The Queen and King of the Bay Ocean Surfski Race returned to Tasman Bay at the weekend, bringing some of the country’s top paddlers together for two days of racing as part of the Darcy Price New Zealand Ocean Surfski Series.
Race director Nathan Fa’avae says the longevity of the event is something he values.
“One thing I really like about this event is the history. It started in 2009 and is the longest-running ocean paddling event in the South Island, and the second longest-running in New Zealand. There have been some amazing races over that time, and so many paddlers have contributed to the event’s legacy.”
Saturday’s main race sent paddlers across a 30km course from Marahau Beach to Port Mapua. Race 5 of the national series produced a tight men’s contest, with Auckland paddler Gene Prato lining up as the season’s standout performer.
Christchurch competitor Ben Keys, a five-time winner and champion for the past four years, was expected to use his deep knowledge of the course to his advantage. Local multisport legend Richard Ussher was also tipped for a strong showing.
Queen of the Bay
As predicted, the women’s race was dominated by Auckland’s Rebecca Cole, who powered down the course in an impressive display of ocean racing skill. She handled the rolling following seas with confidence to post a fast winning time. It was her first Queen of the Bay title, and she was pleased to add her name to the event’s long list of champions.
King of the Bay
The men’s race began at a blistering pace led by Ben, who pushed hard from the start. Conditions varied along the course, with waves arriving from several directions and rewarding paddlers with the strongest technical skills.
Gene stayed with Ben early and later commented on the intensity of the opening stages.
“There were sections where the surfing and linking waves was really good,” Gene says. “Other sections had waves coming from different angles which slowed the pace a bit later, but overall the conditions were great.”
Around 10km into the race Ben began to feel unwell and eased his effort. Gene seized the moment, taking the lead and gradually extending his advantage.
From there, Gene paddled superbly, linking runs where he could and managing the cross-angled swell along the Ruby Bay coastline. He continued to build his lead to finish comfortably ahead in 2:03:21.
