All currents lead to a win

Dave Hamilton-Brown and his mixed double’s partner, Pippa McGregor competed in the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon on 18 to 20 February and won their category with a commendable time of 03:25:15 on the final day.

The three-day marathon in KwaZulu-Natal was no easy feat for the pair but each stroke of the paddle seemed to draw them that much closer to the finish line. Member of the Dubulamanzi Canoe Club at Emmarentia Dam, Hamilton-Brown said that he started canoeing about 27 years ago and has not looked back since. When asked if the race was easy, he vehemently said that it was very challenging for him and his partner. “We raced through the rain on day one, and one has to train very hard for the race, it is not easy at all,” said Hamilton-Brown.

The avid canoeist recalled the time they were knocked off their boat. He said that this was during their first challenge of their first leg, which saw them battle to catch up to the leaders. “There was a point where there was a pile up of about 10 boats. We had to manoeuvre our way through it.” said Hamilton-Brown. On day two they were finally in the lead, and this is one of the trickiest positions to be in. Hamilton-Brown noted how it’s here that you have less chances of taking any risks yet you also do not want to get too comfortable. “The second day was also very hot at about 34 deg C and we still had 15km to go,” said Hamilton-Brown.

On day three, Hamilton-Brown said that the pair mustered through gale force winds with very large waves to get through. “Our situation was very tricky, my partner is much lighter than me, so our boat tended to be more heavy in front, making it tip slightly,” said Hamiltion-Brown.

He added that what makes the Dusi so unique is that it’s a race that spans three days. “It’s rich in history and winning it is one of the best feelings in the world.”

Details: Dabulamanzi Canoe Club, 011 486 0979.

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