Inanda Dam – 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon overnight women’s race leaders Robyn Kime and Dusi Queen Abbey Ulansky managed to stretch their already slender lead ever so slightly on Friday’s second stage from Dusi Bridge to Inanda Dam however just ninety seconds now separates them from their chasers and the tight affair promises to produce a fascinating final day’s contest on Saturday.

With day one’s tough day favouring the runners, stage two’s longer stretch included a stronger paddling dominance which initially suited the chasers, Abby Adie and Anna Adamová (Czech Republic).

“Abby and Anna caught us quite soon after the start, which we had expected them to do because they are much stronger paddlers than we are,” explained Ulansky who will be hoping to make it win number nine on Saturday.

“Our portages were much better than they were yesterday so we managed to just pull ahead a little on each and every portage, as well as with Robyn’s great driving, which saw us get quite a nice lead at the start of the Inanda Dam stretch.

“Abby and Anna managed to close the gap a little bit across the dam but we were pleased to have the extra minute than we had yesterday. I don’t think a lead is ever big enough but at least it’s not the other way!” she enthused.

The day was always going to be more of a test of her river skills and knowledge than the first stage and the young star came through with flying colours.

“The pressure was definitely on but that’s part of the Dusi,” said the best 4 healthcare/Kayak Centre athlete. “You know at the start that one of the biggest challenges is that you have to function under pressure.”

“It really helped having Abbey in the back of the boat though. She knows the river so well and gave me advice the whole time which was great.”

Having closed the gap and enjoyed a game of cat and mouse with Kime and Ulansky throughout the first third of the stage, Adie and Adamová then went through a bad patch midway through the day and were forced to dig deep on Inanda Dam’s flat water to minimize the damage.

“Anna finished her juice by the bottom of Nqumeni Hill portage so she was pretty tired in the middle section. After Hippo (Rapid) we then hit a wall (mentally) and I just made some really silly mistakes,” said Adie.

“We managed to get Anna some more juice at the headwaters of the dam and that’s when we really tried to lift ourselves and get back into the race even though we were pretty dehydrated by that stage,” she added.

Replenished stocks were welcomed by Adamová ahead of the 14km of flat water to the stage’s finish line. “The flat water was good. Once I got my second bag of juice I got my second wind and we tried to catch back up on the dam,” said the 2013 Canoe Marathon World Championships K1 and K2 podium finisher.

As the front two pairs went head to head, under-23 talents Tamika and Bianca Haw continued their podium challenge as they looked to fend off the challenge of their chasers and solidify their third place.

“We definitely weren’t worried about the top two crews,” chuckled Bianca. “Today we were just looking to hold off the others behind us.

“We’re definitely still looking to have fun out there again tomorrow but it would be nice to finish on the podium too,” added Tamika.

Overnight fifth place holders Hilary Bruss and Alex Adie moved up one in the pecking order on the second stage after Bruss overcame her poor health of day one while Jen Theron and Jane Swarbreck rounded out the top five.

With not much separating the two crews going into the third and final day it is all to play for with just a single error likely to be enough to erase either pair’s title hopes.

“I had a look at the past years’ times recently and Two years ago we had an eleven minute gap and then there’s no real pressure to race. It’s more about just surviving,” said Kime.

“It’s a very different story now. After two days of racing there’s only a minute and a half between the first two boats. It has been exciting to have such a tight race and really great for the sport!”

The question on everyone’s minds is whether each pair will run over the lung-bustingly steep Burma Road portage or paddle around and face the notoriously tricky stretch of river.

“We haven’t quite decided just yet,” said Ulansky. “Realistically it would make sense for us to go over. Robs and I haven’t paddled around in years and don’t know that stretch very well but I do have a bit of a foot injury and, with us starting later than in the past, it will be a lot hotter so we’ll just have to see.”

“For us there is no point in putting Anna’s knee under more strain by going over and so we’ll definitely be going around,” confirmed Adie.

A captivating women’s final day is anticipated and thousands of Durbanites are expected to head to Blue Lagoon to welcome the leading crews home mid-afternoon on Saturday.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS – 2014 DUSI CANOE MARATHON
DAY TWO

Women

1. Robyn Kime/Abbey Ulansky 3:17.56 6:19.57
2. Abby Adie/Anna Adamova 3:19.30 6:22.00
3. Tamika Haw/Bianca Haw (U23) 3:38.52 6:55.08
4. Hilary Bruss/Alex Adie 3:34.24 6:57.41
5. Jen Theron/Jane Swarbreck 3:43.29 7:05.52
6. Carmen Donald/Debbie Germiquet 3:45.57 7:15.55
7. Jenna ward/Kerry Segal (U23) 3:42.49 7:21.58
8. Jordan Peek/Brittany Petersen (U23) 3:46.18 7:24.36
9. Susan Carter-Brown/Kelly Howe 3:52.14 7:27.39
10. Camilla Pennefather/Cana Peek (U18) 4:09.28 7:49.26

Under-23 Women

1. Tamika Haw/Bianca Haw 3:38.52 6:55.08
2. Jenna ward/Kerry Segal 3:42.49 7:21.58
3. Jordan Peek/Brittany Petersen 3:46.18 7:24.36

Junior Girls

1. Camilla Pennefather/Cana Peek 4:09.28 7:49.26
2. Sarah Harries/Julia Trodd 4:19.36 8:10.05
3. Kennedy Stone/Rebecca Martin 5:15.54 9:49.03

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