The Dusi ... by mountain bike!
1 June 2007
With both the Hansa Powerade Dusi Canoe Marathon and the Stihl Non-Stop Dusi having been run, one more Dusi challenge remains to be tackled in 2007: the Dusi Mfula Off Road Experience, taking place on 2 and 3 June.
A taxing challenge for mountain bike enthusiasts, it is the first mountain bike event to be held from Pietermaritzburg to Durban through the Valley of a Thousand Hills, and the route boasts an equal spread of single track, Jeep track and district road.
"To get someone on a mountain bike from Pietermaritzburg to the sea, along the banks of the Dusi and Umgeni rivers is no mean feat. To accommodate over 600 people in the Valley is an even bigger challenge," said Ray de Vries, the race director.
"It involves the help of many volunteers, SAPS, marshals and hundreds of 'peace monitors' drawn from the local communities."
One more Dusi to do
Included in the entries are a number of star paddlers,
better known for their feats in the famous Dusi Canoe Marathon.
Martin Dreyer, a multiple winner of the Dusi and the Stihl Non-Stop Dusi is in the mix, as are Dusi winners Kevin and Wendy White, and Alex Lombard.
The inaugural edition of the race along the route of the Hansa Powerade Dusi exceeded all expectations. Riders came from far and wide and many described the race as the most scenic they had ever participated in.
The route
The route is a well-travelled one, with the Hansa Powerade Dusi and the recent Stihl Non Stop Dusi following the same course.
"I can tell you this route is fast becoming the route of choice," De Vries said.
"Ten years ago we couldn't get people into this Valley. It has got to be one of the most beautiful valleys around, and now mountain bikers are able to experience the sheer beauty of it.
"This event is absolutely unique – it is a coming together of the communities of the Valley of a
Thousand Hills and sports enthusiasts," added De Vries.
"It is a dream come true for me to add another great event to the Valley that made the Dusi Canoe Marathon famous."
Day one
The race starts at Bishopstowe outside Pietermaritzburg and finishes at Blue Lagoon in Durban, with an overnight stop at Inanda Dam. There are some technical sections on the first day, which is 70 kilometres long.
The second day is fast, with riders going over the infamous Burma Road portage, which makes Polly Shorts on the Comrades' route look easy by comparison.
This time around organisers have changed the route over Burma so that riders can stay on their bikes longer. The day is 40 kilometres long and picks its way along both sides of the river through to the Kingfisher Canoe Club at Blue Lagoon.
River crossings
There are two crossings on the route where riders will be required to carry their bikes through the
river; the other crossings will be on bridges. The last river crossing will have rope guides as well as boats and tubes to make it quicker for the large field expected.
"Riders may even be swimming across rivers," De Vries said.
"Teams are going to have to rely on their partners to get them to the end as they navigate down the Umsunduzi and Umgeni Valley to reach the ocean."
Extra tents are available should riders want their partners, friends, or family to join them for a well deserved rest at the end of stage one.
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