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DownWind Dash, Montague Gardens (2026)

20/03/2026

Milnerton Downwind Dash: Season Finale

What a way to end the season.

Melanie Van Niekerk once again proved untouchable, smashing the ladies record for the third time this season. In what were by far the strongest winds of the series, she stopped the clock in an incredible 35:53, setting a benchmark that keeps moving further out of reach. Don't forget each of these record was set by her.

Conditions were wild. A solid 40-knot wind tore across the course, whipping sheets of spray off the ocean. Strangely, the swell stayed relatively small early on, but with wind blowing all day, the wind chop quickly built into steep, punchy runners. By halfway it was heaving, and by the finish it turned into a huge, confused mess that demanded full concentration.

Front of the Field

With Mike absent for the finale, the task of challenging Melanie fell to Scheepers Schoeman. He gave it a proper go and delivered a superb 36:51, one of only two sub-40-minute finishes, but on the night it simply wasn’t enough to rein her in.

Behind him, Mark D***s continued his incredibly consistent season with another strong paddle, clocking 40:28 and securing third place. More importantly, he claims bragging rights for the most Downwind Dash finishes this season, a title earned through commitment in all conditions.

Jan Venter followed closely in 40:34, with David Marsh and the mixed double of Richard Kohler & Tamsyn Lovemore locked together just behind in the low 41-minute range.

Action on the Water

The conditions delivered plenty of drama.

Tamsyn Lovemore jumped into a double with Richard, and the pair were having an absolute jol until the ocean reminded them who’s boss. A massive breaking crest rolled through and completely swamped the ski. Somehow they stayed upright, a testament to quick reactions and the stability trick of legs out, which likely saved them from an early swim.

Graeme had his own moment early on. After a quick hop out, he found himself on the wrong side of his ski in howling wind. In an instant, the breeze grabbed the boat and blew it up and over him, leash stretched tight as if he was flying a kite. Fortunately, both gear and skill held firm, he was back on in no time and charging again.

The Chasing Pack

It was a tightly fought midfield battle:

Francois Coetzer & Alexander Kruger put in a solid double performance, finishing in 42:13

Christopher Garrow handled the tough, messy conditions well for 43:52

Graham Neate and Dirk Nel rounded things out, both digging deep in the heavy water to finish just under the 45-minute mark

Notably, several paddlers had to contend with the increasingly chaotic sea state, where linking runs became less about speed and more about survival and smart line choice.

Season Wrap Feel

From light-wind glides earlier in the season to this full-send 40-knot finale, the Downwind Dash delivered every kind of ocean Cape Town could offer.

This last race was less about perfect runs and more about control, resilience, and reading chaos — and it made for one of the most memorable finishes to a series yet.

11/03/2026

Milnerton Downwind Dash
Light Winds, Technical Runs

A lighter south-easter greeted paddlers for this week’s Downwind Dash, delivering a more technical ocean than the fast, conveyor-belt runs everyone secretly hopes for. With little swell and only small runners linking up sporadically, it became a thinking paddler’s race, picking the right line and squeezing every bit of speed from the subtle bumps.

The high tide made for an easy start and finish at Small Bay, trimming the course slightly and allowing paddlers to get straight into the work without the usual shallow-water negotiations.

Early Struggles for the Double

Racing in the double ski, Ralph & Torries had a challenging start. The longer boat struggled to fit onto the short runners, often leaving only one paddler properly on the run at a time. As the race progressed and the bumps lengthened slightly, things began to improve and they found better rhythm, eventually powering home into 3rd place overall in 44:20.5, an impressive result given the tricky conditions.

Tactical Lines Pay Off

Several paddlers experimented with their lines across the bay. Graham Neate opted for a deeper route offshore and felt the strategy paid dividends late in the race, giving him a better angle into the finish. The approach helped him secure 5th place in 45:21.8, just behind a tight group battle ahead.

A Battle at the Front

After missing last week’s race due to birthday celebrations, Mike Schwan returned under pressure with Melanie Van Niekerk breathing down his neck. In the lighter conditions the speeds were slightly lower than usual, no sub-40-minute times this week, but the racing at the front was still intense.

Mike managed to hold his nerve and crossed the line first in 41:37.9, with Melanie only 10 seconds behind in 41:48.8, once again showing her consistent speed in a variety of conditions.

Mid-Pack Duel

One of the races within the race unfolded between Mark D***s and Jan Venter. The pair traded blows all the way down the course, neither able to break clear until the closing stages. In the end Mark’s faster flat-water ski gave him the edge on the final stretch, allowing him to pull ahead and finish 4th in 44:24.9, just ahead of Jan in 45:29.3.

Learning on the Run

Further back, Helena Geromont was getting a real-time downwind lesson. Guided along the course by Richard Kohler, she received constant advice on reading the ocean and linking runners. Richard also passed along a few extra tips to Colin Mc Clement, turning that section of the race into a moving masterclass in downwind technique.

Helena finished in 54:48.3, just ahead of Colin in 55:02.2, with Richard slotting in between them at 54:37.5.

Strong Middle Performances

Marco Zumpt produced a solid paddle to finish 7th in 45:38.9, while Dominique Desmeules was the next woman home, finishing strongly in 50:46.4.

Small Runs, Big Smiles

While the wind never quite delivered the classic Cape Town downwind highway, the small technical runners kept everyone engaged. Conditions demanded concentration, timing and patience ,a different kind of challenge but rewarding in its own way.

With a strong turnout and tight racing throughout the field, it was another enjoyable evening on the water proving that even modest conditions can produce great racing and good camaraderie.

Full results:
https://www.webscorer.com/racealldetails?raceid=423874

20/02/2026

🌬️ Milnerton Downwind Dash Ladies Lead the Charge

Last night’s Dash had that classic West Coast feel, enough wind to keep things honest, just enough bump to reward the brave, and the usual mix of nerves, banter, and late beach arrivals. Every now and then sizable set would come and say "hello" which made sure no one was able to let their guard down.

Queen of the Dash

Melanie Van Niekerk (SS Open F) didn’t just win the women’s category, she won the whole race in 38:50.8, putting serious daylight between herself and the rest of the field. Smooth, controlled, and clearly dialled in, she made sub-40 look almost routine. I wonder if she is this good with her German language lessons?

Behind her, Danie Buys (SS Open M) pushed hard to take second in 40:08.7 (+1:17.9). He kept the pressure on early but couldn’t quite bridge the gap to Melanie’s clean lines and only a few seconds from a Sub40.

🥉 The Pacemaker Battle

The SS Pacemaker category turned into a proper scrap:

Mark D***s – 42:04.7

Richard Allen – 42:24.2

Just 20 seconds between them. Mark edged it at the end, but Richard kept him honest all the way down the line. You could feel that was a race within the race.

Further back in Pacemaker:

Graham Neate – 44:55.2

> “Lonely,” he said afterwards.
Which usually means he was stuck in no-man’s-land, too quick for the group behind, too far off the front pack to link up. Character-building stuff.

🚀 Doubles & Bullets

A special mention to Richard & Helena in the SS Mixed Double, finishing in 43:08.3. Helena, a novice downwind paddler, admitted she was apprehensive before the start. Afterward?

> “F***ing amazing.”

That’s how you convert someone to the cult of downwind.

Crispin Thompson (SS Bullet) crossed in 43:44.5 and summed up his evening with brutal honesty:

> “Fat not fit.”

Mostly directed at himself , but still quick enough to stay competitive. There’s speed there once the engine room is serviced.

🎉 The Rest of the Field

Christopher Garrow (SS Open M) came home in 48:48.3 and described it perfectly:

> “So much fun.”

Which is really what this whole thing is about.

We missed a few regulars:

Mike was away celebrating a birthday dinner, priorities in order.

Anthony sidelined with eye surgery — heal up and get back on the water soon.

David Marsh unfortunately missed the start. To be fair, we did go 10 minutes early… but he hadn’t done the online registration.

👉 Lesson of the week: If you’re coming, register early. The ocean doesn’t wait, and neither does the start line.

Another classic Milnerton evening. A strong women’s win, tight category battles, a novice turned believer, and the usual mix of self-critique and stoke on the beach afterward.

See you next week, wind willing. 🌊

Results here
https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=421930

15/02/2026

This week's coming DownWind Dash will be on Wednesday. 🤘

11/02/2026

Milnerton Downwind Dash – 25kt SE, High Tide & Proper Downwind Lines

No groundswell in sight, but the South Easter delivered a solid 25 knots and the tide was high enough to punch straight through Small Bay. That made for fast, clean runs, not always easy to link without a proper swell underneath, but when you found the line, it went.

Two starts split the field, with the slower paddlers heading off first… although there were a few rabbits hiding in that early batch.

Up front, Peter Petersen was simply on another level. The lone SUP foil rider flew home in 34:44, turning the Dash into an air show and finishing well clear of the ski field.

Behind him, it was a proper scrap for the sub-40 club.

Melanie van Niekerk, starting in the early batch due to German class commitments (priorities!), absolutely lit it up with a 38:09, second overall and comfortably sub-40. Strong, composed and clinical.

Scheepers Schoeman followed in 38:26, showing once again how dangerous he is in good wind, with Mike Schwan close behind in 39:07.
Mike summed it up best at the finish: “Best fun with your pants on.”

Then came the story of the night Danie Buys, joining us from the Paarl/Strand side, smashing out a 39:14 on his first Downwind Dash. Straight into the sub-40 club. That’s how you introduce yourself.

Anthony Wostenholm kept the pressure on with a 39:33, rounding out a seriously competitive front pack.

Just missing the magic mark was Richard Kohler in 40:23, close enough to taste it, followed by Robin Tindall (41:05), who was consistently finding runs but just couldn’t quite break clear into the 40 bracket.

The mixed double of Richard & Marijke came through strongly in 41:17, working well together in tricky linking conditions, with Mark D***s (41:27), Jan Venter (41:57), Kevin Goodspeed (42:18) and Graham Neate (42:35) forming a tight mid-field train, all within touching distance of each other.

In the early batch, Grant McFadyen had a proper jol in his OC1, finishing in 49:03. The outrigger drawing attention and he clearly enjoyed the lines on offer.

Chris de Waal (51:42) paddled alongside Dom Desmeules (51:56) in that early start, sticking together for safety and making the most of the wind despite the flatter surface.

All told, it was one of those classic Milnerton evenings: no swell, strong wind, technical linking, and fast times if you were brave enough to commit. Five sub-40s, one flying foil, one debutant making a statement, and a few paddlers already plotting how to shave those next 24 seconds.

See you in the next South Easter.

Race results:
https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=421034

03/02/2026

Race report 2nd February

Behind Skippy’s solo sub-40 masterclass, the familiar faces of the Dash once again stacked up tightly.

Melanie Van Niekerk showed real class to take second overall, just missing the sub-40 but comfortably leading the women’s field with smooth, controlled paddling in tricky linking conditions.

Mike Schwan was right in the mix as always, grinding out a solid third and keeping the pressure on all the way to the line.

Richard Kohler followed, working hard to stay connected with the technical runners and a lack of fitness, while Jan Venter rounded out the faster end of the field with a strong, steady effort.

Graham Neate dug deep through the mid-pack, proving consistency still counts when the wedge refuses to line up.

Dom, who had set off 15 minutes ahead of the main bunch, battled the conditions solo and earned full respect for pushing through to the finish — never an easy ask when you’re out there on your own with no lines to follow.

Race results:
https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=420092

02/02/2026

Monday 02/02/26:
Wind S 14–20 knots 💨
Swell 1.57m @ 8.3s 🌊
GO / Best ✅

Tuesday 03/02/26:
Wind S 7–14 knots 💨
Swell 1.13m @ 8.1s 🌊
NO GO ❌

Wednesday 04/02/26:
Wind SSE 6–12 knots 💨
Swell 0.78m @ 7.4s 🌊
NO GO ❌

Preferred Day: Monday is the standout. Strong breeze and lined-up swell mean fast, fun downwind conditions 🌊⚡.

🏆 **Monday is the best choice.**

This week's DWD will take place today, Monday.

Conditions forecast are for small swell and medium wind. Perfect for every level of ability.

Registration page:

https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=420009

29/01/2026

Milnerton Downwind Dash
Low Tide, Spicy conditions.

Last night’s race was defined by low tide and teeth-baring conditions. With the water sucked right out, the entire field was forced to thread their way around the rocks and exit via Big Bay.

A solid 25-knot south-easter made even the beach launch a battle. Sand was stinging and swirling around our feet as we wrestled surfskis down to the water, timing every step between gusts. Thanks to the low tide, paddlers could walk all the way out to the second sandbank, but that advantage came with a price.

The surf was big, hollow, and detonating hard on the sandbank. Set after set rolled through with no mercy, forcing the starter to hold off repeatedly until a narrow gap finally opened. When the whistle went, it was very much a commit or get worked situation.

Once clear, the runs were there. Fast and rewarding, though not quite matching the magic of last week. Still, those who linked well were properly flying.

Among the familiar faces, the race within the race was as compelling as ever. Mike Schwan laid down a statement early, looking composed through the chaos and converting clean water into a decisive sub-40 win.

Behind him, Scheepers Schoeman chased hard and was the only other paddler flirting with the sub-40 mark, eventually slipping just outside it but clearly separating himself from the rest of the field. Anthony Wostenholm held strong for third, while Richard Kohler and Mark D***s continued their season-long Pacemaker duel, finishing in close proximity yet again.

The double of Gary and Roelf inserted themselves right into the singles battle finishing within seconds of Richard and underlining just how demanding swearing a double is in those conditions.

Further back, Crispin Thompson and Bianca Beavitt both showed trademark grit, navigating the heavy surf cleanly and converting survival into solid finishes.

On a night like this, sub-40 wasn’t just a time — it was a line in the sand, and only two paddlers truly crossed it.

Race results
https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=419548

21/01/2026

Milnerton Downwind Dash - Race Report
Conditions:
Flat ocean with no swell, but very strong south-easterly winds, gusting well over 35 knots. The wind alone made it a challenge just to walk down to the water, with sand blasting paddlers’ feet as they lined up on the beach.
Early Start
Melanie opted for an early start in her own batch as she had a German language course to attend and was determined not to be a second late.
Ja, voll! 🇩🇪
Safety First
Two enthusiastic young paddlers made it to the beach, buzzing for their first Milnerton Downwind Dash, paddling a double that clearly needed some TLC. Unfortunately, race organiser Richard had a quiet word with them after spotting a few red flags:
No shirt, only shorts
Broken foot straps
Their entry was politely rescinded in the interest of safety. Hopefully they’ll sort out the gear and join us for a social downwind soon to prove they’re ready for conditions like last night.
The Main Start
When the gun went, Mike “The Machine” Schwan launched like a missile, disappearing into the distance and laying down a blistering 36:30.
Despite the absence of swell, the wind chop more than made up for it. The runs were fast, steep, and relentless, long, corduroy-style runners opening up almost immediately.
The middle section saw the wind ease slightly, but it returned with intent after Doodles, keeping paddlers honest all the way home.
Battles on the Water
Richard and Anthony had a proper tussle, entering Small Bay on the same wave despite taking completely different lines. Anthony staying very shallow while Richard came in from deeper water. Richard managed to edge ahead by a few seconds before the finish.
Mark and Kevin also went head-to-head, with Mark taking the win but heartbreakingly finishing 29 seconds short of a sub-40.
Admin Adventures
Robin had a race to forget (and remember):
Paddle feather set at the wrong angle
Leash confusion at the start
And, while chasing the pack, a brief underwater inspection of his ski
Luckily, the entire episode was filmed so there is camera evidence 😂
Finish Line Chaos
Not a first but for the Dash, everyone finished before the timekeeper arrived. Horrendous traffic delayed Sandra by nearly an hour getting to Big Bay.
All things considered, it was another excellent Downwind Dash in proper Cape Town conditions.
PS: One can’t help but wonder… where was the foil brigade last night? 🤔

Race Results: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=418722

DownWind Dash

20/03/2026

11/03/2026

20/02/2026

15/02/2026

11/02/2026

03/02/2026

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29/01/2026

21/01/2026

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