Brothers sink Aussie dream
News24
Brothers sink Aussie dream
09/05/2004 11:12 - (SA)
Hawaii - Team Chalupsky, Oscar and Herman, made a big splash at the second annual Steinlager Kauai World Challenge, a 55km relay race on the scenic island of Kauai on Saturday.
The race offers $20 000 in prize money, the largest purse for a paddling event in Hawaii. This year for the first time the race featured a handful of top international surf ski paddlers in the field of 109 teams.
The race calls for each member of the two-man squad to alternate during the four-stages along the coast. Dean Gardiner and Dave Kissane of Team Australia, and South Africans, Oscar and Herman Chalupsky, the pre-race favourites, were dead even at the end of the second leg.
Younger brother Herman held a two boat lead over Dave Kissane, the winner of the popular Men's Health Racing Series, and handed off to Oscar, the 10-time Molokai Champion. Halfway through the race, the hot, windless conditions that racers endured early in the race, turned worse, when the wind picked up in strength and blew uncharacteristically in the paddlers face.
The elder Chalupsky struggled to find his rhythm during his first 8km leg and handed off to Herman in a virtual dead heat with his long-time rival Gardiner, who won nine World Surf Ski Titles, second all-time to Chalupsky. Ten minutes into his 20km pull, Herman gapped Kissane and never looked back. Unbeknownst to Oscar, Herman had handed him a nearly insurmountable nine-minute lead.
Morale boost
Gardiner, fresh off a big win at the World Cup ski race in Cape Town last month, finished 13 minutes behind Team Chalupsky. The winning duo from Durban finished in four hours, 10 minutes, nearly 40 minutes ahead of the third place team from Hawaii.
"The relay format is unique since you have no chance to talk to your fellow paddler," said Oscar Chalupsky. "Since I had no idea how much of a lead I had over Gardiner I went as hard as I could."
Chalupsky battled to sight the finish in the 3m swells and was only able to relax when he saw the cheering mob at the finish.
Said Herman Chalupsky: "It was a great event. I enjoyed the relay format and while I was expecting a tough battle with Kissane it was a great morale boost heading into Molokai."
The 55km race from the island of Molokai to the island of Oahu across the legendary Molokai Channel is considered the unofficial world championship of open ocean paddling.
Edited by Tisha Steyn
Brothers sink Aussie dream
09/05/2004 11:12 - (SA)
Hawaii - Team Chalupsky, Oscar and Herman, made a big splash at the second annual Steinlager Kauai World Challenge, a 55km relay race on the scenic island of Kauai on Saturday.
The race offers $20 000 in prize money, the largest purse for a paddling event in Hawaii. This year for the first time the race featured a handful of top international surf ski paddlers in the field of 109 teams.
The race calls for each member of the two-man squad to alternate during the four-stages along the coast. Dean Gardiner and Dave Kissane of Team Australia, and South Africans, Oscar and Herman Chalupsky, the pre-race favourites, were dead even at the end of the second leg.
Younger brother Herman held a two boat lead over Dave Kissane, the winner of the popular Men's Health Racing Series, and handed off to Oscar, the 10-time Molokai Champion. Halfway through the race, the hot, windless conditions that racers endured early in the race, turned worse, when the wind picked up in strength and blew uncharacteristically in the paddlers face.
The elder Chalupsky struggled to find his rhythm during his first 8km leg and handed off to Herman in a virtual dead heat with his long-time rival Gardiner, who won nine World Surf Ski Titles, second all-time to Chalupsky. Ten minutes into his 20km pull, Herman gapped Kissane and never looked back. Unbeknownst to Oscar, Herman had handed him a nearly insurmountable nine-minute lead.
Morale boost
Gardiner, fresh off a big win at the World Cup ski race in Cape Town last month, finished 13 minutes behind Team Chalupsky. The winning duo from Durban finished in four hours, 10 minutes, nearly 40 minutes ahead of the third place team from Hawaii.
"The relay format is unique since you have no chance to talk to your fellow paddler," said Oscar Chalupsky. "Since I had no idea how much of a lead I had over Gardiner I went as hard as I could."
Chalupsky battled to sight the finish in the 3m swells and was only able to relax when he saw the cheering mob at the finish.
Said Herman Chalupsky: "It was a great event. I enjoyed the relay format and while I was expecting a tough battle with Kissane it was a great morale boost heading into Molokai."
The 55km race from the island of Molokai to the island of Oahu across the legendary Molokai Channel is considered the unofficial world championship of open ocean paddling.
Edited by Tisha Steyn
posted by DP at 12:17 AM
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