50 Miler team reunites for Dusi
Local canoeist, Mpilo Zondi, will once again be joining forces with Mark Keeling to compete for the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon's Juior Boys' 2016 title.
EMERGING local canoeist, Mpilo Zondi and U18 Surfski World Champion Mark Keeling have partnered up ahead of the 2016 FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon as they look to win the Junior Boys’ 2016 race.
Despite having only engaged with one another for the first time during their combining at the StaminaGro 50 Miler in December, the two are confident their opposite strengths will see them strong contenders during February’s three-day tussle from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
“We are definitely hoping to win the juniors section at Dusi next year!” confirmed Keeling. “We don’t really know each other at all but we were really happy with how things went for us during our first paddle together at 50 Miler. Mpilo brings the running and I bring the paddling,” laughed Mark.
Individually Keeling and Zondi’s talent is unquestionable.
Keeling represented South Africa with aplomb at both the 2015 ICF Ocean Racing World Championships and ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships where he claimed the gold medal and finished sixth in his age group respectively.
Zondi has already impressed during his fledgling career having finish third with K2 Nkosi Mabaso in the junior boys’ category of the 2014 Dusi before narrowly missing out on the age group’s K1 crown in 2015.
“With me being in the Cape and Mpilo in KZN, 50 Miler was pretty much it as far as the time we will be able to spend together before Dusi,” explained Keeling. “Training separately and not really knowing each other isn’t ideal but we were really happy with how 50 Miler went for us – we didn’t lean or struggle at all and there weren’t any disagreements between us in the boat. With me having only done one social Dusi before and Mpilo living in the valley, he knows the river far better than me and so he will drive the boat at Dusi, something I have full confidence in!”
While running comes naturally for Zondi, preparing for the race’s numerous portages is something Keeling has had to spend many hours preparing for in recent months. “I have never really been much of a runner and so I’ve had to do a lot of work on my running lately and I will continue to have to do so before Dusi. I will be spending quite a bit of time with a boat on my shoulder in the mountains before Dusi while also doing a fair bit of strength work as well.”
The FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon takes place from Camps Drift, Pietermaritzburg to Blue Lagoon, Durban from 18 to 20 February.
