Canoeists are getting ready for the Dusi that will take place from February 17 to 19.

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The 120km race takes place over three days and boasts a number of portages where paddlers have to take their boat out of the river and carry it, running up hills, down valleys and across sludgy marshy sections in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal to reach the Durban beachfront.

Germiston Victoria Lake Canoe Club member Helen Jansen van Vuuren is one of many who has been preparing for the race.

As part of the preparation, she partnered with Caitlynn Evans from Dabulamanzi Canoe Club to win not only the junior but also the women’s race at the Emmarentia Dam in a time of one hour and 57 minutes.

The Dusi can have up to as much as 18km of portage where the river is unnavigable. The 18km paddle around the Emmarentia Dam with a 3km portage is, therefore, a small training opportunity to test their skills, check their fitness and identify their opponents.

Another race was held in preparation for the Dusi on January 22 and 23 when the Johannesburg Canoe Club hosted the Two Day Klip River Race with several portages.