Last race in Northland Twilight Paddling series won by Murphy

Bruce Murphy stamped his authority on the field yet again winning the final race of the Northland Twilight Paddling series for 2010 held in the Tutukaka Harbour.
Murphy burst away from the start and was never challenged at the front of the pack, cruising away to the victory on a course readjusted after rough seas forced the planned 10km coastal race from Ngunguru to Tutukaka.
Instead a field of more than 30 paddlers raced over a two lap 8km course inside the Tutukaka Harbour before adjourning for season ending celebrations at the Schnappa Rock Restaurant and Bar.
Murphy, on his Epic V10 ski, was followed home by Greg Jones (Brainwave ski) with Conan Herbert (Wainui OC1) and Hamish Pedersen (Fenn Elite ski) sprinting in a fight for third.  Herbert was just pipped at the line.
Times were not available because the timekeeper ditched his watch and paddled the race instead.T
he series has been a big success, with more than 70 paddlers taking part during the season, the biggest field a 43 strong line-up for one of the Whangarei Harbour races.
Many paddlers who have been racing weekly are now building up paddling miles in preparation for the 35km Bo Herbert Memorial Race on March 5.
The Bo Herbert Memorial race is popular with waka ama paddlers but in the past two years has attracted growing interest from the surf ski fraternity.  Paddlers can either complete the entries race or can enter in two-person or four-person relay teams.
In the meantime many of the resident Northland waka ama paddlers are now honing boat speed for the NZ Waka Ama  sprint nationals to be held at Lake Karapiro in January.
The Northland Twilight series takes a break until January 19, but paddlers will converge for a coaching clinic with Alan Ferguson of Ferg's Kayaks.
They day-long clinic will be held on December 28 and is limited to the first 15 to register.