Dusi competition heats up

The Dusi Canoe Marathon men's race started well with the lead changing hands no less than four times, three new category records set and two under-21s as the overnight leaders in the open men's and women's categories.

There are 11 black paddlers among the first 17 finishers, Eric Zondi and Michael Mbanjwa are right up there with the leaders in positions three and four overall, a tribute to the development programme and the Inanda Change a Life Academy project directed by Martin "Dusi Duke" Dreyer.

Hank McGregor won the short sprint to the top of the chute at Camp's Drift and was half-a-boat length ahead of Len Jenkins as the two of them began the descent.

Jenkins then lost the lead to Mbanjwa as he crossed the short Pine Tree portage with Ant Stott in pursuit.

Andrew Birkett, Zondi, Lance Kime and McGregor all opted for the longer portage across Campbell's farm.

When they came together again at Campbell's check-point it saw Mbanjwa first, Stott second and Birkett third.

Birkett showed his mettle when he took over the yellow jersey at the Guinea Fowl put in and ended up the winner of the first stage in 2:43:56, a new men's open and U21 record for the first day.

Meanwhile University of Stellenbosch student, Robyn Kime, had the worst of starts when she took a swim at the first weir allowing her former Epworth teammate, Abby Adie, to sail past her.

Kime drew level with Adie by short portage at Pine Tree and from then on accelerated into a seven-minute lead to finish 41st overall in 3:16:38, breaking the women's U21 record of 3:32:35 she herself had set in the 2009 K1 race.

While Kime looks to be in an unassailable position in the women's race with two days to go, the situation in the men's race remains wide open with Birkett starting off today's 48km stage from Dusi Bridge to the Msinsi Resort close to the Inanda Dam wall with a 46-second lead over Stott.

Zondi and Mbanjwa are virtually together almost three minutes behind Stott and will work in tandem, especially if they are still together for the hour-long flat water paddle down the dam.

McGregor has a lot of work to do even to catch up on Lance Kime but he cannot be written off.