Birket and Kime row in first on day 2 of the Dusi
The pair had an eight-minute lead going into the final stage of the race.
ANDY Birkett and Lance Kime took full control of the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon with another flawless performance on the second stage from Dusi Bridge to Inanda Dam. The pair was stunned to learn that they had an eight-minute lead going into the final stage.
With Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocke in hot pursuit three-and-a-half minutes back, Birkett and Kime had to time trial the 48km stage alone, making sure they didn’t make any mistakes that would leave the door open for the 2014 world champ crew.
They did more than that. They broke the challenge after running the Nqumeni Hill portage and then knocked the stuffing out of McGregor and Mocké by paddling away on the stretch of river to Inanda Dam. McGregor and Mocke graciously conceded defeat and are happy in second but all the heat is on Sbonelo Khwela the 2014 champ and his partner, Banetse Nkhoesa. They were caught and then lost the end sprint for thirds to the Mooi River U23 brothers, Andrew and Alan Houston.
The women’s race is Abby Solms and Anna Koziskova’s to lose as they have 24 minutes in the bank over the three-boat scrap for second, despite a day that saw them first bend their rudder and then almost break the nose off their boat.
