The Msunduzi and uMngeni Rivers will be awash with pink on 6 and 7 December 2014 as the annual 50 Miler Canoe Marathon takes on the fight against cancer by supporting Lettie Paddle.
Story: Lauren Anthony; Photographs: Anthony Grote and Dean Bottcher
For almost two decades, the annual event has been organised by Umzinyathi Canoe Club, which was established 27 years ago and is the only club of its kind in the Upper Highway area.
According to chairman, Jeff Cawood, the club – which boasts about 400 social and professional members, including Dusi Canoe Marathon winner, Sbonelo Eric Zondi – is named after the notorious Umzinyathi rapid, which paddlers face on the third day of the Dusi.
Based at Shongweni Dam, the new clubhouse was officially opened in 2009 by honorary life member, Dr Ian Player, after the original clubhouse was destroyed in a fire.
The two-day 50 Miler race originated more than 40 years ago and is ranked A-Grade because of the degree of difficulty on the river.
“The story goes that a group of paddlers wanted to create a paddling-only race along uMngeni and Dusi Rivers with as few portages as possible,” he explained. This contrasts the Dusi Canoe Marathon, which is renowned for its portages.
Photo: Dean Bottcher
“This developed to include sections of the uMngeni not normally paddled in the Dusi, including notorious rapids like Bell and Fingerneck.”
Starting on December 6, 2014 at 7am, an anticipated 700 paddlers will head from Mission Bridge rapid on the Msunduzi River, ending at Marianni-Foley causeway. They pick up again at Inanda Dam on day two, ending at the Kingfisher Canoe Club in Durban.
This year is a K1 race, although K2s can also enter, and for the first time this year, about 150 running enthusiasts can enter the challenging 35km trail-run on the second day, following the river alongside the paddlers.
Cawood said that, although the club’s hopes were resting on the K2 combination of Zondi and his paddling partner, Andy Birkett, who won last year’s 50 Miler and Dusi, there were a number of high-profile canoeists contending for the title and prize money, including previous winners Hank McGregor, Thulani Mbanjwa, Ant Stott, Abby Adie and Robyn Kime.
The local community also benefits from the event through job creation and relationship building, with local people being employed over imported labour.
The relationships forged between paddlers and those living along the river also helped with safety during the race, Cawood continued.
“There is a fond tradition among club members of stopping off at a local shebeen after the first day for a few beers with some of the local guys.”
and Andy Birkett (Natal Canoe Club)
This is the first year the 50 Miler is teaming up with a charity and the chosen NPO is Lettie Paddle, started by paddler, Danica Bartho.
The charity supports those battling with cancer, and funds from this event will go towards the R200 000 needed to buy a prosthetic leg for 12-year-old Jordan Smith from Durban North.
“I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity to make a significant difference in Jordan’s fight against cancer,” said Bartho. “He had cancer in his leg bone and they had to amputate earlier this year to give him the best possible chance of survival.”
Cawood said Lettie Paddle was a cause close to the paddler community. “We felt that every paddler has been touched by cancer.”
Paddlers can bid to get into the “charity batch” led by Bartho, with all team members wearing pink, and all proceeds will go to Lettie Paddle.
For more information please visit www.50miler.co.za.