Durban – In the end, amid some of the most confusing weather experienced at the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon in years, Andy Birkett and Lance Kime calmly paddled to one of the most clinical victories seen in the race in years yesterday.
For Birkett, now firmly established as the “Dusi King”, it was a truly remarkable sixth out of seven titles since 2010. The only edition he didn’t win, the K1 singles in 2013, was scooped by Kime, of all people.
In that sense, then, it was no surprise the duo were as dominant as they were over the course of the three-day trek. Indeed, they were behind for barely five minutes the entire race.
Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocke, who ended second, led until the bottom of Ernie Pearce Weir on the first morning before their drama allowed Birkett and Kime to slip past.
“No dramas, no spills, so it was a great race from that perspective. But we were a bit tired today. The first two days were very tough on everyone, but we knew if we didn’t make any mistakes in the rapids, we would be hard to beat,” Birkett said at the finish.
That they never looked back and never looked like getting caught once they hit the front was testimony to a relentless pursuit for perfection from both men. They are both still young enough to rewrite many of the 65-year record books of this epic.
Birkett, already with six victories at the age of 25, has moved into third place in overall triumphs, with the holy grail of Graeme Pope-Ellis’s 15 victories still in the distance.
On current form, however, that mark is not out of reach for the lanky, indefatigable star of this era.
Kime, blessed with a happy-go-lucky spirit that saw him swap yacht-hopping in Europe for rapids and ripping up Burma Road in a matter of weeks, proved to be the ideal partner for Birkett.
Their combination and unerring accuracy broke the back of a powerhouse paddling duo behind them and the only intrigue going into the final day was who would fill the rest of the podium.
McGregor and Mocke made things interesting, especially when the former took a scenic route at the bottom of Burma Road.
“I thought I knew a short-cut and ended up hunting for mambas in the bush,” quipped McGregor.
“Luckily I didn’t find any, but I think Jasper might find someone else to paddle with next time – someone who knows their way around the bottom of Burma!”
Of course, McGregor will remain a force in any race he enters given his incredible paddling prowess. But after his miscalculation yesterday, he briefly opened the door for a resurgent Sbonelo Khwela and Banetse Nkhoesa.
The comeback kids had started in fourth, but they tore past the ailing Houston brothers, then set their sights on Mac and Mocke. Until they spun out of control and contention at Pumphouse Weir, they looked set to push for silver all the way to Blue Lagoon.
“I’m proud to finish in third after everything I went through in the last few months,” Nkhoesa said.
Given that he had come back from being stabbed three times just two months ago, puncturing a lung, a podium finish was truly remarkable.
The fact that the duo were the fastest boat on day three suggests a smoother build-up could have made for an even more thrilling race.
The women’s race also had the drama sucked out of it by the dominance of Abby Solms and Czech star Anna Adamova. They even dared to go over Burma Road instead of paddling around, and the huge smile on Adamova’s face spoke of the growing global pull of this race.
“I am very happy to win my first Dusi!,” the pocket rocket vowed.
McGregor, at 38, joked that he is getting long in the tooth and may not be around for much longer.
– THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT