The Dubai Surf Ski and Kayak Club (DSKC) has kindly donated six surf skis to the Malta Canoe Racing Club (MCRC) which arrived earlier last month courtesy of Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd.

The surf skis are 6.5m long but only 0.5m wide, however these dimensions help it cut through large broken waves. 

These kayaks are used worldwide for surf lifesaving, surf kayaking and for training and competition on flat-water or ocean (downwind) racing and vary in distance. 

Surfski races are perhaps the most interesting to watch, with some of the finest field of ocean paddlers ever assembled to race including iron men, national, world and even Olympic champions all lining up to race.

The Malta Canoe Racing club will certainly be putting these kayaks to good use, enabling their athletes to train in the open sea as opposed to being confined to the safe waters of the Msida Marina. 

The kayaks also extend the sport to a whole new demographic, attracting those who might have been put off racing due to its confinements in the Marina since the racing kayaks available only fare well in flat water.

A number of surf ski races are being planned for the year. 

These are most likely to be based on the Australian Lifesaving Technique which includes both paddling and portages where the canoeist would have to run with the kayak along a short distance. 

The locations will vary across beaches all over the island’s coast.

Other types of races such as point-to-point open sea races and multi-day races shall also be organised.

The MCRC thanked the DSKC, Kunsill Malti Ghall-iSport and Carmelo Caruana Ltd for all their help and support in bringing this fantastic sport to Malta.