Paul Marais

Paul Marais is often referred to as one of the "Founding Fathers" of the modern South African surfski movement. While names like Hank McGregor and Dawid Mocke dominate the modern era, Marais was the dominant force of the 1980s and early 90s, bridging the gap between traditional "spec" surf lifesaving and professional long-distance ocean racing.

The Cape Point Legend

Marais is most famously associated with the Cape Point Challenge, a brutal 52km race around the Cape of Good Hope that is notorious for its massive swells and treacherous currents.

• Multiple Winner: He is one of the elite few to have won the race multiple times (winning in both the late 80s and early 90s).

• The "Hammerhead" Era: He set records in the early days of the sport using "spade-nose" spec skis—heavy, shorter boats that required immense physical power to move through the water compared to today's sleek carbon-fiber designs.

   

   

Technical Prowess: The "Old School" Power

Marais was known for a specific type of raw, grinding power.

• Millers Run Record: Before the era of GPS and modern lightweight skis, Paul Marais set a legendary Millers Run time (the iconic 12km downwind stretch in Cape Town) of 38:50. This time stood as a benchmark for years, achieved on a boat that would be considered a "tank" by modern standards.

   

   

• The "Short Pin" Style: Fellow paddlers often joke about his "short pins" (shorter legs), which gave him a lower center of gravity and incredible stability in massive, messy seas.

Legacy and the "Fish Hoek" Influence

Paul Marais was a central pillar of the Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club and Peninsula Canoe Club, the two organizations that essentially birthed the South African surfski dominance we see today.

• Mentor to Champions: He was a massive influence on a young Dawid Mocke and Jasper Mocke. In many ways, his professional approach to training and his respect for the ocean set the cultural tone for the Fish Hoek paddling community.

• International Impact: In later years, he moved to Australia, where he continued to compete and run surfski events (like the Currumbin Creek series), further spreading the South African "waterman" philosophy.

   

   

How he fits into the Pantheon