Durban - The final day of The Unlimited Dusi canoe marathon saw both heroics and heartbreak for the leading men as Lance Kime raced his way to his maiden victory in the three day journey from Pietermaritzburg to Durban whilst the winner of both the first and second stages, Sbonelo Zondi, watched his fairytale go up in smoke as he had to settle for third.

Having started a minute and eight seconds apart Zondi and Kime swapped positions three times throughout the day with Zondi poised to become the first ever black paddler to win a K1 title in the race’s history.

It wasn’t to be though as he watched his slender lead slip away when a rare error at the daunting Pumphouse rapid saw him take a devastating swim and left the door open for Kime to surge into the lead for the third and decisive time.

Kime capitalised and with just 12km to go he managed to fend off a charging Hank McGregor, who also slipped past Zondi after his disappointing swim, and power home to a remarkable victory.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be in this position," said Kime shortly after crossing the line. “I’ve been working really hard and have probably done the most tripping on the river before Dusi that I ever have and it all just paid off!”

" The support, SMSes and tweets that I have received over the last few days, especially the last 24 hours, with everyone saying to me 'you can do it'. I didn't really believe I could do it until everyone told me I could!”

Kime worked hard across the short stretch across Inanda dam at the start of the day to close the gap between himself and Zondi to just twelve seconds by the time the pair got to the bottom of Tops Needle rapid.

Once Kime hauled Zondi in he worked hard to maximise his lead going into the Burma Road portage. However the world class running abilities of Zondi saw him surge back to the front of field at the top of Burma Road with a little over a minute and a half separating the two.

“It was a real roller-coaster ride,” explained Kime. “I knew that he was going to be unbelievably strong on Burma Road, so I had to do everything I could to make up time before that and after that, because I knew even if I had a lead going into the hill, he would probably put in with the lead.”

“When I got to the top of Burma Road, he had run from 20 seconds behind me to nearly two minutes ahead, and that was a lot of time to make up on one hill!”

“I knew that it was going to be a very, very tough task to catch him by the finish, but you always keep that hope in the back of your mind. After all it's the Dusi and you I knew there was still Pumphouse (Weir and rapid).”

“We saw it three years ago with Ant Stott and Michael Mbanjwa's race ending there. I knew it was possible that something could happen there. Then there's also Mango and Dog's leg rapids. There are always little chances of slip-ups, so I carried on hard.”

“When I saw him swimming in the pool, right at the bottom of the rapid I paddled over his boat. It was really heartbreaking for him, but, at the same time, I got probably the biggest adrenalin rush of my life. Suddenly I was paddling into the lead of the Dusi on the third day with only flat water to go!”

Kime’s effort was both a stage record and an overall race record, the second and third records, of a possible four, to have fallen in the men’s race this year.

“I don’t think I would have gone anywhere near the record if it hadn’t been for the competition this year,” said Kime. “I had it in the back of my mind when I took the lead today. I wondered if we’re near the record because we had a good full river today, especially coming into Durban. It was a lot higher than we expected at Blue Lagoon.”

“I think I got the record purely because of the final kilometre. I paddled faster than I have in my life. It was probably the loudest crowd that I have ever had in my life and that just pushed me to a whole new level. “

Zondi’s error at Pumphouse cost him crucial time that not only saw Kime go past him but with a waterlogged boat and his pumps failing he was then forced to stop at Mango rapid, allowing double world marathon champ and Team Best 4 Kayak Centre captain Hank McGregor through as well.

Zondi, a product of the Change a Life Academy, tried desperately to hang onto McGregor’s wave but the young star’s efforts were no match for the rejuvenated 35 year old legend of paddling who powered away after Kime.

“I managed to close over a minute on Lance (Kime) across the dam. I shot Tops Needle from the top and as I was exiting Tops Needle I could see the two orange lifejackets in front of me and I knew I was about a minute and 20 seconds behind them (Kime and Zondi)” said McGregor.

“I managed to close the gap even more and at the Burma Road takeout I was about 45 seconds behind. I had decided I was going around (Burma Road) and I was praying for water.”

“I came into the first pool and the water wasn’t moving and I realised the water had gone. We’d run out of water and I knew I was going to lose time having chosen to paddle rather than portage. It was just a matter of trying to keep my head together.”

“I managed to get through Island One cleanly, but Island Two was huge. It ate me for breakfast! Somehow I managed to pop out and stay in my boat though which was all I wanted to do!”

“When I came around Burma Road, I found out I was five minutes behind. I promise you it’s like someone dropping a ton of bricks on your head. I had worked so hard to try to catch these guys and made up so much time, put in so much effort and now I was five minutes behind them (Kime and Zondi).”

“I looked behind and saw Andrew Birkett putting in 300 metres behind me and I it was like ‘oh my word, race on’!”

“When I came past Eric (Zondi) and saw he was swimming I felt for but I then tried to put my head down and catch Lance but it was just too far.”

“He (Kime) deserves it though – he’s a champion! These guys are the future of our sport!”

Having watched victory slip from his grasp a disappointed Zondi settled for third place, still a remarkable effort and one which has signalled his arrival to the big stage of river marathon racing in South Africa.

“All I can say is that I’m still very very happy to be on the podium today,” said Zondi.

“When I got to Pumphouse, I relaxed but when I got to the bottom I didn’t raise my paddle and it got stuck underneath the water. My paddle was full of water when i tried to pull it up and that’s why I swam.”

“My boat went through to under the bridge. I thought that maybe my race was over, but I didn’t give up because the crowd was shouting. I ran along the bank to see if my boat was broken.”

When I got to my boat I saw it was full of water. I tried to pump but I had to stop to empty. Before I could empty my boat, I saw Hank coming and I tried to hang onto his wave but I had to laugh because this guy is a machine and he just put the hammer down.”

“Then I had to keep pushing though because I knew Andy (Birkett) was coming up behind me and I wanted to do my best to still finish on the podium.”

Birkett, after technical difficulties and a swim at Thombi rapid on day two, had to settle for fourth with valley icon Thulani Mbanjwa finishing fifth.

Kime also claimed the under 23 title with his Team Best 4 Kayak Centre team mate, Birkett, in second and Siseko Ntondini finishing third.

In the under 18 boys race Damon Stamp was squashed between the Wilson twins as the three made it one, two three for Maritzburg College. Travis Wilson claimed pole position, Stamp second and Tyler Wilson third with Travis breaking both the overall race and the third stage records in the process.

Robyn Kime scored her fourth consecutive win in The Unlimited Dusi canoe marathon on Saturday, wrapping up a convincing victory after adopting a conservative approach on the final day. It was her second K1 title and made race history as she and her brother Lance, 17 months her junior, became the first siblings to win K1 titles in the same year.

“I'm very pleased, especially with Lance's result,” said Robyn. “From the start of today, as well as from the start of the second day, I knew that if I could just keep the race together, then I could get the win.”

Describing her approach with a healthy lead in hand after two days, she said: “I took it very slowly and carefully in the rapids, from Tops Needle down to the Burma Road takeout.

“I ran over Burma. Every year I'm surprised by how hard it is. Every year I say I'm never going to run it again, but I do run it every year. I'll probably have to do it again sometime. I ran around Pumphouse [weir and rapid] as well, just to be safe. It was a long slog to Durban to end.”

It was at Pumphouse Weirs, that Kime learnt her brother had won the men’s race. “I definitely had extra energy after hearing he had won. I was so excited about it,” she said.

The introduction of a reverse start on the final day, which saw the leaders in the men’s and women’s races leaving much later than they had in the past ensured there were big crowds at the finish. The men enjoyed it and so too did Kime.

“It was great having so many people lining the banks. In some of the pre-Dusi races, they finish at a bridge a bit higher up and Dusi's an extra 300 metres and it feels too far, but to have crowds lining the bank gives one that extra energy to get through right to the end,” she said.

“It's nice to have paddlers in that crowd. Previously the crowd was made up of some seconds and people that don't really know about paddling. Now it's people who have already finished the race. They're there on the banks. They know what it's all about. It really adds to the vibe, having people there that are part of the race.”

Not only did Kime win, she also smashed the women’s record, but she was modest about her achievement. “I'm very pleased. I think the race records, especially on day two and day three, were more due to the [high] water level than anything else. I certainly didn't have a good day two. For some reason I was still under the record. I think it was just because of the huge water release that we had.”

Kime also paid tribute to former Dusi queen Abbey Ulansky (nee Miedema), a seven-time women’s winner, with whom she has won two K2 titles. “She's sitting in Canada, but her heart is definitely here at the Dusi. I've had about 10 SMSes from her each day, plus one or two e-mails. She's still full of advice and very excited about the race,” Kime reckoned.

With four wins to her name now, she’s closing in on her former paddling partner’s record.

Abby Adie’s final day was more about securing her hold on second place than on chasing Kime, who had a huge advantage that made it too much of risk to try and catch her. “I am absolutely happy with my race overall.” Adie said. “To beat Robyn is going to take something very special, so I'm very happy with my [second] place.

“Yesterday I did push quite hard and I still didn't manage to close the gap and had just one little minor mistake. Today I had a brilliant day. I pushed and it was good.” In fact, it was good enough for the fastest time of the day.

Adie’s route of choice differed from Kime’s only in a decision not to run up the notorious Burma Road portage. “I paddled around Burma Road, so I didn't go over, which I thought would be a bit quicker. I think it actually worked out to be the same [time], but I didn't take any other risks that she didn't. I didn't shoot Pumphouse or Island,” Adie explained.

“Day one's tough running was a factor in my decision. Paddling definitely suits me more. I was fresh. My arms were good, so today I did push quite hard.”

Jen Theron began the day in third place with the narrowest of leads over Hilary Pitchford and they once again had a ding-dong battle.

Theron had an eventful day, as she explained: “When I ran into the big water, I wasn't reading it as cleanly as yesterday. We went down Little John and I hit the biggest rock in the river and was launched into the air. Hilary [Pitchford], Bianca [Haw] and Jordan [Peek] all came past. I could see they were smiling quietly,” she laughed.

“I got back in and, really, I thought I had lost my third place. Hilary's really good in big water and she opened up a two-minute gap by Molweni. I even thought of shooting Island, but I'm too scared of that, so I ran around. I was just paddling, trying to keep it going.

“I got to Pumphouse Weirs and it was absolutely massive,” she continued. “There were a couple of guys swimming and I was concentrating on the next bridge. The rapid was huge with massive rocks.

“When I got onto the flats, I put my head down and tried to catch [the paddlers in front of me] and see what I could do. I caught up to a friend of mine and he said Hilary was swimming below the weirs. I couldn't believe my ears. I said to him if you're wrong you're in big trouble. I suppose Hilary and I both had a swim, but luckily mine was shorter than hers,” she smiled.

Apart from the Kime siblings, one of the proudest people at the finish was their father, Patrick.

"I am very, very proud of them both. It was lovely to see it happen," he said.

Asked if he offered his children any special words of advice before the start of the final day's racing, he said: "We were together before and after each day, but I leave it to them. I haven't got much advice to give. They know ten times more than I do about this sport."

For all canoe marathon news visit: www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/marathon/news

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

RESULTS DUSI CANOE MARATHON - DAY THREE

OVERALL

1. Lance Kime (U23) 2:15.38 8:00.29
2. Hank McGregor 2:17.43 8:04.38
3. Sbonelo Zondi 2:22.07 8:05.50
4. Andy Birkett (U23) 2:19.58 8:09.17
5. Thulani Mbanjwa 2:20.46 8:13.11
6. Ant Stott 2:27.25 8:27.52
7. Jason Graham 2:23.45 8:28.44
8. Cam Schoeman 2:26.02 8:30.59
9. Jacques Theron 2:23.43 8:34.40
10. Zonele Nzuza 2:26.48 8:36.46
11. Siseko Ntondini (U23) 2:25.29 8:38.41
12. Loveday Zondi 2:28.45 8:38.42
13. James Speed (U23) 2:21.40 8:38.47
14. Gavin Shuter (U23) 2:25.53 8:39.06
15. Shaun Rubenstein 2:25.03 8:42.00
16. Lucas Mthalane 2:25.08 8:42.00
17. Mmeli Cele (U23) 2:24.04 8:43.18
18. Murray Starr (U23) 2:30.15 8:43.36
19. Travis Wilson (U18) 2:30.23 8:43.36
20. Nhlanhla Cele 2:25.46 8:44.38

WOMEN

1. Robyn Kime (U23) 2:36.56 9:07.16
2. Abby Adie 2:34.37 9:21.30
3. Jen Theron 2:40.37 9:40.55
4. Hilary Pitchford 2:42.53 9:43.17
5. Bianca Haw (U18) 2:46.07 9:49.07

U23 WOMEN

1. Robyn Kime 2:36.56 9:07.16
2. Jenna Ward 2:50.14 10:40.49
3. Brittany Petersen 2:53.19 10:48.56

U18 GIRLS

1. Bianca Haw 2:46.07 9:49.07

U23 MEN

1. Lance Kime 2:15.38 8:00.29
2. Andy Birkett 2:19.58 8:09.17
3. Siseko Ntondini 2:25.29 8:38.41

U18

1. Travis Wilson 2:30.23 8:43.36
2. Damon Stamp 2:32.22 8:51.44
3. Tyler Wilson 2:36.38 9:14.08