This past weekend saw 2026 Dusi Canoe Marathon hopefuls tackle the biggest weekend of Pre-Dusi racing with the 50 Miler and Inanda Dam to Durban highlighting the contenders for next month’s showpiece from 19-21 February.

The two races cover most of the final two days of the Dusi route so paddlers got a good opportunity to tackle the route in racing conditions and this year there were some big names present.

Defending men’s Dusi K2 champions Andy Birkett and Matt Fenn made the trip up from East London to get a good hit-out on the river. They were in good form finishing third in the 50 Miler and then winning the Inanda Dam to Durban race by over three minutes.

The 50 Miler was a shoot-out between the exciting duos of Thabani Msia and Siyanda Gwamanda and the Mtolo brothers Msawenkosi and Sandile.

It was Masia and Gwamanda who edged the Mtolo’s on Saturday at the 50 Miler by over a minute; however the pair didn’t feature in Sunday’s race while the Mtolo’s were the picture of consistency when they finished second again.

The Mtolo brothers are undoubtably a pair to watch in February and they will be hoping to take this form into the Dusi as they look to unseat Dusi master Andy Birkett.

Third place on Sunday went to the visiting crew from Johannesburg of Benjamin Mntonintshi and Seseko Ntondini.

Arguably the most impressive showing of the weekend was the seventh placed finish overall at the Inanda Dame to Durban from the women’s pair of Christie Mackenzie and Saskia Hockly.

The duo made it a clean sweep of wins over the weekend when they edged Abby Solms and Robyn Groenink in the 50 Miler and then dominated proceedings on Sunday in the Inanda Dam to Durban race.

They finished nearly three minutes ahead of Solms and Groenink who claimed a second runner-up finish of the weekend while third place went to Bridgitte Hartley and Hillary Bruss on both Saturday and Sunday.

The two races have given people a good indication as to who the challengers will be in February and in the men’s race there will be a few crews that might not have featured highly this weekend that cannot be counted out.

From a women’s perspective it seems that the race will be to catch Mackenzie and Hockly. They were impressive in their performances this weekend and have given the rest of the hopefuls a lot to think about.

Solms, who is a multiple Dusi champion, will always bring a wealth of experience and winning ability to the table and her tenacity could prove to be a thorn in the side of the incumbents.

Paddlers will have one last opportunity to tackle the Dusi route in race conditions at the Campbells to Dusi Bridge race on 8 February.