With temperatures set to soar into the high thirties in Pietermaritzburg, organisers of The Unlimited Dusi are expecting an explosive start to the race. With what has been described as the strongest field in decades, race experts are predicting a fierce battle between the top contenders.
Dusi specialist and defending champion Andy Birkett can expect tough competition from Thulani Mbanjwa and Hank McGregor with Lance Kime pegged as the dark horse of the race. Race experts believe that the top spots will be heavily contested with race strategy playing the definitive role.
In the women’s division, the field stars top South African paddlers Abby Adie, Robyn Kime and Hillary Pitchford. Conscious of the big water paddling expected on day two and three of the three-day, the women admit to being both excited and nervous.
Showing the love on Valentine’s, the celebrity charity batch including Idols judge Unathi Msengana, Sias du Plessis of 5fm, Damon Beard of East Coast Radio, Liezel van der Westhuizen of Kfm and soap star Paul du Toit will be sporting red balloon hearts in support of the official race charities.
Watch Unathi shooting the Ernie Pearce weir with her paddling partner 12-times world champion Oscar Chalupsky:
http://wwww.youtube.com/watch?v=wSd9WphiX6M.
For race updates, visist www.dusi.co.za
