THE hosts of the annual Non-Stop Dusi canoe ultra-marathon have decided to revert to the event’s original, informal structure for the 2017 race.
The race was scheduled for Friday, 3 March, but responding to a variety of issues relevant to the race, the Natal Canoe Club (NCC) has decided to change the race format, reverting to the 20-year-old race’s original format.
The Non Stop Dusi involves racing the entire course of the three-day FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon in one day.
The paddlers also rely solely on their seconds for assistance during the day, which allows far longer portages than its three-day parent.
When it was founded in the 1980s, it was an informal event, arranged by like-minded paddlers who communicated telephonically when it was clear that the river would be the fullest.
Formal race
In recent years, the event was formalised and a date was set for the event, often relying solely on water available from Henley Dam.
With the region still in the grips of the drought, and with limits on the water that can be expected from Henley Dam, the NCC has agreed to let the event revert to its original ad-hoc status.
This will allow paddlers to co-ordinate the race amongst themselves on social media and via the race website.
‘The current format of the race appeals to a very small sector of the canoeing community, and the present day formal structure of the event is not feasible in today’s environment.’ said NCC General Manager Brett Austen Smith.
‘It makes sense to allow paddlers who are keen to take on this challenge – and it remains a substantial challenge in canoeing terms – for the Non-Stop race to revert to the way it was done in its formative years.’
Austen Smith said that they were still looking for a title sponsor, which would allow them to return to hosting it as a formal event in the future.
‘In this age of social media, this seems like the ideal way to organise a truly unique event like the Non-Stop Dusi, and I urge anyone interested in the race to keep close tabs on the website, Facebook and Twitter accounts,’ he said.
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