Robyn Kime smashed the first day record as she opened up a 14-minute lead on Abby Adie on the opening day of The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon which took place over 42 kilometers.
Conditions were hot, almost cloudless, but thanks to an early start, the leading ladies were able to push a good pace, with Jen Theron leading from Camps Drift.
“We were racing together, keeping a fairly comfortable pace up until Campbell’s Portage,” said Kime. “At the portage, I took out first and ran hard up the hill and didn’t see anyone else for the rest of the day. From there, it was a hard grind in the hot weather and pushing hard.”
Kime opened up a good gap on Adie at Campbell’s, but being out in front comes with its own challenges, as Kime explained afterwards.
“When you’re out on your own, you’ve just got to settle into your own pace. You’ve got to keep reminding yourself that you don’t know where anyone else is and you’re not going to see anyone.
“You don’t get any information. From the top of Campbell’s to Guinea Fowl really, you don’t see your seconds at all. You don’t know anything, if you’re ahead.”
