Paddlers fine-tune Dusi preparations
The first canoe race of the year - signalling the last weeks of preparation for the FNB Dusi.
THE first canoe race of the year was held at Wemmer Pan on January 21, signalling the last weeks of preparation for the upcoming FNB Dusi, which takes place between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in mid-February.
With the drought conditions in the country, last year’s Dusi was a tough slog, involving running practically all the way to Durban, with minimal paddling possible in the shallow rocky river stretch on the third day of the 120km event.
Training for the Dusi – recognised as the world’s toughest canoe endurance marathon – has always incorporated portaging, or running with the boat, and training races provide an opportunity to get in some running while practising the take-out and put-in to the water.
The training race got off to a windy, choppy start in the early morning at Wemmer Pan, but it soon warmed to a hot day as can be expected in the Dusi valley.
The race also offered shorter distances for newer paddlers to help them build up mileage and stamina for the future.
Juniors wearing different coloured bibs to signify their age groups, from u-8 through to 18 years, also completed 200m and 500m sprint races after their long-distance warm-ups as they prepared for the South African Inter-school Inter-provincial Sprint Championships taking place in April.
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