While ocean ski paddlers love a windy race, unfortunately the weather has been a bit exhuberent for the last two events in the Darcy Price NZ Ocean Ski series, resulting in the cancellation of both.
As the Windy City Downwind and the Deep South Downwind were unable to go ahead, a competitor’s series points in this season's Darcy Price series will now be the total of their best THREE race points (previously it was the total of the best of four races).
Paddlers get allocated points based on their placing in each race, and the male and female paddler with the most points at the end of the series will be the Darcy Price NZ Ocean Racing Series Champion for that season. Each race in this year's series is worth a maximum of 300 points.
For 2023/24 series only: In the event of tied points at the end of the series at the top of the leaderboard, the winner will be determined by:
If the paddlers tied have gone head to head in a race(s) then the series winner will be the person who won that race, or the most races. (Virtual race not included in head to head)
if they raced twice and won 1 each, then whoever did better in the race with the most participants will be the series winner.
While the cancellation of events is always disappointing, the safety of paddlers and race officials/volunteers is the number one priority, and all events have approved safety plans and permits with set parameters that must be followed.
There are five events remaining in the 2023/24 series, after the Tawhiti Rahi Coastal Challenge kicked off this season’s ocean races in September:
Aotearoa | Virtual - 1st to 31st January 2024
Tauranga | Mt Maunganui - Saturday 3rd February 2024
Te Tai o Aorere | Tasman - 17/18 February 2024
Whakatane - Saturday 9th March 2024
Tamaki Makaurau | Auckland -Saturday 11th May 2024
Get your entries in now so you can get out amongst the waves and get involved in the NZ Ocean ski series in the new year! The summer break is the perfect time to get some miles in your arm to get ready for some iconic events.
The Paddler.nz Virtual Champs is the perfect chance to measure and challenge yourself in the new year- improving your 12km (or 3km) time trial over the month of January is a great New Year resolution!
Or take on the challenge of the Bhutty Moore, Aotearoa's toughest ocean endurance race- a 32km battle along the Bay of Plenty Coastline.
Want to paddle in one of the most beautiful places in the world? Tasman's Queen and King of the Bay is for you. This is the South Island's longest running surfski event, and with good reason!
Or head to the home of Lisa Carrington and get some of that Ohope ocean water on you in the Heads to Harbour.
And don't forget to wrap up the summer season at the biggest ocean racing event in NZ, the Auickland King and Queen of the Harbour. With something for all ages and abilities, it is the perfect event to finish your summer of paddling!
The Darcy Price series and series events is open to all age groups from junior (U18) up to Masters (60+years) and includes both single and double skis.