Birkett and Mackenzie fire stern warnings with Drak wins
Following their respective victories at the N3TC Drak
Challenge, Andy Birkett and Christie Mackenzie have highlighted their
favourites tags for the 2025 Dusi Canoe Marathon starting on 20 February.
Both paddlers have confirmed that they will be returning to the Dusi this year and they both showed their imperious skills on a full river in the Southern Drakensberg this past weekend.
Mackenzie’s victory was far less straight-forward though as she had to edge Nikki Birkett in an end sprint for a second year in a row to claim back-to-back Drak titles.
For Birkett, he managed to open a healthy gap at the end of the first day and then maintained his advantage throughout to claim a tenth Drak title.
Euro Steel’s Birkett had a minute lead overnight and then finished 30 seconds ahead of teammate Matt Fenn on day two to win by just under one and a half minutes.
Matt Fenn, who was Birkett’s Dusi partner in 2024, finished in second place while defending Drak Challenge champion Hamish Lovemore claimed the final step on the podium.
The women’s race followed an almost identical pattern to 2024 when Mackenzie once again edged Birkett by a matter of seconds to claim victory.
It was another exciting advert for women’s paddling as Mackenzie proved that she is the premier female paddler in South Africa as the Dusi season kicks into gear.
Saskia Hockly rounded out the women’s podium with a second consecutive third place finish at the event following her bronze medal in 2024.
There were a handful of Dusi hopefuls in the men’s top ten with Siseko Ntondini finishing in seventh place and current Dusi K1 and K2 runner-up Msawenkosi Mtolo rounding out the top ten in tenth place.
Sbonelo Khwela, who is enjoying a renaissance, finished in eleventh which will also place him as a paddler to watch at the 2025 Dusi.
Amongst the confirmed entrants for the upcoming Dusi is Bridgitte Hartley. The experienced Hartley finished fifth in the women’s race behind Jenna Nisbet in fourth.
This weekend will see paddlers take on the Inanda Dam to Durban race. It’s the third race in the John Oliver Series as everyone now shifts their focus to the Dusi Canoe Marathon starting in three weeks’ time.
The 74th edition of the iconic South African canoeing event through the Msunduzi and uMngeni valleys from Bishopstowe to Blue Lagoon, Durban takes place from Thursday, 20 February to Saturday, 22 February 2025.
Entries are open online at www.dusi.co.za
