Maroc - dailynews.co.za - Sport - 25/Feb 19:13

Veteran paddler Nigel Briggs achieves milestone at Dusi Canoe Marathon

This year's Dusi Canoe Marathon marked a milestone for veteran paddler Nigel Briggs, who  became just the third paddler in the race's 74-year history to reach 50 Dusi finishes when he crossed the finish line at Blue Lagoon on Saturday.Lyle Wheeler and Gudgie Dixon are the other two to reach that milestone in the epic race through the Msunduzi and uMngeni valleys that started at Bishopstowe Country Club in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday morning.The opening day was extra special for Briggs. He turned 71 on that day. "I had to cancel my celebrations. I've got to hold my birthday this coming week. I was a bit busy," the Kloof resident said, chuckling.After he managed to avoid taking any birthday "swims", the second and third day proved more eventful."I very nearly lost my boat completely on the second day. A couple of my mates came and I had to stop their race and they had to swim across the river to come and help me haul my boat out. And then I lost my paddles and some other guys further down the river helped me to catch the boat," he said."I took a wrong channel, which I shouldn't have done, and that got me in trouble. But we got through it."The Dusi bug bit while Nigel was still at university, when he was 20."One of our friends had done the Dusi the year before so we all just challenged each other to do Comrades and Dusi in '74. And that's what started me doing it. I finished that race and happened by luck, more than better judgement, to win the novice prize in that race," he said."I was quite shattered at the end of the first race. I didn't know much about paddling. I didn't know much about the river. But after two or three days' recovery I started to think that if one can do this once a year then you're at least keeping yourself physically active, physically fit and physically going."So it was the camaraderie of my mates that got me into it in the first place but it was the thought it is actually a good, healthy sport, let's try come back for a second. And then you come back for a third. Then you aim to get your in perpetuity number – to do 10."Once you've done 10 then you sort of think of 20 and the whole thing just gains momentum. Then years later you find you're 71 and you got down the river again." An arctic expedition with the Department of Transport was the only thing that broke that sequence."We over-wintered in the Antarctic in '93 and there was no way I could get back from there to race the Dusi. So I missed two while I was out the country. But I've started 50 and finished 50."Of all those races, one of the most memorable for Nigel was a surprise doubles gold medal finish in 1987 with a partner from Johannesburg, after an emergency appendix operation had ruled his brother David out of the race at the eleventh hour."The camaraderie of every double paddler that you've paddled with ... Out of my 50 (races) I've done 18 singles and in the other doubles paddle I've had about 10 or 12 different partners and they're all really good friends of mine. That's the pleasure of the paddling fraternity, it's the people you meet."Nigel, who runs a B&B in Hillcrest, also acknowledges the key support role played by wife Sue, his two daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.And are there any thoughts of returning next year for the member of the Shongweni Dam-based canoe club? "This was the first time I swore blind at the end of the race I wouldn't be back again. But an old mate of mine has committed to paddling with me next year and it's the 75th so you make excuses and we'll be there," he said."There are two guys in front of me. Lyle Wheeler is on 54 races now and Gudgie Dixon is on 51 so if they keep going, I've got to keep going too, you know."