If the Dusi Canoe Marathon was an out-and-out paddling race, KwaZulu-Natal’s Hank McGregor would win it at a canter. But the 120km, three-day race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, beginning today, demands a lot more than paddling. McGregor, 38, will tell you that in no uncertain terms. "The Dusi is not a paddling race. If it were, I think I would have won it a lot more than two times," said McGregor. "This race demands supreme fitness due to all the running. " Factor in the technical component and all the unknowns and you get to understand what the Dusi is all about. "For us locals, the race is part of our paddling culture. "You could equate it to the Comrades Marathon. "We enter because we don’t want to miss out on the adventure. But it does test you to the limit," McGregor said. "I feel good and will give it my best even though deep down I don’t think I can win it. The running with the boat on the shoulders zaps the energy levels. "But that doesn’t mean I won’t be trying to cross ...

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