The unexpected exit with a damaged boat of overnight leaders Len Jenkins and Michael Mbanjwa on Friday turned the second day of the Hansa Powerade Dusi Canoe Marathon on its head.
The withdrawal of the pre-race favourites left the door open for defending champions Hank McGregor (K1) and Martin Dreyer (K2) to consolidate their lead going into the final-day run to Blue Lagoon in Durban.
But overcautious paddling by McGregor and Dreyer allowed the fourth-placed pairing of Ant Stott and Wayne Thompson to power their way into contention when they won the sprint to the line by half a boat-length.
”We made a mistake at the Confluence,” lamented Dreyer. ”We then spotted Len and Mike patching their boat on the river bank and then we made our second mistake when we decided to go a little more cautious. We changed our game plan, which we shouldn’t have done.
”We should have kept the hammer down. In hindsight, we should have shot Thombi Rapid which Ant and Wayne did, plus the Washing Machine and gauging Weir. This got them on to our tails and, all credit to them, they beat us in the sprint,” added Dreyer.
Referring to the final-day tactics on Saturday, Dreyer was adamant that he and McGregor were going for gold.
”They [Stott and Thompson] are the better paddlers,” said Dreyer. ”They caught us today, so they must be; it will all come down to Burma Road again, I think.
”If they go around, we will go over. We have to look for some sort of advantage. It is their race to lose because they are locals and they have a better knowledge of the river, which we don’t have.”
Third place went to seasoned veteran Graham Bird and University of Johannesburg student Stu Rawlinson in 2:49:05, followed by the young pairing of Shaun Biggs and Loveday Zondi in 2:49:07. Lying in fifth were the top under-21 team of Craig Turton and Simon van Gysen, who clocked 2:56:58.
The overnight leaders in the women’s race, Alexa Lombard and Abbey Miedema, showed their versatility when they swapped the driver’s role for what is the longest leg of the race to remain in front.
”We had an awesome day,” beamed Lombard. ”We were a bit nervous of the big water, but managed very well and kept it together until the finish.
”The race is still not won yet and we won’t be taking it easy. Anything can go wrong and we might even be a bit cautious.”
The leaders were followed home by Carol Joyce and Laura Thompson (3:23:34), Lorna Oliver and Robyn von Maltzahn (3:24:52), Susan Chapman and Debbie Lewis (3:27:18) and former winners of the Fish River Canoe Marathon Jeannette Walder and Michelle Eray in 3:30:01. — Sapa