2011 Hansa Land Rover 50 Miler

With the course being moved to the first two days of the conventional dusi course, the paddlers were really tested.

Day 1, started at Capms drift and ending at Dusi bridge, a full gruelling day one of dusi so the perfect practicing opportunity. Len Jenkins and Shaun Rubenstein were the lead boat some fity metres ahead of us as we reached guinea fowl portage. Through confusion, we both missed the take out and shot some pretty cool rapids! Both boats took out and portaged back up the river before getting onto the correct guinea fowl portage. We got out earlier than Jenkins/Rubenstein so limiting the damage of our mistake, re-entering at the top of guinea fowl in fifth place. We finished day one nearly 8 minutes adrift to Thulani Mbanjwa/ Eric Zondi ,disappointed and tired!

Day 2 followed the normal Dusi course, we caught up to Speed/Mhlope (2^nd) near confluence. I made a few silly driving mistakes and because of our inconsistency, we had to play catch and raced alongside James /Kwanda onto the dam. Jason and I managed to get away from Kwanda/James in the final km and took 2^nd.

Mbanjwa/Zondi were out of reach for the entire reach, showing great from, ran away from the field and posted one of the fastest day 2 times which shows their improved paddling ability! Those two are looking great in the boat and I am sure they will be no surprise come dusi.

Third overall was James Speed/ Kwanda Mhlope, James is a junior, raced with a senior but just shows his strength to be able to mess around with all the seniors and beat most of them! James is racing with Murray haw and it will be exciting what they can do as a junior boat amongst the seniors!!

Team Best 4 had an excellent result with five boats in the top six, and first and second in the ladies. Jason and I paddled the new Kayak Centre Velox Xterminator, it went very well in the river and looks as if it will be a great Dusi boat.

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