MARK ETHERIDGE: For Lorna, there’s no such thing as a ‘worst’ Dusi

There is an iconic global sporting brand with a famous slogan: “Just Do It”.

But when it comes to Lorna Oliver though, it’s more aptly adapted to: Just Dusi It!

Because that’s what the Howick dynamo has been doing for 36 of her 48 years on planet earth.

Ever since her father, the renowned “Mr Canoeing” of SA, John Oliver, persuaded her at the age of 12 to tackle the famous KwaZulu-Natal sporting classic with him, she’s simply “gone with the flow”, so to speak.

This week she is busy tackling her 36th three-day Dusi Marathon cruise from Pietermaritzburg to Durban and they’ve all been consecutive.

“My dad had done about seven or eight Dusis by the time we started,” says Oliver. “He just brought it up casually and I was young and adventurous and really thought nothing of it.

“It’s hard to think now that I’m more than 10 Dusi Marathons ahead of the women with the next highest number of finished races.

“But when you start so young, it’s easy. If you start as an adult it’s harder to get over those fears you gain as you grow older.”

Not only does she simply get from A to B, she does it pretty swiftly.

“I’ve raced a few of them pretty hard and have got two third places in the K1 and K2 categories. My best overall position was 37th with Deon Bruss when we won the mixed doubles category in 1994.”

As things stand, Oliver has mostly had company on her Dusi crusade. “I’ve only done nine in a K1 and of the K2 races I’ve actually only done five with a guy.”

But she’s at pains to point out that she is not being misandrist in the slightest. “I used to coach at Epworth School in Pietermaritzburg and took a lot of the young girls down the river.

“Ultimately it’s my goal, through canoeing, to show the young girls and women out there that you don’t have to be a man to do all these amazing things. You just have to get out there and do it!”

And doesn’t she get out there and do it?

“I’ve actually achieved the most [in my opinion] in the sport of canoe polo. I’ve been overseas five times, and represented SA at four world championships. I’m also coaching canoe polo now.

“Oh, and I also play ultimate frisbee which is heaps of fun and still sees me, at the ‘tender’ age of almost 50, chasing 16-year-olds around a frisbee field.”

She also finds time to coach canoeing with the Midlands Paddling School at Midmar Dam.

Surprisingly, almost all of her Dusi memories are good 

She takes a moment to ponder: “My fondest memory was 2013. I was 38 and pregnant with [her son] Ben but still wanted to do the Dusi. So I paddled with my sister, Kirsten, and we were very careful, even reminding ourselves not to run while portaging. It ended up being a very easy Dusi.”

Not the next year though.

“Ben was four months old and for some reason or other didn’t like bottle-feeding. I paddled with a friend, Elle James, and my partner Kevin [Strydom] drove the route alongside the river and whenever Ben was hungry I’d get out and breast-feed him and carry on.

“It all went well until the last day. We fell out at the first rapid and our boat was wrapped in half, around a rock. We eventually got it off and limped to the finish. Both my ‘boys’ were quite unhappy but we all lived to tell the tale.”

Surprisingly she has no negative sentiments when it comes to this gruelling river race.

“I honestly don’t have something such as a ‘worst Dusi’ and have truly enjoyed every one. You know, it’s an absolute privilege to be part of if. We get to see the most beautiful parts of the country that so many people never get to see, the wild and untamed parts [and that goes for so many other canoe races as well].

“It’s what I love — it’s a sheer adventure. Sure, it comes with dangers but in my opinion, there are more dangers around getting into your car and driving to the shop than going down a river.”

She can’t see herself ever stopping a sport that flows through her veins.

She, Kevin and Ben live in Howick and apart from her canoeing, she keeps herself busy  by doing the book-keeping at the local vet and then her coaching duties after work and then more accounting duties in the evening.

“But I can’t see myself ever stopping. Lyle Wheeler has finished 52 now so I’d love to catch him…  although even if he stops now, he still has 17 more finishes than me, meaning I’ll still have have to be paddling Dusi when I’m 65!”

Meanwhile, Debbie Lewis is one excited competitor at finally getting to paddle the Dusi in a K2 with Oliver this week.

Says the Durban North-based paddler. “I’ve known Lorna forever and it was her mom who encouraged me early on in my career.

“I’ve hounded Lorna for years now but she’s always been busy taking the young girls down the river. Finally I’ve ‘cracked the nod’ and we’ve done a few races together and clicked instantly.

“It’s an honour and privilege to sit behind her in the boat. I’m rather hyper and a bit nervous, but she’s so calm — she just steps up and does stuff. But out of the boat she’s so down to earth and a lovely person.”

Lewis is doing her 21st trip this year and last year was clearly a sign of things to come as Oliver and her paddled the final day of a very full and raging Dusi together in their K1, crossing the line simultaneously — sisters in arms you could say.

This week saw Valentine’s Day being celebrated and on Thursday Lorna and Kevin celebrated the 30th anniversary of  their being together. Where would they celebrate? At Dusi of course — Lorna on the water, Kevin helping his father-in-law with the timing of the race!