This year, a record number of Stellenbosch Canoe Club members participated in the 74th edition of the Dusi Canoe Marathon in KwaZulu-Natal.
The race did not disappoint, with all the Maties successfully completing the epic three-day challenge. The 2025 Dusi, officially a K1 race, started in Bishopstowe, Pietermaritzburg, last Thursday (20 February) and concluded in Durban last Saturday (22 February).
The Dusi Canoe Marathon is South Africa’s most iconic and oldest paddling race, covering approximately 120 km over three days along the Msunduzi and Mngeni rivers. First held in 1951, it has become a legendary test of endurance, skill, and strategy, combining fast-flowing rapids, long portages over rugged terrain, and unpredictable water levels.
Unlike the Western Cape’s predominantly flat-water paddling, the Dusi demands exceptional river-running expertise and fitness. Competitors battle intense heat, challenging technical sections, and the task of conserving energy over multiple days. The unique mix of rapids, running, and endurance makes it one of the toughest canoe marathons in the world.
Some of the most notorious rapids include “The Big Three” on Day 2, namely Gumtree, Thombi, and Hipp, as well as Little John, a tricky, boulder-strewn section on Day 3, and Island and Five Fingers, also on Day 3. Paddlers face brutal portages, including Guinea Fowl Portage (4 km through thick bush), Ngumeni Hill (a gruelling 2 km uphill climb), and Devil’s Cauldron (a steep, winding section). These portages demand extreme endurance, as athletes carry their boats over hot, rugged landscapes.
The nine Maties who conquered the Dusi were:
• Joshua Glyn-Cuthbert – 16th overall, third Dusi (K1)
• Angus Dick – 28th overall, sixth Dusi (K1);
• Luka Koumantarakis – 53rd overall, fourth Dusi (K1);
• Nicolas Cook – 58th overall, fifth Dusi (K1);
• James Sharpe – 85th overall, fourth Dusi (K1);
• Rachel van Deventer – 102nd overall, fifth Dusi (K2);
• Zoë Goble – 140th overall, fourth Dusi (K2); and
• Tayla Isaac – 156th overall, sixth Dusi (K2; partnered with Dawid Malherbe, who completed his first Dusi).
Every Matie who started the Dusi cross the finish line, though not without swims, injuries, and plenty of excitement.
Glyn-Cuthbert showed incredible resilience by completing the race despite partly dislocating his shoulder near the start of Day 3 at the infamous Little John Rapid, renamed Big John after the devastating floods two years ago. A series of stopper waves knocked him out of his canoe and onto a rock, causing the dislocation.
Fortunately, medics and lifesavers were on duty to assist, and in true Matie warrior style, he pushed through to finish in an impressive 16th position overall and fourth in the under-23 category.
Sharpe sprained his ankle on Day 1 but persevered through the race despite the treacherous portages.
Isaac, a final-year Sport Science student and one of the club’s top female paddlers, completed the Dusi despite being off the water for two months while on an academic exchange in Sweden.
Malherbe, who broke a rib three months before the Dusi during a mountain trail run, only resumed canoe training six weeks before the race. Despite this setback, he embraced the challenge with determination and heart, describing the Dusi as “an adventure of a lifetime and a must-do for any paddler”.
Reflecting on his journey, he said: “With Tayla as the ‘skipper’ – an incredible paddler and experienced Dusi veteran, despite only being 21 years old – I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate to guide and encourage me every step of the way.”
The club congratulated all the Matie paddlers on their achievements. It hopes this will inspire new paddlers to join the clun ranks. Canoeing is a sport of princes, and lifelong friendships are forged on the rivers.
If you’re keen to join the Stellenbosch Canoe Club or seek more information, call chairperson Conrad Kriel on 079 607 4865.
