Plenty of positives from 2021 Dusi says organisers
Given the unprecedented nature of hosting a race during a pandemic; the organisers where happy that the entry peaked at just over 780 paddlers for the iconic event between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, an increase on the entry year-on-year.
AS the organisers of the 2021 MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon take stock of another successful hosting of the country’s premier river marathon, paddlers taking the annual post-race survey have highlighted some important positives, in particular the progress being made in dealing with the water quality.
Given the unprecedented nature of hosting a race during a pandemic; the organisers where happy that the entry peaked at just over 780 paddlers for the iconic event between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, an increase on the entry year-on-year.
From a serious concern in 2019 when close on 80 percent of the participants got sick with the infamous Dusi Guts, the 2021 race saw a continuation of the encouraging reversal of that trend seen in 2020 as over 71% of the respondents completed the race without contracting any illness.
Related story: Birkett sets new Dusi record while Mackenzie masters her mishaps
The results of the survey showed that just under 20% of the respondents said they contracted mild Dusi Guts while only 5% suffered severe Dusi Guts. Dusi Guts is caused by a reaction to ecoli pollution in the river.
In the last two seasons the KwaZulu-Natal Canoe Club and the Dusi sponsors MyLife have been working with the Dusi uMngeni Conservation Trust (DUCT) to identify and remedy the sewer problems around Pietermaritzburg that were identified as the sources of the ecoli pollution in the uMsindusi River.
The 2021 edition of the Dusi was a difficult event to host given the influence of the covid-19 pandemic, however through the survey there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the race, sponsors and organisers for their efforts.
Related story: Dusi success inspires Berg organisers for 60th anniversary edition
“While we are very happy with the outcome of the 2021 MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon, this survey is absolutely essential to enabling us to build on the positives and respond constructively to every single criticism,” said race committee head Shane le Breton.
“The survey provides important stats, but even more useful to us are the thousands of comments and details provided in the survey, that give us clear areas to work on ahead of the 2022 race,” he added.
* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
You can also sign up for news alerts on Telegram. Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5532.
For more from Northglen News follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram
