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Birkett & Solms cruise to<br />
grueling FNB Dusi titles<br />
Health Sports<br />
Durban – Three fl awless days<br />
from Andy Birkett and Abby<br />
Solms in the toughest conditions<br />
in over a decade saw<br />
the pair march convincingly<br />
to their respective men’s and women’s<br />
titles at the 2017 FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon<br />
fi nishing at Blue Lagoon on Saturday.<br />
Andy Birkett’s three day performance<br />
was one of class and<br />
experience as he didn’t put a<br />
foot wrong on his 120km trip<br />
to the sea. Birkett has now tied<br />
with the ‘Dusi Duke’ Martin<br />
Dreyer with seven Dusi victories<br />
with Birkett finishing first<br />
in four consecutive races from<br />
2014 to 2017.<br />
“I am not surprised we didn’t<br />
have a water release on day<br />
three with the drought that we<br />
are experiencing but this stage<br />
today was definitely the toughest<br />
stage of Dusi racing I have<br />
experienced,” Birkett said.<br />
“It was a tough day and everyone<br />
really deserves their medals!”<br />
“This year’s win has been<br />
quite special with the conditions<br />
and I can really appreciate sitting<br />
back and putting my feet<br />
up for a bit – maybe a bit of kite<br />
surfing!”<br />
The race for second was<br />
ended half way up the grueling<br />
Burma Road portage as<br />
Euro Steel/Red Bull’s Sbonelo<br />
Khwela powered past Hank<br />
McGregor and into the distance<br />
to his best K1 place at the FNB<br />
Dusi.<br />
“I am really happy with my<br />
second and I don’t mind losing<br />
to a guy like Andy, he paddled<br />
so well!”<br />
“I have been working so hard<br />
on my paddling so to come second<br />
ahead of a guy like Hank<br />
McGregor is a great feeling,”<br />
Khwela continued.<br />
“To keep focused on my own<br />
race today was very important<br />
to me and to not chase Hank on<br />
the dam. I managed to keep my<br />
cool and it worked for me!”<br />
Before the start of the final<br />
stage on Saturday most punters<br />
would have put the podium<br />
With not a lot of paddling, Euro Steel's Andy Birkett outclassed the rest on what was one of the most challenging<br />
fi nal stages in the recent history of the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon on Saturday. Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media<br />
positions to rest with McGregor<br />
and Khwela set to fight it out<br />
for third, however Build-it/Williams<br />
Hunt’s Thulani Mbanjwa<br />
had other ideas.<br />
“On day one I felt really flat<br />
and I was not happy with how<br />
I went so I knew that if I could<br />
fix it over the next two days I<br />
would be in a good position.<br />
“Today the legs felt really<br />
good and I just carried on powering<br />
on the runs.<br />
“I did have to look over my<br />
shoulder a bit to see if Hank<br />
was behind me but I managed<br />
to hold him off, something I am<br />
proud of!” Mbanjwa said.<br />
Solm’s performance was<br />
unrivalled as she led the ladies<br />
race from the first portage on<br />
the opening day to the finish at<br />
the mouth to the Indian Ocean.<br />
It was a sublime way for the<br />
27 year-old to wrap up her first<br />
FNB Dusi title.<br />
“I think I feel more relief<br />
than anything at the moment!”<br />
Solms mentioned with a smile.<br />
“It was such a tough race, we<br />
had all the elements against us<br />
throughout but I came into the<br />
race wanting to win and I managed<br />
to achieve exactly what I<br />
wanted!”<br />
With 120km to navigate<br />
from start to finish the margins<br />
for error become smaller and<br />
smaller as the race progresses<br />
and despite a slight mishap on<br />
the second stage of the race<br />
Solms believes she was as close<br />
to her best as she could get.<br />
“You are never going to have<br />
a flawless race but I was happy<br />
that I managed to put three<br />
really good days of paddling.<br />
“I have put so much into this<br />
so it is satisfying to get a good<br />
result,” a chuffed Solms added.<br />
Bridgitte Hartley went into<br />
the final day in second and<br />
might have had the edge over<br />
the dam with her flat-water<br />
prowess however when the paddlers<br />
were on their feet it was<br />
Mackenzie who came into her<br />
own.<br />
“I’m very, very happy with<br />
my result! I am still just trying<br />
to get my breath back from that<br />
stretch into the finish but still<br />
over the moon with a podium<br />
finish.<br />
“I was so happy with how I<br />
went today considering my performance<br />
yesterday. I nearly felt<br />
like giving up on the dam but<br />
I am happy I pushed through<br />
today in such tough conditions!”<br />
Hundreds of paddlers set off<br />
from Camps Drift on Thursday<br />
not entirely sure of what the<br />
three days of paddling would<br />
have in store with uncertain<br />
water levels and difficult environmental<br />
issues to consider,<br />
however as is Dusi tradition<br />
paddlers embraced the experience<br />
positively at the finish on<br />
Saturday.<br />
“It’s fantastic to see the<br />
unbelievable turnout of the<br />
competing paddlers and spectators<br />
enjoy the incredible experience<br />
of taking part in this competition.<br />
We congratulate all the<br />
participants especially the winners<br />
who showed impressive<br />
resilience all the way to the finish<br />
line,” says Howard Arrand,<br />
KZN Provincial Head of FNB<br />
Business.<br />
Stewart Little walked away<br />
with the Under 18 boys prize<br />
ahead of Mvelo Ngidi and<br />
Minenhle Mbhele in second<br />
and third respectively. Behind<br />
Mackenzie in the girls under 18<br />
increment was Tracey Oellermann<br />
and Gemma Lawson.<br />
David Evans was impressive<br />
over the three days winning<br />
the Under 16 boys crown while<br />
Caitlin Mackenzie was the fastest<br />
Under 26 girl throughout the<br />
three days.<br />
More information can be<br />
found at www.dusi.co.za<br />
Kzn Lifestyle Magazine • Issue 21<br />
51
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