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Home / Northern Advocate

Kiteboarder exhausted but thrilled to complete classic

NZME.
4 Nov, 2014 04:00 PM3 mins to read

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Northlander Ben Turner unofficially completed the 119 nautical mile voyage between Devonport and Russell during the Coastal Classic last month on his kiteboard. PHOTO/GRANT PAYNE@L&G IMAGES

Northlander Ben Turner unofficially completed the 119 nautical mile voyage between Devonport and Russell during the Coastal Classic last month on his kiteboard. PHOTO/GRANT PAYNE@L&G IMAGES

A Mangonui man has realised a long-held ambition to complete the Coastal Classic on a kiteboard, even though he wasn't officially allowed to be part of the race.

Ben Turner was one of two kiteboarders who this year became the first in history to complete the Coastal Classic yacht race, albeit 'unofficially', while racing alongside some of the finest boats money can buy.

Ben Turner.
Ben Turner.

Considering Turner failed to complete the event on three previous attempts - when conditions were regarded as less favourable - there were plenty of reasons to celebrate.

He took 9 hours 50 minutes to finish the 119 nautical mile run from Devonport to Russell in the Bay of Islands on the Friday of Labour Weekend.

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Recovering from the gruelling marathon 'kite', the 39-year-old commercial fisherman admitted the venture was as exhausting as anything he'd done.

"I was dry retching up the coast. It's pretty full-on," said Turner of the ordeal.

A straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back moment nearly came when he found himself going nowhere for about an hour after becoming becalmed in the notorious 'wind-shadow' off Cape Brett.

He tried a change of tack by swapping board and kite which didn't particularly help matters.

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"My legs were too sore and stiff to ride the foilboard."

Watching the attempt aboard a support boat was friend Grant Payne, who noted that Turner went into the event completely focused and "pretty damned determined" to avoid a repeat of the past three years' frustration.

"He really planned it out. Didn't stop for a minute, sitting on about 22 knots all the way," Payne said, adding that the stamina and concentration required to take on the Coastal Classic was mind-boggling.

Turner's jubilation was obvious: "By the end of it he was doing jumps," Payne said.

Having represented New Zealand at various kiteboarding world championships, Turner now plans to help co-ordinate the Kiwi kiteboarding nationals - at Doubtless Bay over Easter next year with the Taipa and Mangonui sailing clubs.

He will also compete in the event, which was expected to see 20 of the best kiteboarders in the country taking part in formula and foil titles.

Kiteboarders barred

Kiteboarders are not officially allowed to take part in the Coastal Classic with organisers defending the stance by saying it would have been unfair to provide a kiteboard race when other larger sailing craft were denied the privilege because of the event's rigorous criteria.

The other kiteboarder to unofficially complete the 2014 Coastal Classic was Aucklander Dave Robertson who took 7.5 hours to finish second overall, just behind eventual winner and three-time record setter Team Vodafone Sailing.

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