Langebaan - Marina da Gama's paddling supremo Graeme Solomon notched up his first win of the Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski Series when he paddled to victory over arch-rival & Lakeside's doyen, Peter Cole, and Fish Hoek's U21 surf-lifesaving champion Sean Rice.

The race leaders (from left) Peter Cole, Steve Farrell, Graeme Solomon and Sean Rice during the Driftwoods Langebaan Lagoon Dash that formed leg two of the summer Discovery Men's Health Surf Ski series.

Racing on Langebaan lagoon, Solomon out-sprinted his rivals to take the Driftwoods Langebaan Lagoon Dash title, and with it the vital series points that go with the race victory.

"This triangular 15km course - around the island and off Driftwood's Restaurant on Langebaan Lagoon - really suited me to-day, particularly in these placid and benign surf conditions" said Solomon.

In the fiercely contested ladies category Alexa Cole - making a welcome return to the series after her previous week's absence - finally triumphed over Knysna's K4 sprint Olympian Michéle Eray, winning by a 75 seconds margin, with Milnerton junior Bianca Beavitt in 3rd place, a distant 4 minutes off the pace.

"The outgoing tide and irregular cross-chop on the water-surface must've disturbed Michéle's usual flat-water paddling rhythm and helped me to thrash out a lead of about a hundred meters by the time we got to the end of an hour and a quarter battle in the ocean" said a relieved Cole afterwards.

The intensity of the women's race was reflected in the very fast times posted by Cole and Eray, with Cole in particular finishing an incredible 89.29% of Solomon's winning time in the men's category.

The fourth race of the Discovery Men's Health Surf-Ski Series  continues next week, on Sunday 4th November at 10h00, when the Hout-Bay Camps Bay Down-wind Challenge takes place.

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

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
DRIFTWOODS LANGEBAAN LAGOON DASH
LEG THREE OF THE DISCOVERY MEN'S HEALTH SURF SKI SERIES
1.Graeme Solomon 1:10.11
2.Peter Cole 1:10.13
3.Shaun Rice 1:10.16
4.Rory Cole 1:10.23
5.Steve Farrell 1:11.54
6.Ernest Van Riet 1:12.00
7.Heinrich Schloms 1:12.41
8.Nick Longley 1:12.52
9.Pieter-Willem Basson 1:14.20
10.Jean Austin 1:14.26

Women
1.Alexa Cole 1:17.42
2.Michéle Eray 1:18.56
3.Bianca Beavitt 1:21.55

Mixed doubles
1.Mark Torrington/Janet Vorster 1:16.17
2.Kevin Bouwer/Mandy Simpson 1:26.18
3.John Van Der Vyver/Sam Van Der Vyver 1:26.22

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