Whatshot

2026
All
September
2025
All
November
All
2024
All
June
All
April
All
2023
All
March
All
2022
All
2021
All
2020
All
March
All
February
All
2019
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
2018
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
2017
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2016
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2015
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
DHS
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2014
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
KZN
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2013
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2012
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All

Player wishes Dusi paddlers well

Player wishes Dusi paddlers well

Date: 2014-02-14
Dusi Canoe Marathon legend Dr Ian Player has sent his best wishes to all the participants in this year's Dusi Canoe marathon that gets underway at Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday, and vowed that he will be following the race as closely as ever from his house in the Karkloof when the iconic race.

Having pioneered the first official Dusi that started in Pietermaritzburg at the end of 1951 and ended six days later at the beginning of 1952, Player is a figure that is synonymous with the Dusi and regularly attended the start and finish of the race. Ill health has prevented Player from attending the event this year, but the alert 86 year-old says he will be following all the development over the three days of the race.

The decorated environmentalist wished all the paddlers well ahead of the 118km journey from Pietermaritzburg to Durban and was quick to highlight the other important elements that the race covers.

"I would like to wish every paddler the best of luck for the Dusi," Dr Players said. "The Dusi is without question one of the most important sporting events in the country but it goes beyond sport too because those who participate have the opportunity of appreciating how important the environment is to us. Rivers are the lifeblood of South Africa and we need to protect them in every single way possible."

Player was one of the founders of the Natal Parks Board which highlights his love of nature and his hope that the paddlers would be conscious in their efforts to keep our rivers clean.??Dusi General manager Brett Austen-Smith said that the entire Dusi family would be thinking of Player when the race gets under way on Thursday. "Dr Player is an icon to this event and much loved by all the paddlers and their families.

"While we enjoyed having him at the start and finish of the race in recent years his absence will be felt and one can be assured that every paddler preparing for the race sends their very best wishes to Dr Player."

The Dusi Canoe Marathon 2014 starts in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday 13 February and ends in Durban on Saturday 15 February 2014. More information can be found at https://www.dusi.co.za.