Fourways residents ready for Dusi
FOURWAYS – Two Fourways residents have put in the work and preparation for the upcoming Dusi River Race to take place in February.
On January 15, the Dambulamanzi Canoe Club based in Emmarentia hosted the annual Dambusters training race in preparation for the upcoming Dusi Canoe Marathon.
The 120km long Duzi is set to take place from February 17 to 19 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
The route also sees a number of portages where paddlers have to take their boat out of the river and run with it up hills, down valleys, and across sludgy marshy sections in the rural areas of the province.
Experienced Dusi paddlers Kelvin Byres, who is a Fourways resident, and Mark Garden finished the training race in 01:33:46. They were fourth to cross the finish line, and were the first sub-master age group category to complete the race.
Dusi this year will be a double kayak event, even though thee-man kayak (K3) and singles are participating but with not a high turnout. This is due to the extremely tricky nature of getting a longboat past the tight corner turns, bridge pillars and boulders in fast-flowing water.
Another Fourways resident, Ryan Rodda joined teammates Alex Roberts and Garden in a K3 team during the Dambusters race to finish in a time of 01:33:46 – the only K3 team to cross the finish line.
The training race at Emmarentia included a 3km portage section for paddlers to practise and on January 22 to 23, the Johannesburg Canoe Club will host the Two Day Klip River Race with a number of portages in preparation for the Dusi.
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