A father and son surf ski doubles team who currently live in New Zealand, Peter and Brydon Storey, agree that the first leg of the PE2EL Surf Ski Challenge from Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth) to East London is the toughest surf ski event that they have ever participated in.
The first leg of the race was initially scheduled to start next to the Bluewater Bay Surf Lifesaving Club in Nelson Mandela Bay at 4am yesterday, but predictions of rough seas and strong winds resulted in a change to 5am start and a change in route. Instead of racing to Woody Cape, the competitors paddled 35kms along the coast, passing Sundays River on the way before turning and heading back to Bluewater Bay.
Despite this, it was tough going with some competitors taking up to nine hours to complete the route rather than the expectations of about seven hours.
Peter’s wife, Leigh, and son, Ethan, were seconds to the team. Leigh told the Echo that the entire family is involved in lifesaving where they are members of the Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club in Auckland.
With the Bluewater Bay leg done and dusted, the Echo suggests that anyone wishing to follow the remainder of the race visit the official Facebook site: PE2EL Surf Ski Challenge. It is a great site, and they do daily updates which include video interviews with participants in the race.
