East London - ISPA Surfski World Champ Dawid Mockè added the SA Single ski title to his already impressive trophy cabinet by winning the KIA SA S1 Champs in East London in a thrilling duel with Hank McGregor in superb downwind racing conditions.

                                  Dawid Mocke ( pic by John Hishin)

Mockè. who was last week named the Western Cape Sport Star of the Year, completed a tactically brilliant and typically imposing performance over the course from Orient Beach to Yellow Sands in demanding three metres swells and 15 knot South Westerly winds to win the title by a minute from McGregor.

 Mockè stuck to his plan to head out deep for the 21,5km race after spending the morning of the race studying the route in the strong overnight wind. "The deeper line seemed to give you a better approach going into the key turn at Yellow Sands point," said Mockè. "There was also a strange wind shadow off Gonubie which one was able to miss by going deeper."

 After a great start Mockè was alone in the big three to four metres swells, and was confident that he had done enough to win the race, and was able to take conservative lines around the dangerous point break close to the finish. "But I have done plenty of these big downwind races before where you don't see anyone else out there, and get to the beach to find you have finished fifth!"

Mockè, who jets off to challenge for the Hong Kong Dragon Run and Dubai Shamaal titles in a fortnights time bagged R10 000 for winning the race, and with it a massive confidence booster ahead of his international campaign in November.

 "I don't have to second guess my form going to Hong Kong and Dubai, which is a huge confidence booster," said Mockè, who was delighted to re-win the national single ski title that he proudly won in 2007 at the Cape Point Challenge.

 "Winning the SA national single ski title is like winning a world title, given the strength of the field we had here in East London," said Mockè.

 Durban surfski star and former Molokai champion Hank McGregor took the silver medal, ahead of the younger Mockè sibling Jasper Mockè, and fellow Fish Hoek racer Tom Schilperoort, with Port Elizabeth Discovery Sunglass Hut series leader Richard von Wildemann rounding out the top five.

 The women's title ended in a gripping grandstand finish as Nikki Mockè and Michéle Eray reached the finish at Yellow Sands side by side. Mockè seemed to have a slight advantage before running into counter currents off the river mouth while Eray caught a wave all the way to the beach that paved the way for her victory.

 "It was a fantastic race!" enthused Mockè. "We were neck and neck the whole way, and I messed it up right at the finish and got caught in a strong rip current, so that I was basically going nowhere fast. Michéle (Eray) took a different line, and even though we got to the beach together, so had the momentum and won it."

 The race formed part of the Eastern Cape and Western Cape Discovery Sunglass Hut Surfski Series, which helped attract a massive field of paddlers to East London for the event.

 The KIA SA Double Ski championships will take place on Sunday, on a course set to take best advantage of the prevailing weather conditions.

 More information can be found at www.surfski.co.za

 SUMMARY OF RESULTS

KIA SA SINGLE SURFSKI CHAMPS

Men

1.Dawid Mockè 1:16.06

2.Hank McGregor 1:16.52

3.Jasper Mockè 1:17.02

4.Tom Schilperoort 1:17.14

5.Richard von Wildemann 1:18.45

6.Barry Lewin 1:19.04

7.Matt Bouman 1:19.51

8.Herman Chalupsky 1:20.23

9.Sean Rice 1:20.41

10.Grant van der Walt 1:21.05

Women:

1.Michéle Eray 1:28.07

2. Nikki Mockè 1:28.09