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A belated welcome to 2025, as most of us remount the hamster wheel for another year.
This is going to be no ordinary year, as, not since 2017, have we hosted a World Championships.
Even more special is the fact that we have never hosted a World Ocean Racing (Surfski) Championships before.
It gets even better. We are the reigning World Champions, and have been for the past few years.
So, take out a very large marker pen and put a very large circle around 17-19 October on that year planner that you stuck on the wall last week.
Irrespective of whether you have ever paddled a surfski in your life or not, there is time to get your act together and become proficient.
For many / most, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in a World Championship event.
Durban in October does not get much better.
We can’t let the Aussies beat us with their record number of 600 entries in 2023. We have to set the bar at a level that will not be touched for many a year ... or ever.
Don’t make me have to beg or nag. Just get busy.
The Dusi season has kicked off in earnest after the early sweetener of the Ozzie Gladwin in November last year.
Matt Fenn and Christie MacKenzie showed some opening intent by winning last weekend’s Midmar Mini Marathon against an impressive field of Dusi die-hards.
This Sunday (19th) is the 50 Miler from Dusi Bridge to Mfula store. The race is pretty much the first 26km of the second day of the Dusi and includes the Saddles and the Ngumeni portages.
The recent rains have bolstered river levels and the race will be a further indicator of who the main protagonists will be when the main game comes around towards the end of February.
The Inanda Dam to Durban race, two weeks later (1 Feb) will provide all river junkies with an opportunity to paddle in some clean (for the most part), fast flowing water with some exciting rapids.
The Dusi organisers recently announced that they have reconsidered the proposal to move the start of the race back to Camps Drift, and that the race will once again start at Bishopstowe Hall, where it has started for the last couple of years. This will cut out the section including Camps Drift, Ernie Pearce Weir, YMCA Weir, Musson’s Weir, Taxi Rapid and the Sewerage Farm, where the e-coli content is elevated.
Organisers announcement:
Dusi start confirmed for Bishopstowe Country Club
The Dusi Committee formally announced on Tuesday that the 2025 Dusi Canoe Marathon will start at the Bishopstowe Country Club on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg, putting an end to speculation and debate in the canoeing fraternity.
The organisers were hopeful that improved water quality in the city would allow them to move the start of the Dusi to Campsdrift for the 74th edition of the annual event from 20-22 February.
Extensive behind the scenes work, feedback from the paddlers and input from a team of scientists has resulted in reverting back to the start venue that has been used for the past two editions of the race.
“The health and well-being of the Dusi paddlers is critical in our decision-making process,” said Dusi Chairman, Doug Gow, “As custodians of this iconic race we have taken note of the concerns of the paddling community and made the decision well before the race date to assist paddlers with their planning.”
“The result of not knowing where the start is, is having an impact on the entries of the lead up races to the Dusi,” said KNCU Chairman Duncan May, highlighting the importance of the Dusi Canoe Marathon on canoeing in KwaZulu-Natal.
Gow added that, “As a major player in the development and growth of canoeing we believe that this decision is not only in the best interest of the paddlers and their safety but a decision in the best interest of canoe sport in South Africa.”
“Moving and adapting to changing circumstances is key to the survival and success of events,” said Gow.
“The Dusi is no different however, we will continue to look at moving the Dusi back to its traditional start in future years should this prove to be possible.”
The 74th edition of the iconic South African canoeing event through the Msunduzi and uMngeni valleys from Bishopstowe to Blue Lagoon, Durban takes place from Thursday, 20 February to Saturday, 22 February 2025.
The next “Major” on the calendar is the N3TC Drak Challenge.
With both the recent KZN Mixed Doubles and the Non-Stop Drak cancelled due to lack of water, the organisers would have been extremely concerned that the “drought” would continue and that the Drak itself would have been placed at risk.
Fortunately the rains have arrived, and the river is currently flowing strongly. I suspect that the race entries have followed suit, as many would have been playing the waiting game and looking at the heavens.
The Drak weekend is a fantastic experience for the entire family. Besides the main event, which is the golf day on the Saturday, there is also a canoe race, a trail run, and a mountain bike race.
Just being in that beautiful setting is worth the drive (from anywhere!).
Both the men’s and women’s races last year ended in an end sprint, which added to the excitement of the event. Hamish Lovemore denied Andy Birkett his 10th win, while Christie MacKenzie proved too strong for Nix Birkett. A betting person would not be far off the mark if they predicted the same podium finishers in the men’s race, with Hank McGregor never seemingly to age, and always in contention, as well as the women’s race, with Christie displaying some awesome early season form.
On the Saturday of the same weekend as the Drak, and almost at the same venue, the Thrombi Kayak Cross Fest will be held. The event is an ICF Level 4 event and may well attract some international competitors. The discipline of kayak cross was introduced into the Olympic Games last year and is administered under the slalom committee.
Thrombosis Gorge is situated just below the finish of the second day of the Drak.
Looking ahead and further south, the annual West Coast Canoe Challenge will be held on the February 1, consisting of a variety of races of different distances and with various craft.
The CSA AGM is due to be held on the 27th of this month. The good news is that our president, Kim Pople (newly elected as the SASCOC vice president) has agreed to stand for a further two-year term.
One of the prime items on the agenda will be the proposal to change the name of our federation from Canoeing South Africa to incorporate “paddling”, in line with the recently announced name change of the International Canoe Federation (ICF), to Paddling Worldwide.
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