Written by Dave Macloud - Gameplanmedia!

Durban North canoeists Barry Lewin and Clint Pretorius jet off to Australia this week to try and extend the South African stranglehold on the Brookfield Multiplex Avon Descent kayak title.

The two Varsity College students are aiming at extending the unusual run of dominance by South African paddlers on the overall K1 title as well as the kayak pairs competition in the tough two-day 132km race that ends in Perth....

Check out the new website at www.surfskischool.com

Sitting in the airport waiting for my connecting flight to Perth, West Australia. I am on my way to the Avon Decent this weekend. Always excited to head out on a new adventure. Travelling has become a way of life for me and my paddling has seen many parts of the world over the last 3-4 years. 

I was lucky enough to get me hands on the Synergy, the latest out of my boat sponsor, Custom Kayaks. Here are some first look photo's of the boat in a little session in the river. Watch out for a video of the boat at the afternoon session and a full review coming soon!

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Again I wrote some words in the latest SportsGuide Magazine. Its a free mag in KZN so head down to a local sports store and pick one up.

Classes are back to normal this week after a break for the SA double surfski champs last weekend. It was an awesome day for surfskischool but I believe the coaches must race as this gives them the chance to practice their skills and learn new techniques they can pass on to you’re the students. Well, this week ask the coaches how the race went and I bet they will have some new insight for you. 

I am really lucky to have a close nit family who are really supportive. Well is the Bullets birrthday. Have a great day dad. You rock!

Sad, sad, sad, yes the best surfski series in the world is over for another year. This has been the 7^th year I have raced the series in a row. It’s kind of art of life here in Durban. Billy Harker puts on a great show, fun people, great weather here in our non existent winter and a great time in the ocean. 

I won’t lie, waking up on Sunday for the trek up the hill was no easy. Shoulders and lower back were sore to say the least but there is no way I was going to miss the best organised series in the world. Max Cluer does an awesome job in putting on the series with probably the best family environment I have seen at a sorting event.

Photo's by Anthony Grote (www.antonygrote.com)

After missing this historic South African surfski race last year due to some work experience for my degree at Varsity College, I was eager to get back in the mix this year with it being the SA Double Surfski Champs this year. I am the 2 time USA Doubles surfski champ and would love to win my own national title. 

Just got home to a warm Durban after 3 days in PE. Went to train with my doubles partner for this weekends SA double ski champs. My dad wrote an awesome article last year after the Dolphin Coast Challenge last year that really hit home for me. Basically saying what the results for that weekend produced, the doubles teams that knew each other well were first and second. Keeping it in the family Dawid and Jasper Mocke won with the Bartho Brothers second. It shouted, Do your homework when you have to race doubles. Well trying to learn from this and headed to PE to get used to the double. ...

At the start of the Berg I was standing with my team mate Justin Swart when the dood getting ready for the race at the car next to ours was packing some serious supplies into his boat. Never really though much of it until we returned to the car a solid half hour later to see him still packing stuff into his boat. 

 Day 3 was a bit of a mess up, we missed our change over points and I didn’t get a paddle in. Did 2 sections the day before so not a train smash and the team would certainly have me doing the longest section of the last day. Not complaining to much after some awesome red wine with out hosts the previous night.

Driving to the start this morning for our second day on the Berg the distance mountain caps were solidly covered in snow and thermometer in the car measured a massive 3 degrees. One would normally be scared of climbing on the water in conditions like this but (always has to be a decent but in every story) the mood was upbeat as the sun was starting to come out. It had rained non stop the last two days here in Paarl so some sun was a massive improvement. <...

I have heard war stories around the fire about Berg for many years and it was great standing at the start and truly grasp what people were saying. The races is steeped in tradition with only the most hard core paddlers taking on this amazing challenge. 

Check out some awesome pic's by Anthony Grote (www.anthonygrote.com) from the weekends race!

I am in Cape Town for the Isuzu Berg River Canoe Marathon in a relay team for Rudy Project. Flew into a freezing Cape Town this morning to a bumpy landing and rainy weather. Nice by chance meeting some mates on the plain for a Charlie chat on the way down. 

Surfski website www.surfski.info have just released their World Series results for the 07/08 season. The World Series is their opinion on who is the best surfski paddler in the world. It’s not really official but it’s the only thing to go on right now. Rob and Alain who run the sight have done a great job promoting the sport and spreading the word about our great sport. I hope someday there will be a ton of doods travelling the world on a kind of tour to all the top races around the world. I finished 5^th last year and have finish...

Have to tell you about the blueprint for the best weekend in Durban. Beach on Saturday morning with the best conditions of the year, the Vodacom Durban July in the afternoon (which stretches well into the night), surfski race on the south coast on Sunday morning and the Mr Price Pro Surfing final in the afternoon. 

I have had my computer dood, David working his ass off recently on getting a youtube video into my blog. Well here is the first one. A little insight into me checking out the finish at Westbrook the day before world cup, setting up my Garmin Forerunner 305 and my sweet ride for the week. Hope to do more on video, let me know what you think?

How do you carry all your kit? Not a question we ask much and sometimes take for granted. I trust Thule to carry by very expensive boats and bikes! Well they have just launched a new range of bags, simply some awesome products that I will now be using for my travelling. Check out this link on their site to check out the range. http://www.thule.com/Thule/ProductListPage____83417.aspx. They are super ...