The Dusi Canoe Marathon organisers have given the green light to four stand up paddleboarders to enter the 2014 race, making history as the first SUP competitors to embark on the tough three day paddling race from Camps Drift to Blue Lagoon.
In the picture: Jon Ivins
Three local adventurers, Dean Bottcher, Brendon Germaine and Jon Ivins will be joined by US-based Corran Addison. They will now be allowed to enter the race after satisfying the race organisers that they can safely complete the race without interfering with the other crews.
Germaine designed a special river SUP, which the three local paddlers have been using in a number of the build-up canoeing races this summer leading up to the Dusi Marathon.
They recently impressed even their most stubborn critics by finishing the tough two-day N3TC Drak Challenge in demanding low water conditions in Underberg.
Dusi General Manager, Brett Austen-Smith confirmed that the SUP paddlers would be classified as “touring class” paddlers, and would be batched according to the fastest of three local SUP entries.
his way through the rocks during the N3TC Drak Challenge
“If there is no other entry in the “Touring Class” category at Dusi, we will consider awarding this trophy to the fastest SUP,” said Austen-Smith.
The specially designed river SUP boards made for the Dusi will weigh about 16kgs, and will be long and unwieldy craft to carry on the long portages.
“On the river we really handle the big white water,” explained Jon Ivins. “If we do come off, then we simply climb back on and carry on, which is a real advantage over normal canoes.”
“It is contact with the rocks that we have to watch out for because if you hit a rock you aren’t expecting you tend to fall forward onto the front of your board, or straight into the water.”
“Make no mistake, doing the Dusi on a SUP is a big ask, but we think it is do-able,” Ivins concluded.
The Dusi Canoe Marathon 2014 starts in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday 13 February and ends in Durban on Saturday 15 February 2014. More information can be found at www.dusi.co.za.
Story by: Dave Macleod
Pictures: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media