Ant Stott and Michael Mbanjwa back Powerade Race For The River
Durban - Hansa Powerade Dusi favourites Ant Stott and Michael Mbanjwa have
thrown their weight behind the Powerade Race For The River attempt by two
athletes to carry their canoe the entire distance of the race to raise
awareness of the environmental issues facing the rivers.
Andrew King and Devlin Fogg will portage their double kayak from start to
finish in an effort to profile the work being done by the Dusi uMngeni
Conservancy Trust (DUCT) to combat pollution in the rivers, and encourage
users of these waterways to report problems to the DUCT hotline on 033 345 7571.
"The Hansa Powerade Dusi is tough enough as it is, but what they are setting
out to do is extreme," said defending K1 champion Ant Stott. "Andrew is
fortunate that he knows all the paths and trails alongside the river through
his work with the Dusi Mfula mountainbike race, but it is still going to be a
massive undertaking."
His partner Michael Mbanjwa is a Hansa Powerade Dusi legend, having grown up
in the valley close to Nagle dam, and going on to become the first black
paddler to win the race when he partnered Martin Dreyer to victory in the
last doubles race in 2008.
"People need to understand that the river is so important to the lives of
everyone in the valley," said Mbanjwa, who now has his own homestead at Maqonqo close to the uMsindusi river, but spends most of his year as a
professional athlete based in Gauteng.
"Water is everything to people in the valley," he added. "In many places taps
have been put in but there is still no water, so the only water we have
access to is from the river. Even though the water is boiled before it is
drunk, people still get sick when the river is dirty."
"Every day water gets collected from the river for drinking, cooking,
washing, and it also gets used to water the crops that feed the families in
the valleys. When the quality of the water in the river drops, then it has a
big effect on everyone," said Mbanjwa.
While Stott and Mbanjwa are well prepared for their assault on the 2010 Hansa
Powerade Dusi title, they are planning to lend their practical support to
King and Fogg in the latter stages of each day.
"It is going to be a long tough day for these two guys, and once we have
finished the race, completed all our commitments at the finish area and done
our media interviews, we are hoping to drive back upriver and support them on
their run," said Stott.
"If Andrew (King) and Devlin (Fogg) can pull it off, it will be a huge
achievement," said Mbanjwa. "I hope that they get plenty of support along the
way, because they are going to need it."
"I also hope people remember why they are doing it, and that paddlers use
those stickers with the DUCT hotline number, and phone it if they see any
form of pollution happening in the rivers between Pietermaritzburg and
Durban," he added.
ENDS
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Ant Stott (left) and Michael Mbanjwa
study the route of the Hansa Powerade Dusi to work out where Andrew King and
Devlin Fogg will tackle their Powerade Race For The River. |
Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media |
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Michael Mbanjwa (left) and Ant Stott. |
Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media |
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