Admire Muzopambwa’s UTD win

Zimbabwe-born and Johannesburg-based Admire Muzopambwa raced to the biggest win of his life when he came out on top of the Ultra-trail Drakensberg 100 miler (UTD 160) over the weekend, while Nicolette Griffioen won her second major 100 mile title in six months with a decisive victory in the women’s contest.

Second to American Cody Reed in the UTD 100km in 2022, Muzopambwa was second to none at the new race finish at Glencairn Country Club after a closely contested race which saw Muzopambwa crossing the line in 21 hrs 01 min 01 sec, just over seven minutes clear of Cape Town based Matt Bouch.

Muzopambwa is no stranger to ultra-distance trails, having stood on top of the Karkloof 100 miler podium on no few than three occasions, but this weekend’s race in the high-profile international UTD event moved him up a notch or two in trail status.

The athletes from the Pirates Athletics Club’s time is an hour inside Doug Pickard’s previous race record at the UTD 160, set in 2022 and 90 minutes faster than Ryan Sandes’ winning time of 2021, a measure of Muzopambwa and Bouch’s achievements, although the substantial changes in the race route, which excised a larger portion of high altitude running in Lesotho, contributed to the faster times.

Record-breaking winner of the tough 268 mile Montane Summer Spine Race along the Pennine Way in England, Guernsey-based Tiaan Erwee, took an early lead and was a minute clear of Bouch and Muzopambwa half way through the Lesotho circuit, 15km into the race.

Bouch, Muzopambwa and Stellenbosch athlete, Grober Basson, were the first through the Lesotho border post and back into South Africa after 3 hrs 26 min of running with Erwee within sight, just over a minute back.

The lead trio remained intact through the ‘Salt and Pepper’ station and past Bala through 70km, before Basson fell on hard times and fell back to 5^th behind Erwee through Swiman checkpoint on the Giant’s Cup Trail, 111km into the race.

Meanwhile landscape photographer, Bouch, had made his move for victory and was four minutes clear of Muzopambwa through Swiman, running strongly and looking a clear winner.  But had he accelerated too strongly too soon?

Keeping his powder dry, the Zimbabwean gradually close the gap and caught his prey shortly before Mzimkulwana Hut, 25km from the finish, the two running through in 16 hrs 45min, with Erwee still holding on in third, just over a half an hour back.

Approaching Cobham, it was Muzopambwa’s turn to open a gap on his rival, Bouch, and was two minutes clear across the iconic suspension bridge, 16km from home.

Muzopambwa had the bit between his teeth over the final stages, drawing steadily ahead to race on to a fine victory.  Erwee was an hour back in third, fifty minutes ahead of Australian athlete, Majell Backhausen.

Following her impressive win at the Ultra-trail Cape Town 100 miler in November, Griffioen slowed in the final quarter but was never threatened for overall victory in the women’s contest, finishing in fifth place overall and over three hours ahead of second-placed Jessica Barrow, who was back in competition after the birth of her fourth child.

As in previous years, the 65km race (GCU 65) proved the most competitive and turned into a well-deserved and popular triumph for Eastern Cape athlete, Mvuyisi Gcogco.

Last year Gcogco left it too late to make his move in the 32km UTD race and altho making up more than ten minutes in the final dash from Cobham, he ended third and narrowly missed out on selection for the South African team to the World Championships in Austria. 

Running in the longer event this year, he timed his race to perfection, taking the lead from frontrunner Remaketse Lekaka just after Cobham to win by 4 minutes in 5:59:16.

Limpopo-based Lekaka, winner of the two day Wolfberg Trail race last August, led from early on in an impressive UTD debut and did well to finish second, just 56 seconds clear of Bradley Claase, with former 100 mile winner, Doug Pickard, fourth.

Maryke van Zyl impressed to win a close women’s race by 12 minutes over seasoned marathoner, Kerry-Anne Marshall, with fellow Cape Town athlete, Jada Linstrom third.

Oli Morris took the lead 35km into the 100km (UTD 100) race and held it to the finish, winning by 15 minutes over a fast-improving Chris Ngaka in 12 hrs 08 min 07 sec, with Melissa Laing overtaking early leader Tarrin Van Niekerk to win the women’s race by one position overall and1hr 30 min in time in 14:18:02.

Rob Rorich came from behind to spoil Bongani Mbanjwa’s day out in the 37km (SDR), closing from 5 minutes behind after 20km to a minute down 7km out to win by five minutes at the finish at Glencairn Farm in 3:21:17.  Former winner of Ultra-trail Cape Town 100km, Eric Ngubane, edged out strong ultra-distance runner Daniel Claassen by 35 seconds to take the final podium position.

Protea athlete Lijan Burger ran out a convincing winner over Nadine van Driel in the women’s race clocking 4:12:16.

Tsielo Tsanyane won the shortest race – the DRJ 25km – in 2:04:54, 2:36 clear of LIV athlete, Sinovuyo Ngcobo. Veteran ultra-distance runner, Prodigal Khumalo, who won the 32km UTD race in 2021, took third. Lindy Acutt won the women’s race in 2:48:44.