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Birkett and Graham take Dusi Canoe Marathon

Posted by Newsroom 187 days ago Sport
The Hansa Powerade Dusi Canoe Marathon provided its most enthralling race for the title in a decade, with the unpredictable river playing a decisive role in determining the outcome near the end of the final stage on Saturday.

From day one there was a surprise as hot favourites Ant Stott and Michael Mbanjwa found themselves in second place after the first stage. They trailed Andrew Birkett and Jason Graham by a minute and 13 seconds after suffering a damaged rudder, which required adjustment three times during the stage.

Birkett and Graham were an interesting combination as Graham, a former teacher, had previously taught Birkett at Maritzburg College.
Dreyer's influence

The influence of seven-time Dusi champion Martin Dreyer was on show as development paddlers Thomas Ngidi and Eric Zondi, who had prepared for the race under Dreyer's guidance, finished third.

Just over five minutes separated the two leading ladies' crews with Dusi queen Abbey Miedema and her partner Robyn Kime leading from Jen Hodson and Hilary Pitchford. Only two seconds further back, Lindi-May Harmsen and Abby Adie occupied third spot.

Day two's racing saw Stott and Mbanjwa make up the deficit they had incurred on the first day in excruciatingly hot conditions. When they crossed the finishing line, they led by just one second with one stage remaining.

Meanwhile, Miedema and Kime owned a convincing lead of seven minutes in the ladies' race despite taking two swims during the day. That lead left Miedema in a strong position to win her seventh Dusi title, while it would be Kime's first if no misfortune befell the pair on the final day.
Final day

With Stott and Mbanjwa having hauled in Birkett and Graham, the smart money was on the experienced pair of Dusi icons to add to their list of titles, but Birkett and Graham were not going to make it easy for them.

On the final day, it was the favourites who made the first move, pulling clear up the dreaded Burma Road portage to build up a lead of 20 seconds. They increased their advantage to as much as a minute-and-a-half, but then disaster struck.

An hour from the finish, they capsized at the Pumphouse Weir, which had been given the all-clear by the organisers only five days before the race. Their misfortune was the opportunity that Birkett and Graham needed to take the lead.
Pulled well clear

They pulled well clear and eventually crossed the finishing line over three minutes ahead of Stott and Mbanjwa in time of seven hours, 42 minutes and four seconds. Ngidi and Zondi secured third place.

In the women's race, Miedema and Kime experienced no problems and finished over 12 minutes ahead of Abby Adie and Lindi-May Harmsen, with Hilary Pitchford and Jen Hodson ending in third.

Victory in the K2 mixed race went to Michael Stewart and Kirsty Fox, with Mark and Angelique Mulder claiming second place.

Ultra athletes Andrew King and Devlin Fogg made history when they became the first competitors in the history of the race to portage its entire length.

They completed the Powerade Race for the River to raise awareness of the ecological pressures being experienced in the uMsindisi and uMngeni valleys, and the critical work being done by the Dusi uMngeni Conservancy Trust (DUCT) to clean up these river systems.
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