Birkett & Evans teaming up for 2022 Dusi
2021 Under 23 MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon champion David
Evans will team up with eleven-time winner of the race Andy Birkett for the
2022 edition of the race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban from 17-19 February.
Birkett goes into the 2022 race having won the past six K2 races at the Dusi with five different partners showing his adaptability and skill and Evans is looking forward to taking on the challenge with a legend of the race and a fellow Maritzburg College old boy.
“It is an exciting opportunity for me to paddle with one of the best Dusi paddlers ever and I am really looking forward to it,” Evans said. “Andy has done so well at the Dusi over a long period of time and is the best in the game so I am looking forward to learning as much as I can from him.
“I am excited to get going and am looking forward to racing with Andy next year.”
The Euro Steel duo confirmed their combination recently however the pairing had been in the pipeline for some time.
“We spoke about pairing up after the Dusi this year and we agreed that we were going to paddle together because combinations fill up very quickly ahead of a K2 Dusi.
“We have been in communication but we haven’t paddled together given that I’m in Stellenbosch and he’s in East London but I have been working hard.
“I have been training like I would for a K1 Dusi and have made sure that I am in the best shape that I can be in for when we do meet up and get in the boat together,” Evans commented.
Evans has recently returned to KwaZulu-Natal for the university holidays and the province is set to become their training base in the build-up to the Dusi in February.
“I think we will do most of our training up here because we can get on the river and do some tripping.
“Tripping is really important because you never know how much the river would have changed over a year and we will also be able to paddle in some of the Pre-Dusi races as well.
“It’s going to be a really exciting Dusi and we will need to be as prepared as we can be with so many strong crews confirmed for the race.
“Msawenkosi (Mtolo) and Banji (Thulani Mbanjwa) will be really strong and have been doing well in the build-up races so far.
“A K2 year is always very competitive and next year is going to be no different,” an excited Evans added.
