Pietermaritzburg – Having tackled the Valley of a Thousand Hills in a canoe in February, a number of prominent 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon finishers will return to the valley, but this time on the two wheeled mode of transport for the 2014 BSi Steel dusi2c that starts at the familiar Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg on 21 June and ends at Blue Lagoon in Durban a day later.
Heading up a strong contingent coming from the Western Cape is Stellenbosch student and reigning Dusi K1 champion Lance Kime, who will pair up with fellow paddler and Matie, Murray Haw, for the two-day race through the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
The Maties pair will be joined by a handful of other students from the Cape Winelands which include Murray’s sister Tamika, who came third in the women’s race at the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon with younger sister Bianca, and Owen Gandar have also entered the race.
Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
Kime has been involved in races organised by “Farmer Glen” Haw in the past and explains that he enjoys the effort that he puts in to organising his events and it was an easy decision for him following his entry into the race last year.
“I did the Sani2c once a while back when I was riding seriously and I really enjoyed it,” the 2012 Dusi Canoe Marathon winner said. “I really loved the atmosphere and the way in which Glen (Haw) puts on his events really make them great to be a part of.”
Following a busy canoeing season and being competitive in all of the races he takes part in Kime enjoys the fact that he can be involved in a sport that he does not have to be completely competitive in and he explains that there will be some form of competition amongst himself and his friends.
“I enjoy getting into the social aspect of the race and just go along with my mates. I don’t take the race seriously but we will have some sort of friendly bet amongst us!” he added.
The 2014 BSi Steel dusi2c will also include the name of the man who has completed the most Non-stop Dusi’s – Eric Bothma. The man no stranger to the Valley having completed umpteen Dusi’s and Non-stops but the veteran explains the whole irony of taking part in a race along the river and not in it.
“I have actually never seconded a Dusi before,” 18-time Non-stop Dusi finisher said. “I would probably get lost in the valley because it is so different from the banks and that’s the irony of the whole thing,” Bothma chuckled.
Bothma has been involved in races along a similar route that the dusi2c incorporates and with his winter passion being mountain biking he decided that it was a great race to get involved in when the first edition launched last year.
“I did get involved in the early Dusi to Umfula races and they were fun but there is a unique way that Glen (Haw) does things with the race following so closely to the route and with us going under bridges and across the river makes it special.
“I am involved at Cedara and they provide the vehicles for the race so I decided to get involved in the race and after doing sani2c I knew that Glen was going to put on a good show for us,” he added.
The passion for taking part in events that run through the Valley of a Thousand Hills stems from his canoeing background and he adds that he feels privileged to participate in events that run through this landscape.
“Paddling the Dusi for so many years has definitely increased my passion for the area and we are so lucky to have such events right on our doorstep!
“Glen is a paddler by trade but is now a mountain biker and he understands what makes a good race and what the riders will enjoy and that is why a race like dusi2c has no entries left!” Bothma stressed.
More information can be found at www.dusi2c.co.za
Source: Gameplan Media
