Dusi on the horizon for local paddlers
Although the Ekurhuleni Kayak Club (ERK) Dusi training race took place early in January, before some companies and schools re-opened, the popular and enjoyable race at Homestead Dam, on Saturday, January 10, attracted a good field of over 80 canoeists.
Most of the participating paddlers were those striving to build up stamina and fitness for the world’s toughest endurance event, in February, the infamous Dusi Canoe Race, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
The race provided top quality canoeing from the paddlers.
The top winners of the race, who are likely to be among the top Gauteng finishers at the Dusi event next month, are achievers as a result of community/youth development programmes hosted by canoe clubs throughout South Africa.
The young u-23 paddlers from Soweto, Siseko Ntondini and Thulani Ngamlana, led by mentor Loveday Zondi, who won the race in one hour 36 minutes, took the second and third place podium positions, while Shaun Maphanga, in fourth, won the sub-veteran podium prize.
Sowetan Siyabonga Tyiki (u-18) was the first junior to finish, in a time of one hour and 43 minutes, while local u-18 junior and Benonian Liam Stewart, who has spent the past couple of years paddling river races with his father, top Benoni canoeist Michael Stewart, finished his first long Dusi event in two hours, seven minutes.
Mike Stewart was the first ERK finisher on the day, despite his swim right in front of the finish line in the end sprint, as well as being eighth overall in one hour, 41 minutes, as the winning sub master (not yet 50 years old), with club team mate Tommy Booth finishing 11th, and Mike Barry being the first master age category finisher in 15th place.
Some paddlers have improved their fitness throughout the December holiday period, while others, who took a break and rested, will struggle over the next few weeks, to push their limits and improve their fitness in time for the Dusi.
The 22km race took place on a fine day, with sufficient breeze and overcast skies for the paddlers to enjoy the tough hard slog, which included two portages of 2km each on the side of the dam, carrying their boats in the Dusi tradition.
Training to run with the boat, as well as practising smooth efficient take-outs and put-ins, are an essential part of the preparation for the Dusi.
