TEAM MyLife’s Khumbulani Nzimande hopes to replicate his scintillating 2020 N3TC Drak Challenge form in next year’s event, to be held at the end of January.
Nzimande powered to the second fastest time on the second day of the Drak and catapulted from eighth position to fifth overall.
One month later he went on to win the MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon in a K2 with Andy Birkett and officially announce his arrival on the national river racing scene.
Nzimande cut his teeth on the uMsundusi and uMngeni Rivers as part of Martin Dreyer’s Change a Life Academy, so his ability to run with a boat on his shoulder is one of his strengths. With no portaging during the Drak Challenge, he showed his all-round paddling skills have increased as well.
“The toughest part of the Drak is that there aren’t any portages for me to get out and stretch my legs,” said Nzimande. “It’s definitely my second best race of the season, behind the Dusi, and I want to do better in 2021 than I did this year.”
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He said the opportunity to speak to Andy Birkett during the race was helpful as the paddler was imparted knowledge that allowed him to speed through to fifth place.
“I find that training on shallow rivers gives me a good chance to work on my technical skills and those are important at the Drak because it is a technical river and the river is very reliant on the rain. When I paddled day one this year I was a bit worried but I did well on the second day as I had more power. I’m excited for the race next year and I am going to be as prepared as possible,” he added.
The N3TC Drak Challenge canoe marathon will be held in Underberg on 30 and 31 January 2021.
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