Notten Wins Pete Marlin Surfski Race
Nic Notten claimed his second South African S1 title as Jade Wilson won the women's race at Yellow Sands to Orient Beach.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Surfing
Nic Notten won the Pete Marlin Surfski Race from Yellow Sands to Orient Beach on Saturday, claiming the 2026 South African Ocean Racing Championship S1 title. Jade Wilson took the women's title on the same course.
Why it matters
The result gives Notten his second S1 national title and sets up the S2 doubles event and championship on Sunday. Wilson's win came on the same day her aunt died, as she had also won a bronze medal at the World Marathon Championships in Argentina less than a week earlier.
Notten's winning time of 1:29:21 was 19 seconds ahead of Rice, and the top three S1 men finished within 38 seconds of one another. Wilson's winning time of 1:46:50 came over the same course, and she paddled a shallow line within about a kilometre of the shore.
The players
Nic Notten
Nic Notten is a South African surfski paddler who won his second S1 national title at the 2026 championship.
Jade Wilson
Jade Wilson is a South African paddler who won the women's race and a bronze medal at the World Marathon Championships in Argentina.
The details
Notten emerged from behind the early leaders and ran up the beach to win the S1 race. Wilson paddled a shallow line close to shore and went point-to-point to take the women's title.
Timeline
Saturday morning: Jade Wilson's aunt died.
Saturday: Pete Marlin Surfski Race held from Yellow Sands to Orient Beach.
Sunday: S2 doubles event and championship scheduled, running from Orient Beach to Yellow Sands.
Season Trajectory
Notten's second S1 title adds to his standing in South African ocean racing, while Wilson's win follows her bronze at the World Marathon Championships in Argentina. The results shape the national surfski picture heading into the S2 doubles on Sunday.
The S2 doubles race on Sunday will reverse the course direction, running from Orient Beach to Yellow Sands. Fantasy and championship standings for the S1 and women's categories are now settled for the 2026 season.
The takeaway
Racing close to the shore can decide a surfski race, as Wilson's shallow line within about a kilometre of the beach shows. Consistent pacing from behind the leaders can also pay off, as Notten's late run up the beach demonstrated.
What happens next
The S2 doubles event and championship will be held on Sunday, running from Orient Beach to Yellow Sands.
Further reading
For more on the sport, explore Surfing coverage across South Africa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Herald.
