Dusi winner, Dennis Sterling relives paddling days

THE annual FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon kicked off today.

To commemorate the occasion the Berea Mail caught up with Musgrave’s Dennis Sterling, a former Dusi winner, who reminisced about his paddling days.

Dennis, (82), a founding member of the Kingfisher Canoe Club in 1955, took on the Dusi for the first time at the age of 17 in 1956.

He said he and friend Derek Antrobus lived in Puntan’s Hill and when Ian Player did the Dusi in 1951, it was only natural for them to go to have a look. They both became interested in padding, so they decided to team up.

To train, they used to run from Puntan’s Hill to Bulwer Road and back, and when they had a canoe, they would walk with it down to the Umgeni River.

In those days, according to Dennis, it was part of the rules that you had to build your own canoe and as he had no money to do this himself, his mom helped fund their first canoe.

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“We made the canoe in the back yard of my mom’s house in Puntan’s Hill. It was made of plastic sheeting with an aluminium frame. In later years when the canoes were made of fibre glass, my mom came out in a rash as she was allergic to it!” he said.

Dennis said back then, there were no seconders for paddlers and it was a rule that all food and water, as well as a snake bite kit, were carried by paddlers in their canoes.

“1956 was the first year that the Dusi was done over three days. Before this the race was carried out over more days. I slept in Dusi founder, Ernie Pearce’s back yard in Scottsville so that we could walk to the start. I placed eighth that year,” he said, adding, “The corporation closed down that day as there were so many of us who worked for the corporation that took part in the Dusi,” he said.

Speaking about the Kingfisher Canoe Club, Dennis said he had called Ernie Pearce and asked if he could join Pearce’s club.

“He said I couldn’t but that the Kingfisher Canoe Club was forming and I must phone and make an appointment to see them. I met with one of the founder members who said he was leaving for Canada, and asked if I would take over.”

Dennis is a founding member, along with Frank Hully, Derek Antrobus and Geoff Marriott, who was also the first chairman of the club from 1955 to 1958.

Overall, Dennis tackled 12 Dusi Canoe Marathons, placing fifth in 1957, and taking wins in 1959 at the age of 21, paddling with Peter Gladwin, and in 1961 at the age of 23, paddling with Derek Antrobus.

He and Peter were runners up in the 1960 race. This was no mean feat considering the paddlers in those days had little money, no special training or coaching and no special energy drinks or foods, they just took to the water and finished the event.

Dennis is hoping to be at the finish on Saturday, 29 February to watch this year’s winners come in and said he was rooting for another win for Hank McGregor, whom he says is a wonderful man and great paddler.

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