Dusi marathon too close to call this year

FOUR-TIME-champion Andy Birkett is determined to win back the K1 Dusi canoe marathon title he surrendered 24 months ago when the 2015 edition of the race gets under way in Pietermaritzburg today.

The 2014 K2, or doubles winner, lost the singles classification title to Lance Kime in 2013, but took the K2 title last year alongside Sbonelo Khwela, formerly known as Sbonelo Zondi.

The three, joined by Thulani Mbanjwa, are again among the favourites for the world-famous threeday-race held between Camps Drift and Blue Lagoon in Durban.

“I’d love to win back the title,” said Birkett, a triple K2 winner and single K1 champion. “There’s going to be a strong push from all three guys and the good thing is that it’s an open Dusi this year. You can’t say who’s going to win at this stage.”

Kime has enjoyed a steady buildup to the 64th edition of the race and said he was hardly feeling any pressure ahead of today’s start.

“I always stay as relaxed as I can,” he said. “Obviously there’s a tad more pressure going in as defending champion, but I try not to think of it.”

Meanwhile, Khwela hopes to become the first black paddler to win the K1 class.

He was left scarred by memories of 2013, when he won the first two stages and was favourite heading into the final day, only for an error to cost him the title. Khwela took a swim at the Pumphouse Weir, just kilometres from the finish, and limped home in third place.

“There was a lot of disappointment after that. This year our plan is not to make mistakes,” he said. “I have to mind that I don’t make any because I don’t want a repeat of 2013.”

He said it was about time for him to become the first black paddler to win. Compatriot Mbanjwa will be equally keen to end the wait after he became the first black paddler in a winning boat when he won the K2 alongside Martin Dreyer in 2008.

The women’s race has been slightly weakened this year with five-time defending champion Robyn Kime and Abby Adie, a regular top-three challenger, both out.

Zambian Laura O’Donoghue, Jenna Ward, Hilary Bruss and Tamika Haw are expected to battle it out for the title. – Sapa