Durban: In a race as hotly contested as the Dusi, there is never really one boat that you would bet your house on; the proverbial dark horses are renowned for making their way through the whitehorses of the rapids to spring a few surprises. This year it is the same, if not more so, as the podium, and even as far as the top 10, would make for some uncomfortable betting.
The paddlers themselves have added to this mystery by chopping and changing partners and creating drama behind the scenes; even the weather gods have played their role in making the lead-up a thriller. Drought conditions threatened the race since before the new year, but on the days leading up to the event this week it has been wet and rainy.
While a favourite is near impossible to call, the two boats that most will be keeping an eye out for belong to Hank McGregor and his partner Jasper Mocke, and Andy Birkett with partner Lance Kime.
Birkett’s partner from 2014, when he took the title, was Sbonelo Khwela, but the bosom buddies split this year – Khwela has since joined up with Banetse Nkhoesa. In stepped Kime, who now finds himself as a full-time yacht man in Europe. However, Kime is no mug with the paddle, having won the Dusi in 2013.
McGregor and Mocke probably have the most pedigree in the marathon race. McGregor has two Dusi titles to his name (2005 and 2006) and is South Africa’s most decorated paddler with six Marathon World Championships. Mocke is more renowned for his surfski paddling, but managed second place in 2014.
Other threats to the men’s podium include Khwela and Nkhoesa, but the latter is still recovering from a punctured lung after being stabbed in December; Shaun Rubenstein and Thulani Mbanjwa, who was the first black African to win the Dusi; as well as paddling legend Len Jenkins and young star Siseko Ntondini.
The women’s race is dominated by the experienced duo of Czech world champion Anna Koziskova and Abby Solms, who has dominated women’s paddling in South Africa recently.
Their biggest challengers will be youthful upstarts Jenna Ward and Hungarian Vanda Kiszli. These two were rivals for the Under-23 world championship, with Kiszli winning and Ward taking third.
The race gets underway this morning at Campsdrift near Pietermaritzburg and will wind its way down the Dusi valley before finishing on Saturday at Blue Lagoon. - Cape Times