Martin Dreyer - Dusi Legend
Martin Dreyer is best known for his seven Dusi Canoe Marathon wins. Martin is now changing the lives of many South Africans. We caught up with him to find out what he is up to.
You're best known for your Seven Dusi Canoe Marathon wins. Has canoeing always been a big part of your life?
Yes I think so, but Dusi and paddling played a small part of my sporting life. My real passion lay with Adventure Racing, which kinda flies under the radar. I was fortunate enough to race on a pro team from the USA where we raced all over the world. Typically these races are five days long, where the country you’re racing in showcases their most spectacular terrain; so you climb the highest mountains, paddle exciting rivers etc. - all the time navigating your way from check point to check point in teams of four. The clock doesn’t stop until you cross the finish line so sleep is kept to a minimum - no sleep the first night then three to four hours a night thereafter.
You've now set up your Change a Life Academy. Tell us more about this.
I launched my Change a Life Academy in 2008 with sponsorship from the Change a Life Trust. My aim was to groom 10 underprivileged youngsters in the Valley of a Thousand Hills to come in the top 50 of the Dusi challenge. After four short months of training the goal was exceeded with 10 of my protégés romping home in the top 36, and incredibly, two of them in the top 10 gold medal positions.
My boys Eric Zondi and Thomas Ngidi were placed third in the 2010 K2 Dusi Canoe Marathon before becoming the first black crew to ever win a major canoe race in SA, the Non-Stop Dusi, a gruelling one day event covering the same route as the three day marathon. They used their prize money to build homes for their families in the valley.
This year in February, Change a Life beneficiaries once again dominated the Dusi, with nine paddlers finishing in the top 27. While Eric narrowly missed out on winning (he finished third overall) he won the first day in a record time – 39 seconds faster than the previous best – and maintained his lead on day two. Once again, he went on to win the Non-Stop Dusi with his partner Andy Birkett in a record time and then, upon invitation from Australia, competed in Australia’s premier white water race, the Avon Descent in August, finishing in fifth place.
Eric is an exceptional role model to the young people of the Valley of a Thousand Hills. He demonstrates the value that discipline and practice can add to natural talent, and ‘what you put in, is what you get out’.
You also recently completed the ABSA Cape Epic. How does that rank in terms of your achievements?
The Absa Cape-Epic is one of the all time classic mountain bike races to do. There’s huge international participation and a fantastic, challenging and scenic route. It ranks high in terms of the experience; I loved it. But it ranks low in terms of difficulty. It’s a race I wouldn't brag about having done, but I would definitely recommend it.
We enjoyed Olympic success in 2012 - so why has canoeing not received more attention in South Africa?
In SA canoeing is hugely popular [but] river racing and long distance marathon paddling are not in the Olympic Games. Unfortunately the only discipline at Olympics for canoeing is Sprints, which is not very popular in SA. In sprints at the Olympics, the longest race is a 1000m (less than four minutes). However, that’s an even greater reason why more praise should be given to any SA sprinter making it on the international stage (Brigitte Hartley - Olympic bronze), because in SA, it’s a minority discipline in canoeing.
You're clearly an adventurer of sorts, has Everest crossed your mind?
Ahh, would love to give it a bash, but you need a lot of bootie to begin that journey - about R450 000. Eish.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
- Peter van Onselen
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre