Michael Stewart, a member of the ERK Kayak Club based at Homestead Dam, partnered up in a double kayak with Alex Roberts to finish the 120km, three-day endurance canoeing event in Durban recently.
As the 26th double kayak to finish they just missed a top 20 position, but very comfortably sit within the top 50 finishers.
Kelvin Byres and Mark Garden finished in nine hours, ten minutes and 46 seconds as the 27th doubles finishers.
Young u-23 Liam Stewart partnered with MJ Robb finishing as the 42nd double across the finish line in a time of nine hours and 36 minutes.
The Dusi race alternates annually between Singles Championships and Doubles Championships; this year was a doubles championship.
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In the olden days they had large wooden boats, heavy and sluggish, with no dams for water releases.
They had to carry their boats over long sections next to the river where it was unnavigable, hence the portages on the river following tradition, making it the world’s toughest canoe endurance event.
The race starts in Pietermaritzburg and ends in Durban where the river meets the sea, a distance of 120km including anything from 10 to 18km’s carrying the boat depending on water levels, rain and dam levels; which can allow water releases today if not in drought state.
“The level this year was most enjoyable for white water paddlers after recent drought stricken years!” said Jennie Dallas, Gauteng Canoe Union PR.
