Inanda Dam – Friday’s second stage of the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon quickly became the Birkett/Zondi show as the overnight leaders piled the pressure onto their chasers, increasing their overnight five and a half minute lead to a mammoth nine minutes and now have one hand firmly on the coveted Player Family winner’s trophy.

Without the scorching heat of Thursday’s opening stage it was red line racing from the get go at the front of the men’s field as the race’s longest stage from Dusi Bridge to Inanda Dam offered a little more for those more paddling orientated than the running-favourable opening stage.

“Hank (McGregor) and Jasper (Mocké) had made their intentions quite clear that they were going to try and catch us so from the start we just tried to hold a really high pace because we wanted to try and win the mental game,” explained a visibly fatigued Birkett.

“We really wanted to try and put three minutes on them today and that was always going to be a hard task, especially because they are such strong paddlers and today is a paddlers day.

“In the end we managed to open up a further three and a half minutes so we are really chuffed but it was a really tough day of racing.

“Last year I messed up my race on Day Two and I was actually really nervous and scared going into Tombi (rapid) today.

“Hats off to Sbonelo (Zondi). He pushed me the whole way. I haven’t been this tired at the end of a stage of Dusi!” added the EuroSteel star.

Zondi, having been in a similar position in 2013 where he led the race after both stage one and two only to have victory cruelly snatched from his grasp in the dying stages of day three, hinted at possibly portaging around the infamous Pumphouse Weir and Rapid on Saturday given the lead he and Birkett now enjoy.

“We haven’t discussed how we are going approach tomorrow but I am a little nervous about Pumphouse after I messed up there last year,” said Zondi.

“I think we should definitely portage that section,” he said tongue in cheek and with a hinting smirk on his face.

To which is partner swiftly replied. “I didn’t have an option of portaging Thombi today and I’m not scared of Pumphouse so I don’t think we should have an option of portaging that either!” he chuckled.

“I got over my fear of Thombi today and so I think that Sbonelo should get over his fear of Pumphouse tomorrow,” he added jokingly.

Second placed McGregor (Kayak Centre/Team Jeep) and Mocké flew out the blocks and soon destroyed one of the five and a half minutes Birkett and Zondi had over them overnight.

A tough Nqumeni Portage however saw them lose this and more before an extremely close shave at Thombi Rapid nearly ended their race entirely.

“We were going into the rapid without being able to steer at all because our rudder had flipped up. The rocks were just getting closer and closer and there was nothing I could do!” described a disbelieving McGregor afterwards.

“I tried screaming to Jasper to please do something but the helicopter was above me and he couldn’t hear a thing I was saying.

“Somehow we managed to scrape through a line that I wouldn’t ever shoot again in a million years but that really was a scary moment!” added the triple Canoe Marathon World Champion.

Stage one third place holders Cam Schoeman and Czech Republic’s Jakub Adam of Pope’s Canoe Centre again put in a remarkable effort to cling to the position the claimed somewhat surprisingly on day one.

“We just gave it our all throughout today. Kwanda (Mhlophe) and Zonele (Nzuza) came straight past us going up Nqumeni (portage) but fortunately we managed to get ahead by the put-in again and then just really worked hard,” said Schoeman.

“We really worked hard on the dam and I was happy to see the flatwater then, with my marathon background,” added Adam. “I was very happy to eventually see the finish line though!”

EuroSteel and Computershare Change a Life Academy stars Mhlophe and Nzuza’s great first day form continued on the paddling-dominant second stage as they again finished fourth.

They only narrowly edged out day two’s flyers Lance Kime (Best 4 Healthcare/EuroSteel) and Thulani Mbanjwa (Build it) though as the pair stole Birkett and Zondi’s limelight slightly after recovering from seventeenth position to fifth and, having already more than salvaged some pride, will now hope to somehow make the final step on the podium their own on Saturday.

A bunch of four boats – Jacques Theron and Shaun Griffin, Siseko Ntondini and Piers Cruickshanks, Loveday Zondi and Thando Ngamlana as well as Craig Turton and Simon van Gysen – crossed the finish line together in positions six through nine, leaving the door wide open for a titanic battle for the top ten’s second half on the third and final day, one which tenth place and first under-18 boys crew Damon Stamp and Mthobisi Cele will be hoping to join.

Thousands are expected to flock to Durban’s Blue Lagoon on Saturday to witness the finish of the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon as, due the 2013 start order changes continuing again this year, the leading men look to cross the finish line at around 13h00.

Audio files Day 2: www.sportscene.tv/audio

SUMMARY OF RESULTS – 2014 DUSI CANOE MARATHON
DAY TWO

Overall

1. Andy Birkett/Sbonelo Zondi 2:57.02 5:30.33
2. Hank McGregor/Jasper Mocké 3:00.26 5:39.29
3. CamSchoeman/ Jakub Adam (CZE) 3:03.23 5:50.30
4. Kwanda Mhlophe/Zonele Nzuza 3:10.12 5:58.32
5. Lance Kime/Thulani Mbanjwa 3:00.00 5:59.15
6. Jacques Theron/Shaun Griffin 3:06.24 6:00.23
7. Siseko Ntondini/Piers Cruickshanks 3:06.35 6:00.24
8. Loveday Zondi/Thando Ngamlana 3:06.34 6:00.25
9. Craig Turton/Simon van Gysen 3:10.30 6:00.26
10. Damon Cele/Mthobisi Cele (U18) 3:11.10 6:03.23
11. Andrew Houston/Ivan Kruger (U23) 3:08.30 6:05.34
12. David Wood/Kelvin Trautman 3:12.09 6:05.35
13. Shaun Biggs/Wayne Thompson 3:11.04 6:07.06
14. Lucas Mthalane/Mmeli Cele 3:17.58 6:12.15
15. Carl Folscher/Ben Biggs 3:12.18 6:12.37
16. David Chaplin/Mark Mulder 3:13.15 6:12.38
17. Mhlonishwa Hlongwane/Nqobile Makhanya (U23) 3:15.22 6:12.39
18. Owen Gandar/Matthew Dean (U23) 3:14.57 6:16.24
19. Ronald Smith/Thomas Ngidi 3:17.58 6:16.25
20. Richard Cele/Nhlanhla Cele 3:15.14 6:16.26

Under-23 Men

1. Andrew Houston/Ivan Kruger 3:08.30 6:05.34
2. Mhlonishwa Hlongwane/Nqobile Makhanya 3:15.22 6:12.39
3. Owen Gandar/Matthew Dean 3:14.57 6:16.24

Junior Boys

1. Damon Cele/Mthobisi Cele 3:11.10 6:03.23
2. Patrick Dillon/Alan Houston 3:20.48 6:35.57
3. Bryan le Roux/Ryno van der Westhuyzen 3:23.25 6:38.10

More information can be found at www.dusi.co.za