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Dusi legend returns with wife for 2019 edition

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Martin Dreyer (File)
Martin Dreyer (File)

Pietermaritzburg – With seven Dusi Canoe Marathon wins to his name and an eight year absence since his last appearance, Martin Dreyer and his wife Jeannie will take on their first Dusi three-day adventure together from February 14-16.

Dreyer dominated the race from the late 90’s into the 2000’s before he took up the mantle of starting and managing the Martin Dreyer Change a Life Academy that has produced the likes of Dusi winner Sbonelo Khwela and third place finisher Banetse Nkhoesa.

Jeannie Dreyer has been at the sharp end of mountain biking in the country for a number of years and the pair are known for taking on extreme adventures, however this will be Jeannie’s first Dusi and their first in a K2 together.

“We paddled the 50 Miler and I must say I was rusty,” Dreyer said.

“It’s been eight years since I paddled on that river and there were just three moments that I recall and they all involved hitting rocks squarely.”

The Dreyer combination will be tested three times before they take on the Dusi, with the weekend’s Dash 'n Crash and Campbell’s to Dusi Bridge being their final hit-outs. Dreyer believes that together they make a brilliant combination.

“I think that we work well together because there is not a lot of talk coming from either side when we are on the water.

“We do push each other and on the portages it’s a competition as to who submits first - who is the first to say they want to walk?

“We both really enjoy the running and Jeannie is training for her first Comrades Marathon so she is in good shape.

“The pair of us are very laid-back but also quietly competitive. There will be small races within the race that we will be focusing on at Dusi,” added Dreyer.

2019 is going to be a year of firsts for the Dreyer’s as they will be combining for the first time at the Absa Cape Epic. With two young children to look after as well as training to do, it is an impressive juggling act that the couple execute daily.

“We are up at 03:20 to be on the bike and training until about 07:00 and then it’s looking after the kids so we have a lot of balancing to do.

“We have the Epic coming up after Dusi, Jeannie will then focus on running her first Comrades Marathon, I would like to ride the Freedom Challenge again and we are hoping to do an international adventure race.”

With a chocker-block schedule on the cards for 2019 they will continue their Dusi build-up with the Campbell’s to Dusi Bridge race this coming weekend and then it is on to the big show in three weeks’ time.

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