Pahang, Malaysia – Veteran surfski champion Dawid Mocké this week showed he’s still got what it takes by taking overall victory in Malaysia’s inaugural Pahang Ocean Challenge, a new five day stage race for ocean paddling.
Athletes all competed in exactly the same craft, a rotomoulded Nelo510 plastic surfski, adding a new dimension to the racing.
45 year old Mocké narrowly won the first two stages of fourteen kilometres each, creating a time buffer of twenty seconds on New Zealand’s Kent Jenkinson and fifty five seconds on Australia’s Mackenzie Haynard.
“I think being quite a bit older than the other two it was important to start strong, especially on Day One,” said the Fish Hoek based Sable athlete. “The small swells suited me and put me in a good position on both days.”
“As we are used to multi day paddling races back home (Mocké has done three Dusi Canoe Marathons, many Breede River Marathons and Dolphin Coast Surfski races) I suspected that the others may suffer, but I wasn’t expecting the onslaught on the third stage!”
Repeated attack style racing on stage three by the Kiwi and Australian paddlers saw Mocké relinquish some of his lead, ending the stage in third position. This meant a crucial day of racing lay ahead for Mocké on the fourth and longest stage.
“Day Four was going to be a breaking point so I was really focused on taking any opportunity that would come to break away.”
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That opportunity came midway through the stage when some small swells, which Mocké is a taskmaster at riding, helped him create the gap he needed setting up a thrilling stage victory and solidifying his overall lead.
“My tactic for the final stage was to protect the lead and stick with the Kiwi Jenkinson, currently in second. It was only fifty seconds which can disappear quickly!”
Jenkinson made a concerted effort to shake the veteran from his side slip but Mocké hung on like a limpet at low tide, eventually pulling away just before the final finish line to take another stage win.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to take the win here and feel really grateful to have had this opportunity. In the end I think the experience of multi day racing from home along with being used to paddling slower heavier boats while coaching at the Surfski School is what counted in my favour.”
“At this stage of my career race victories will be fewer so I’ll take what comes my way!”
New Zealander Kent Jenkinson took second with Australian MacKenzie Haynard taking third overall.
The women’s division was dominated by New Zealand’s Danielle MacKenzie fresh from her recent win at the Gorge Downwind in the USA.
The event, sponsored by Malaysia’s tourism board was run by the same organization that runs the Tour de Langkawi cycling race. The aim was to showcase the coastal treasures of the Pahang Region.
The event was run under the directorship of the doyen of surfski paddling Oscar Chalupsky who played an integral part in getting the event of the ground.
“There is enormous opportunity for growth in the Asia region and it was an honour for me to use my 40 years of experience to help Stagemaker run this event,” said Chalupsky. “Believe you me, this is the first of many similar events here in the future.”
