UPHINDE wakhonya u-Andy Birkett, oyingqwele yeDusi Canoe Marathon ngosuku lwesibili lomjaho, elandelwa nguMatthew Fenn nensephe uSbonelo Khwela endaweni yesibili neyesithathu, ebangeni lika-43km kusukwa eDusi Bridge kubhekwe eNanda Dam.
Ngosuku lokuqala lwalo mjaho wanonyaka wohlobo lwe-K1, ngoLwesine kusukwa eBishopstowe Hall, eMgungundlovu, umhlanganiso udliwe nguye futhi uBirkett, isibili sathathwa nguKhwela, isithathu kwaba nguFenn.
Nokho izolo zishintshile izinto uFenn edlula uKhwela ngesikhathi esingu-2:59:51, uKhwela elala isithathu ngo-3:03:29, uBirkett ehlala phambili ngo-02:57:49.
Kwabesifazane akushintshanga lutho njengoba nangoLwesine kukhonye izintokazi ezintathu ziholwa uChristie Mackenzi, uNikki Birkett noBridgette Hartley ngokulandelana kwazo.
Kowayizolo uMackenzie udle umhlanganiso ngesikhathi esingu-3:30:14, isibili kwaba nguBirkett ngo-3:40:01, isithathu sathathwa nguHartley ngo-3:53:01.
Njengoba namuhla kuphela amaphupho kusukwa ebangeni lika-36km eNanda Dam, kuyoshaywa intambo eBlue Lagoon, eThekwini, kubhekwe zidlane imilala abagwedli sebekhipha amangwevu okugcina, kuphenduke namatafula.
Nakuba uBirkett ezihole phambili izinsuku ezimibili zilandelana nokumbeka ethubeni lokuphinda awudle umhlanganiso nanamuhla kodwa kubukeka kusathembisa ngabagwedli abansundu ngoba yibona abasagqishe ohlwini lwabayishumi abaphume phambili, okubalwa uSandile Mtolo endaweni yesine, nomnewabo omdala uMsawenkosi Mtolo endawei yesihlanu.
UMtolo (Msawenkosi) ongenye yezinsephe zalo mjaho, ungomunye wababhekiwe kowanamuhla, njengoba kwi-K1 yango-2023 alala isibili esezithendeni zikaBirkett, ekubeni kwi-K2 yango-2022 alala isibili egwedla nenye insephe uThulani Mbanjwa, ubhedu ludliwa uBirkett noFenn.
Kanti kwi-K2 yanyakenye ulale isibili egwedla noKhwela, naye osenethuba lokuphendula amatafula kowanamuhla ngenxa yamava akhe kulo mjaho.
UBirkett odabuka e-East London, uma edla ubhedu nanamuhla kuzobe sekuyihlandla lika-15 enqoba lo mjaho wokugwedla izikebhe waminyaka yonke onedumela, okusalokhu kukhonye kuwo abendlu emhlophe, nakuba abendlu ensundu sebefike ngezinkani sekusele khona nje ukuthi baguqule umlando ngokudla umhlanganiso kulo mjaho.