OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Friday 1.45pm.
MARK Perrow and Martin Dreyer are set to win the three-day Powerade Dusi Canoe Marathon on Durban’s Blue Lagoon on Saturday.
In scorchingly hot conditions, the pair gained further four minutes on their nearest rivals on the second day of the event between Cato Ridge and Hillcrest on Friday.
They now lead by over nine minutes after the 40km second stage, and, barring any misfortune, look set to claim the win.
The Wits University-Knysna duo, who have four Dusi wins between them, began Friday’s stage at Dusi Bridge with an easy five-minute lead over the Natal pairing of Len Jenkins and Brett Irvine.
Dreyer and Perrow won Friday’s stage comfortably in two hours, 52 minutes, 29 seconds.
Jenkins and Irvine are in second position overall with a combined time of 5:44:44.
Defending champions Kelby Murray and Ant Stott of Pietermaritzburg, who suffered a huge setback when Murray twisted his ankle on Thursday, are up to fifth position overall.
Gavin Tarr and Deon Bruss maintained their third position overall despite ending Friday’s stage in sixth place.
The fifth placed paddlers are the Gauteng crew of Grant Wilson and Piers Cruikshanks.
Debbie Germiquet and Wendy White, the leading women, extended their lead from one second to over 13 minutes ahead of Antje Malherbe and Jeanette Walder.