Surfski Shack Paddlers Conquer Historic Durban Seas at 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships
- maltacanoeracingcl
- Oct 19
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 27
DURBAN, South Africa – 20th October 2025 – The Surfski Shack, a dedicated group of Maltese surfski paddlers, successfully navigated brutal ocean conditions and world-class competition at the 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, held in Durban, South Africa. Representing Malta, athletes Matthew Schembri, Mattea Micallef, and Andreas Bohnsack concluded months of rigorous training with strong finishes against the deepest field in the sport.
The team’s preparation was extensive, involving continuous training in Malta and
competitive events in Sicily and Rostock, serving as the perfect build-up for the sport's most challenging calendar event.
The Epic Grind: ICF World Championships Doubles (SS2)
The World Championships campaign began with the SS2 Mixed Doubles race on Saturday, October 18th. Matthew Schembri (33) and rising star Mattea Micallef (19) paired up for the gruelling 30km course from the Durban Undersea Club (DUC) to eManzimtoti beach.
The race was defined by shifting winds and massive surf. After a clean start amidst challenging North Easterly swell at DUC, the pair managed a crucial downwind run before a wind switch to a South Westerly forced a demanding headwind section. The finish at eManzimtoti was particularly treacherous, with large, breaking waves claiming numerous skis and resulting in multiple swims. Schembri and Micallef powered through the impact zone, only to be wiped out a mere 10 meters from the shore, swimming the final stretch to secure a time of 2:24:56 and a 39th place finish out of 69 crews in the Mixed SS2 category.
Reflecting on the race, Mattea Micallef said, "I preferred the doubles race because the conditions were better and we had more waves to surf. We learnt a lot about shorebreaks, which is great since we don’t have them in Malta; I’m happy to have added a new skill to my collection."
Singles Grit: ICF World Championships Singles (SS1)
The following day, all three athletes competed in the 34km SS1 Singles race from DUC to Westbrook Beach.
Despite racing 30km the previous day, Mattea Micallef demonstrated impressive stamina in the Women's race. Starting 20 minutes ahead of the men, she handled the shorebreak cleanly to finish the race in 3:03:20. In a field of 73 women, Mattea placed 51st overall and a commendable 14th in the U23 category, cementing her status as a promising talent who only started paddling in 2023.
Matthew Schembri, competing in the Open category, overcame a chaotic start in a massive field of 412 male athletes. He used his endurance and downwind power to overtake competitors in the final stages, finishing cleanly with a time of 2:37:11 and placing 178th overall.
"The experience in Durban was fantastic," said Schembri. "I was definitely a bit tired for the singles race from the doubles race the day before, however, I feel I performed well and managed to overtake people towards the end of the race when the wind picked up."
Veteran paddler Andreas Bohnsack, a.k.a. Mamba (65), navigated the challenging start and conditions to complete the course in 2:56:25, placing 322nd overall and 18th in the 65-69 age category.
A Connection to History: Pirates-Umhlanga-Pirates Race
Before the World Championships, Andreas Bohnsack competed in the historic Pirates-Umhlanga-Pirates race, the oldest recorded surfski race in the world (first held in 1937). Competing in the 68th edition of the 26km event, Bohnsack showed great form, finishing in 2:45:56.52 despite a punishing headwind on the return leg. He placed 5th in his age group and 68th overall among the male competitors.
For Andreas, the event carried a special significance: "The eight months of training in Malta week in and week out... was the perfect build-up to the World Champs. The cherry on the top was doing this all with a great bunch of paddlers at the Surfski Shack... Never in my wildest dream could I have imagined that 45 years after paddling in Durban as a 20-year-old, I would be competing in the largest World Surfski Championships, in Durban. Amazing how life works sometimes..."
Acknowledgements and Team Spirit
The Surfski Shack contingent was proud to witness the world's best in action, including Matthew Fenn and Saskia Hockly (1:51:16) winning the Mixed Doubles, Cory Hill claiming his 4th World Title (2:05:22), and Kira Bester winning the Women's title (2:22:46).
The team emphasized the importance of their collective effort. Matthew Schembri concluded, "I'm really happy that the Maltese contingent worked as a team and supported each other during the trip; it's always a pleasure travelling and racing with my team members."
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