Getting ready for the Dusi
A local canoeist will make Kempton Park proud when he faces the Dusi Canoe Marathon in February. Let's just hope his paddle doesn't break, again.
In little over a month’s time, canoeists will face the highly-anticipated three-day Dusi Canoe Marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
Not many would be able to keep head above water during the 120 gruelling kilometres along the Msunduzi and Mgeni Rivers, but Kemptonian Pieter Engelbrecht is not just anybody.
As a member of East Rand Kayak Club, based at Homestead Dam in Benoni, he participated in the 32km Dusi training race organised by Florida Lake Canoe Club on December 9 in preparation for the big event.
According to Gauteng Canoe Union’s spokesperson Jennie Dallas, Engelbrecht finished the race in three hours and four minutes, despite some unforeseen challenges.
“[At one stage] his paddle broke and he limped up-stream for a few kilometres until he was able to borrow one from the race organisers.”
Engelbrecht’s time was still good enough to land him in second place for his age category, 45 to 50 years old.
Hopefully, no paddles will break when Engelbrecht takes on the Dusi in February.
According to Dallas, this tough endurance race was started by conservationist Dr Ian Player (brother of golfer Gary Player) in 1951.
“Sitting around a campfire in Italy, in a terrible war, tired and homesick, he promised himself he would organise this event when he made it back home – and he did. The highly respected race, with worldwide recognition, still continues today.”
When the race was founded by Player, canoes weighed as much as 32kg.
“The few participants who were actually able to transport their boats from Durban to Pietermaritzburg and finish the event some days later had to get out and carry their boats on numerous occasions for long distances,” Dallas explained.
For this reason, it is still compulsory for canoeists to carry their boats for sections of the race. And we just know Engelbrecht will be able to carry his weight.
