THE HILTON SPORTS NEWS MACKENZIE MASTERS HER MISHAPS!
Andy Birkett set a new record by winning the MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon last Saturday, extending his number of consecutive wins to eight as he wrapped up his 11th title in masterful style.
The East Londoner did not make a mistake over the three days and 120km as he posted a 21-minute victory margin over Hank McGregor, with Under-23 ace Dave Evans racing on to the podium in third.
Birkett was forced to race his own race and isolate himself from any challenges behind him.
“You just try to get into a rhythm, where you are just tripping and finding where the fast water is flowing and limit your mistakes,” he said.
“You think about the next rapid and not much further past that. I really enjoyed racing,” he added, saying that the records he had set were of no significance to him.
“When Graeme Pope-Ellis set these records he didn’t have the technology that we have now with our boats and paddles.
“It is a lot easier for us nowadays, so I can’t even think of records.”
His team mate McGregor stormed home to his 18th gold medal in 21 Dusis to wrap up the silver, with a flawless stage on the uMngeni River flowing at a healthy 25 cumec level.
Evans picked off the MyLife team mates Khumbulani Nzimande and Msawenkosi Mtolo to snatch the last space on the podium, with Nzimande pipping Mtolo to fourth in a ferocious endsprint.
While he was disappointed to slip down the leaderboard, Mtolo helped anchor the Dusi Bridge club to the prestigious race club award for the best four finishes.
In the women’s race Christie Mackenzie, who started the final 36km stage into Durban with an eight-minute lead, made life difficult for her title defence by capsizing in the full river four times, giving second-placed Jordan Peek a chance of a major upset.
“Luckily I managed to keep a slight lead over Jordan by the time we reached the Pumphouse Weirs, which I portaged around to stay safe,” Mackenzie said.
“Once we were past that point and I knew it was basically flat and honest work into the finish I was comfortable I could finish it.
“Running-wise and paddling-wise I have never been stronger, but in all it took seven swims, which is something I am really going to have to work very hard on.”
Peek, who was consistent throughout all three days of racing, wrapped up second, Bridgitte Hartley was third, while the evergreen Jenna Ward held off the impressive junior Saskia Hockly for fourth.
Lyle Wheeler became the first person to complete 50 Dusis, when he finished the race with his deaf son Billy, despite a disaster on the second stage that badly damaged their double kayak.
However the level of awareness around his 50th medal milestone saw paddlers and their seconds rally around them, completely repairing their boat in the middle of the second stage, enabling him to finish the race and bank the rare milestone of 50 consecutive finishers medals.
The amazing 80-year-old Hugh Raw completed his tenth Dusi, becoming the boldest finisher of the race, escorted home by his two sons and a grandson.
More information can be found at www.dusi.co.za