Jacobs clinches back-to-back victories

Dubai: Reigning Dubai Shama'al champion Tim Jacobs has clinched back-to-back victory after a dramatic end sprint in the 2009 edition of the world's richest surfski race.

The Australian surged ahead in the final kilometre to muscle past South Africans Matt Bouman and Dawid Mocke — after they trio led from the start.

Mocke, from Cape Town, took an early lead as the 140-strong field raced out of Dubai's reclaimed landmark — the Palm Jebel Ali.

Just a kilometre out of the channel into the open sea, Mocke clinched the course's Nelo Hot Spot, claiming E1 000 for reaching the buoy first.

Out of sight

Bouman and Jacobs never let him out of their sight, and the trio raced downwind for the next 15km — expertly reading the diagonal windswells towards the Palm Jumeirah — at the foot of the skyline of distant skyscrapers.

Australian star Murray Stewart hung on in fourth place, a position he kept until the race's end at the Dubai International Marine Club, which hosted the Sea Dubai festival.

South African downwind paddling expert Clint Pretorius posed a threat throughout, by taking a line deep out to into the warm sea, hoping to be able to race back to the coastline under the power of stronger wind swell out at sea — but the trio were simply too fast.

With just two kilometres to the finish, Mocke clung on to a miniscule lead, as Bouwman traded first place with him wave for wave.

But it was the supremely composed Jacobs who then kicked down a gear and raced to the front in an extraordinary display of power and precision tactics.

With only 500 metres to go, Jacobs rounded the breakwater into the harbour with Mocke and Bouman on his tail, and gunned his Epic ski to the finish for glory.

South Africa's champion woman paddler Michele Eray clinched first place in the women's race.

The disappointment of the day was the disaster, which struck reigning Molokai champion Hank McGregor of Durban, South Africa, whose ski was hit from behind just several hundred metres from the start, causing his rudder to sever from his craft — ending his race.