The Camps Bay High School and Maritzburg College learners finish second in the U18 category and break into the overall Top 10 at the demanding Dusi Canoe Marathon.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (27 February 2026) – For three days, the river between Pietermaritzburg and Durban demanded everything. Strength, precision, you name it!
Among those who rose to the challenge was Camps Bay High School Grade 12 learner Ryley Smith, who delivered a performance to remember at this year’s Dusi Canoe Marathon.
Widely regarded as one of the toughest canoe marathons in the world, the Dusi stretches approximately 120 kilometres and tests paddlers with shifting river conditions and relentless physical demands. The format alternates annually between K1 (Singles) and K2 (Doubles), and this year’s return to the K2 category brought a new dynamic to the race.
Ryley partnered with fellow 17-year-old Keegan Vogt from Maritzburg College, and the young duo produced an exceptional showing. They finished second in the Under-18 division and an outstanding 10th overall out of 223 finishers, clocking a combined time of 7:50:32 against a field that included some of the sport’s most experienced campaigners.
Head of Sport at Camps Bay High School, Ms Busi Ngcwama, believes the result speaks volumes.
“Ryley’s performance at the Dusi Canoe Marathon is nothing short of exceptional. To finish in the Top 10 overall in an event of this calibre speaks volumes about his discipline, resilience and competitive maturity. We are immensely proud of the way he represented Camps Bay High School and inspired our sporting community.”
This marked Ryley’s second appearance at the iconic race, having competed in the K1 (Singles) category in 2025. Returning with added experience and a strong partnership.
For Ryley, the achievement was as much about execution as ambition.
“We’re incredibly happy with our result. A Top 10 overall finish was our goal going into the race, so to achieve that feels amazing. We had a lot of fun shooting the big rapids, and Day 3 was especially great. We decided to take a gamble by shooting the Pumphouse Weir, and it paid off, we were the fifth fastest boat on the day.”
Sources: Supplied
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