Dusi Canoe Marathon

The race attracts between 1600 and 2000 paddlers each year, making it the biggest canoeing event on the African continent.

Two Pietermaritzburg men, Paul Marianni and William Foley, covered the distance in seven days, arriving at Blue Lagoon on 10 January 1893.

Of the eight paddlers that entered the race: Ian Player, Miles Brokensha, Ernie Pearce, John Naude, Basil Halford, Willie Potgieter, Fred Schmidt and Denis Vorster only Player finished the race in a time of 6 days, 8 hours and 15 minutes.

[citation needed] The first three-day race was held in 1956 with changes being made to the format over fears for paddler safety when paddling at night.

[citation needed] The Dusi Canoe Marathon was started by Ian Player in the early 1950s and this book tells the story of how it all began.