Fans and families came out in numbers to support paddlers during the 71st edition of the MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon on Thursday morning.
MyLife Dusi Marathon paddlers in Pietermaritzburg. Sakhiseni Nxumalo
Fans and families came out in numbers to support paddlers during the 71st edition of the MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon on Thursday morning.
The popular three-day race that starts from Pietermaritzburg’s Camps Drift will end at the Blue Lagoon in Durban on Saturday.
Hundreds turned out at the College Road Bridge to cheer to the paddlers on over the first obstacle at Ernie Pierce Weir, while others sang and cheered at Chief Albert Luthuli Street.
Spectator, Harrison Field, from Michaelhouse, said he was excited, and said from an early age, he has always been a fan of the event.
“I am really pumped up and excited today. At some point I thought that the event was not going to take place due to E. coli, but being here today is nerve wracking,” he said.
He said Thursday’s race was his 10th race.
Sindi Nzimande who came to support her fiancé said she believes that watching the race was harder than doing the race.
“It’s something that he really likes doing and he has been talking about it for the past 6 months. It’s very exciting and I’m watching for the first time and I’m definitely going to be here every year from now on,” she said.