Canoeists use 50 Miler as dry-run for Dusi
Unfortunately Brett Binnekade and Brent Chiazzari could not finish as Island rapid.
TOTI Canoe Club members competed in the 50 Miler canoe race, a two day race on the same route as the Dusi canoe marathon.
The first day starts just above Mission rapid and ends just below Marion Foley causeway.
The second day starts on Inanda dam and ends at the Blue Lagoon, the same as the Dusi’s third day.
Results: 25th place Lyall Whitehead and Bryan Mckie; 37th place Jenna Ward and Kerry Segal ( first U23 and third seniors); 80th place Jason Ward and partner; 215th place Gavin Smith and Jeremy Cliff.
Unfortunately Brett Binnekade and Brent Chiazzari could not finish as Island rapid decided to give them a bucking bronco ride and their boat was wrapped, but as Robb Binnekade was saying with a Schwarzenegger voice, ‘we will be back’. So the club looks forward to the pedigree of Brent and the experience of Brett to be well placed at the Dusi – nothing like a bit of pressure.
The next big race is the Drak race, which is raced on the Umzimkulu River staring just downstream of Drakensberg Gardens and finishing 80kms downstream. In this race, you are always guaranteed to have good, clean water but what’s not always guaranteed is good canoeing water. When the river is at medium to full level, it is a pleasure, but it can be low and make it really difficult. Lots of sneak training will happen over December, with the guys trying to time the fitness levels to peak with the Dusi in the second week of February.
