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Pietermaritzburg - Entries opened for The Unlimited Dusi 2013 Canoe Marathon this week with the announcement of a new record prize money pool for the K1 championships race that starts at Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg on February 14, 2013.
A total of R260 500 has been announced by the race organising committee, an increase of 10.5% on the prize pot for the last K1 championships race in 2011, with the overall 2013 winner set to pocket R57 500. The race remains the richest race on the South African canoeing calendar.
The record prize money got a thumbs up from four times winner Ant Stott, who stressed that while it added a huge incentive for the top athletes to train hard, there was more at stake.
"The prize money is a huge factor, make no mistake," said Stott.
"For any serious athlete being able to start the year with a major cash prize like that is important. But for all the top paddlers the glory of winning The Unlimited Dusi is just as important."
"Hopefully the paddlers who will be challenging for that first prize are being well supported by their sponsors, and in most cases there is an incentive from the sponsors if they win, so the prize money is an important part of that process," added Stott.
"The risk is that paddlers can overtrain and possibly pick up a serious injury in their enthusiasm to try and win the first prize, so some balance and common sense is needed," he warned.
The race organisers have kept the increase in the race entry fee to a bare minimum, with the entry fee for seniors in 2013 coming in at R825 and R425 for juniors.
Dusi General manager Brett Austen-Smith was pleased to be able to table the entry fees for the 2013 race at an 8.9% increase.
"Some of our significant costs such as our levies to Canoeing South Africa and the KZN Canoe Union have gone up substantially. Fortunately we have been able to offset the impact of this by reducing the cost of online entries," said Austen-Smith.
He also confirmed that the race would offer prize money to men and women in all the Veteran and masters classes right up to the Great Grand Masters, if there are enough paddlers in each age group to constitute a class on its own.
"The Unlimited Dusi is a premier event that requires substantial training and preparation from its athletes, and it is appropriate that we budget for prize money that reflects this commitment and the status of this iconic event," Austen-Smith added.
Paddlers can enter online now at www.dusi.co.za where a new quick and simple online option is available alongside the traditional downloadable entry forms. Bidding for places in the charity batch that raises money for The Unlimited Child has also opened.
The Unlimited Dusi starts in Pietermaritzburg on February 14, 2013 and ends in Durban on February 16, 2013.
Summary of prize money:
The Unlimited Dusi 2013
Men
1st - R57 500
2nd - R33 500
3rd - R18 500
4th - R9 500
5th - R8 000
6th - R7 000
7th - R6 000
8th - R4 500
9th - R3 000
10th - R2 000
Women
1st - R27 500
2nd - R12 500
3rd - R6 500
Junior men
1st - R8 500
2nd - R4 500
3rd - R3 000
Junior women
1st - R7 000
2nd - R3 500
3rd - R2 000
Categories (Sub Vet, Vet, Sub-Master, Master, Sub-Grand Master, Grand Master, Great Grand Master)
1st - R950
2nd - R750
3rd - R550
A total of R260 500 has been announced by the race organising committee, an increase of 10.5% on the prize pot for the last K1 championships race in 2011, with the overall 2013 winner set to pocket R57 500. The race remains the richest race on the South African canoeing calendar.
The record prize money got a thumbs up from four times winner Ant Stott, who stressed that while it added a huge incentive for the top athletes to train hard, there was more at stake.
"The prize money is a huge factor, make no mistake," said Stott.
"For any serious athlete being able to start the year with a major cash prize like that is important. But for all the top paddlers the glory of winning The Unlimited Dusi is just as important."
"Hopefully the paddlers who will be challenging for that first prize are being well supported by their sponsors, and in most cases there is an incentive from the sponsors if they win, so the prize money is an important part of that process," added Stott.
"The risk is that paddlers can overtrain and possibly pick up a serious injury in their enthusiasm to try and win the first prize, so some balance and common sense is needed," he warned.
The race organisers have kept the increase in the race entry fee to a bare minimum, with the entry fee for seniors in 2013 coming in at R825 and R425 for juniors.
Dusi General manager Brett Austen-Smith was pleased to be able to table the entry fees for the 2013 race at an 8.9% increase.
"Some of our significant costs such as our levies to Canoeing South Africa and the KZN Canoe Union have gone up substantially. Fortunately we have been able to offset the impact of this by reducing the cost of online entries," said Austen-Smith.
He also confirmed that the race would offer prize money to men and women in all the Veteran and masters classes right up to the Great Grand Masters, if there are enough paddlers in each age group to constitute a class on its own.
"The Unlimited Dusi is a premier event that requires substantial training and preparation from its athletes, and it is appropriate that we budget for prize money that reflects this commitment and the status of this iconic event," Austen-Smith added.
Paddlers can enter online now at www.dusi.co.za where a new quick and simple online option is available alongside the traditional downloadable entry forms. Bidding for places in the charity batch that raises money for The Unlimited Child has also opened.
The Unlimited Dusi starts in Pietermaritzburg on February 14, 2013 and ends in Durban on February 16, 2013.
Summary of prize money:
The Unlimited Dusi 2013
Men
1st - R57 500
2nd - R33 500
3rd - R18 500
4th - R9 500
5th - R8 000
6th - R7 000
7th - R6 000
8th - R4 500
9th - R3 000
10th - R2 000
Women
1st - R27 500
2nd - R12 500
3rd - R6 500
Junior men
1st - R8 500
2nd - R4 500
3rd - R3 000
Junior women
1st - R7 000
2nd - R3 500
3rd - R2 000
Categories (Sub Vet, Vet, Sub-Master, Master, Sub-Grand Master, Grand Master, Great Grand Master)
1st - R950
2nd - R750
3rd - R550
