25	21	154
43	Glen Thompson	Naish 14 Glide	Open	35	36'	23	36	27	34	155
44	Derrick Frazer	Coreban 14' Dart	Masters	32	31	40'	36	23	34	156
45	Tiaan Vogel	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	36	23	40'	36	27	34	156
46	Brian White	Coreban 14' Dart	Masters	28	36'	33	36	27	34	158
47	Tarryn Kyte	Coreban 14' Dart	Lady	33	36	40'	36	27	28	160
48	Riaan Rautenbach	Starboard 12'6	Open	36'	36	36	36	27	25	160
49	Clellind Fivaz	Naish 14 Glide	Lady	30	35	35	36'	27	34	161
50	Dean Phillps	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	36	32	39'	32	27	34	161
53	Maleen Hoekstra	Naish 14' Glide	Lady Masters	35	34	40'	34	26	33	162
54	Craig Fisher	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	36	36	40'	36	25	29	162
55	Jonathan Donner	Naish 14 Glide	Open	36	36	40'	31	27	34	164
56	Cameron Tripney	PRONE 10'6	Lady	36	36	40'	36	25	31	164
57	Eddie Theron	Naish 14 Glide	Open	36	33	40'	36	27	34	166
58	Dave Smith	PRONE 10'6	prone	36	36	40'	33	27	34	166
59	Daniel Stokell	Coreban 14' Dart	Open	36	36	40'	36	25	34	167
60	Kim Du Venage	Coreban 14' Dart	Lady	36	36	40'	35	27	34	168