Share

Young guns ready for Champs

Durban - With surfski stars from around the country descending on Durban for the weekend Dunlop Surfski World Cup, the race will be a defining moment in the lives of a group of local development athletes who have rocketed through the ranks and are ready to take on this major international event.

After spending the past year learning and evolving as paddlers under the watchful eye of lifesaving legend Mark Lewin and his son Barry Lewin, these keen and dedicated youngsters are now focused on taking on 'the big one’.

"I've done a couple World Cups already and I did well as a junior but now I'm with the seniors and that will be a whole new ball game," said one of the programmes most exciting prospects Sthembiso Mbatha.

"I've been working very hard recently so hopefully all the cycling and paddling training I’ve been doing will pay off on the day," he added.

Having paddled the majority of the Varsity College Marine Surfski Series in the back of a double behind his coach and paddling role model Barry Lewin, Mbatha will look to draw on all the knowledge and experience he has gained over the past few years when he tackles the challenging downwind conditions predicted for the race.

"Barry and Mark Lewin have worked so hard with us and we’re so grateful for all that they have done for us and one way we can show them this is to do our best at the World Cup," said Mbatha.

"I really want to do well for them and for myself," he added. "I'm really excited for the race."

Fellow paddler and member of the programme Thando Thusi is another of the thirteen youngsters whose recent interest in the sport and commitment to the programme could see him making his World Cup debut this year.

"We've all been working really hard and I've absolutely loved the opportunity we’ve been given to grow and learn all about surfski paddling," said Thusi.

"My first surfski race ever was the first race of the Discovery Sunglass Hut Surfski Series in the Durban bay, so the twenty six kilometre open ocean World Cup is a very different thing," he added. "But if the opportunity comes then I will definitely give it my all!"

Team manager and mentor to many of the programmes young paddlers Mark Lewin has carefully monitored the progress of his rapidly developing team and looks forward to seeing some them crossing the finish line this Sunday.

"A lot of time and effort of a couple of individuals has been invested in these guys and so to see some of them take part in such a big race really would been fantastic," said Lewin.

"We've monitored each paddler's progress throughout Billy Harker's series and from this we will see who we feel would cope with the race or who should maybe wait a little longer. We’re obviously not going to just throw all of them out there on their own in their first race of this nature."

"Some of the guys have paddled that sort of distance with other very competent paddlers before and have now grown into experienced paddlers themselves so we may even look to put a more experienced guy with one of the less experienced youngsters in a K2 so they aren’t alone out there," he added.

The Surfski World Cup takes place on Sunday 26 June from Marine SLC at Addington beach.
 
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE