“At last the dream has come true for me! I’m so
very, very happy! Exclaimed Eric after finishing first with Andy.
“The whole journey has been amazing! It’s a really
special feeling to have won!” Andy Birkett remarked after finishing first with
Eric!
The Shot: The dash from the start to be the first over the top of Ernie Pearce Wier is always fast, and exciting for the large crowds to watch as the paddlers push their way over the edge. Here Hank and Jasper manage to win the sprint, and are first down the ramp. The Spec: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO 200, 200mm f3.5 1/2500s, shot from the media boat which follows the race. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
Paddling
Story and Photos: Anthony Grote
It has been long time debated whether
a junior team can finish within the top 10. This K2 team almost proved the skeptics wrong, but finished 11th overall, a mere minute outside the top 10 time.
Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Taxi Rapid, on the outskirts of PMB, not well known for spectators but well known by the paddlers, and has the tendency to cause havoc. Here, Damon Stamp and Mthobisi Cele expertly navigate in the early morning mists, closely scraping past the photographer on their way through. The Spec: Nikon D800, Nikon 17-35mm f2.8, shot at ISO 400, 17mm f5.6 1/1250s More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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“Going over Ernie
Pearce first with the
crowd going mad is just such a rush and then there was just such as awesome vibe all the way through Maritzburg” – Jasper Mocke
The Shot: The dash from the start to be the first over the top of Ernie Pearce Wier is always fast, and exciting for the large crowds to watch as the paddlers push their way over the edge. Here Hank and Jasper manage to win the sprint, and are first down the ramp. The Spec: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO 200, 200mm f3.5 1/2500s, shot from the media boat which follows the race. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
Photo: Anthony Grote
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocke drop into Mission rapid about a minute behind the leaders. With big crowds always on hand at Mission, this is always the main focal point on the river during the first Day of the Dusi Canoe Marathon. The Spec: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO 320, 200mm f5 1/2000s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Robyn Kime and Abbey Ulansky are the first woman K2 team through Mission rapid, but only just with a slender lead over Abbey Adie and Anna Adamova. This experienced team made no bones of the rapid, skimming through without incident. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO 320, 200mm f5.6 1/2000s, shot from just below Mission rapid. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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“Temperatures on the first day soared to in excess of 35 degrees, this not taking into account the humidity either!�
The Shot: With temperatures in the Valley soaring to a high of 35 degrees on the first Day, seconders with their buckets of water became an essential tool. Here a paddler gets dowsed with nice cool water while portaging on Cabbage Tree portage. The Specs: Nikon D800, Nikon 16mm f2.8, shot at ISO400, f8, 1/1250s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Large crowds pack the banks and rocks around Mission Rapid, the popular spectator point on Day 1. A K2 navigates through the rapid while onlookers keep vigil for any excitement. The Specs: Nikon D800, Nikon 16mm f2.8, shot at ISO 400, 16mm f6.3 1/1250s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: A rare opportunity to shoot from a different angle. Here a K2 is stuck in one of the rapids below Mission. Shooting from a helicopter gives a unique aerial perspective not often seen of paddling. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO200, f4, 1/2500s, shot from a helicopter. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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The Shot: Looking up river towards the start, a helicopter hovers above the leaders going into day 2. In the background is the finish of day 1 and the start of day 2, with all the canoes still in their pounds. The Shot: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO800, f4.5, 1/1000s, shot from the lookout point down river from the start. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
Photo: Anthony Grote
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Not all races end the way they should. Boat wrappings happen, often to tragic results. Arge Nienhauser and his partner too the wrong line through Ntombi rapid, resulting in the boat getting stuck in the rapid. After a lengthy rescue attempt on the boat, only half was recovered ending their race. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, Nikon 1.7x converter, shot at ISO 400, 340mm f4.8 1/800s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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The Shot: The dash across the dam from the start of day 3. The newly instated reverse start order, sees Batch b head off at 5:30am while the leaders only start the race once all the lower order paddler shave pretty much finished. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO 1250, 185mm f2.8 1/2000s, shot from close to the Inanda dam wall. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
Photo: Anthony Grote
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: The clean waters of Day 3 give us the opportunity to shoot nice paddling shots sometimes if even more attractive to get in tight, shooting paddlers as they “bash� through the waves in a rapid. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, 1.7x converter, shot at ISO1250, 340mm, f4.8, 1/1000s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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“A first for the Dusi Canoe Marathon, four
SUP paddle boarders attempt the three day epic, and all four complete the race!”
The Shot: A first for the Dusi, four Stand Up Paddlers (SUP’s) took on the Dusi for the first time and all four completed the race. Here Jon Ivins takes on Top Needle rapid, successfully developing their own techniques on how to navigate through rapids, here he kneels to lower his center of gravity while navigating the waves. The Shot: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, with 1.7x converter, shot at ISO1250, 155mm, f4.8, 1/1000s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Every year there are a number of “race characters” that stand out. This year these two paddlers donned their “Sambrero’s”, wearing them all the way down the river. The person at the back’s hat has taken a beating, having lost most of it’s rim. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, Nikon 1.7x converter, shot at ISO 400, 220mm f5 1/2500s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Andy Birkett and Eric Zondi won the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon by a
770km was run during training, more than 1600km was paddled, 17hrs per week was dedicated to training, with some 238hrs spent in resounding 10 minutes total on Dusi preparation. from “The Dusi Marathon in numover Hank McGregor and (Details bers�, by Jazz Kuschke) Jasper Mocke. Training for Dusi started in November, and since then, more than
Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: Andy Birkett’s familiar victory “salute”, standing up in his canoe as he crosses the line. Both he and Eric manage to stay upright as they crossed the line, to huge applause from the crowd. The Specs: Nikon D600, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, shot at ISO200, 170mm f4.5 1/1600s, shot at the finish line More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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Photo: Anthony Grote
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The Shot: The victory salute for then fans! Eric and Andy go celebrate with a group of fans from the Valley. The Specs: Nikon D800, Nikon 24-70mm f2.8, shot at ISO 200, 24mm f5.6 1/250s. More details: www.anthonygrote.com
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