Local friends prepare for a doozy of a Dusi
The Dusi started as a tradition in 1951, post World War II.
The infamous FNB Dusi River Race is scheduled to take place in mid-February as usual from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
The world’s toughest endurance canoe marathon over a distance of 120km takes place over three days – 14, 15 and 16 February.
Paul Nel from Krugersdorp, relatively new to river canoeing, partnered up with Renier Kruger to complete the Dusi training race hosted by Florida Lake Canoe Club in December to finish off the 2018 canoeing season. They finished the training race in two hours 57 minutes, completing a distance on the river of some 32km, with a couple of sections where participants had to take their boats out of the water and run (or walk) while carrying it for a few kilometres as part of their training.
The Dusi started as a tradition in 1951, post World War II, and was organised by Dr Ian Player – brother to the famous Gary Player. He was a highly respected conservationist and canoeist.
Sitting around a campfire in Italy in the midst of a terrible war, tired and homesick, he promised himself he would organise this event when he made it back home – and he did. The race with world-wide recognition still continues today.
At the time there were no dams from which water could be released, and the canoes they used were made from wood and canvas, weighing 32 kilograms. 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 in the Valley of 1000 Hills, hence the tradition remains.
The FNB Dusi River Race still has compulsory portages for those sections although many of them are navigable today, thanks to the water releases from dams.
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