Africa’s most coveted ultra-trail race promises spectacular trails and a quality field

By Stephen Granger

uKhahlamba, the Barrier of Spears, the Dragon Mountains or, as most know it, the Drakensberg, is Southern Africa’s most formidable mountain massif, containing the highest peaks in Africa south of the Rift Valley.  Forming the country divide between the mountain kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa, it has become an increasingly popular destination for outdoor adventure, including hiking, skiing, rock climbing and trail running.

Appropriately, given the significance of this geological formation, Ultra-trail Drakensberg (UTD) has become one of the continent’s most sought-after ultra-trail experiences and this month’s fifth edition of the event promises to build further on its impressive predecessors, in terms of challenging and spectacular trails, the quality of the fields and the participation of the local communities, both in Lesotho and South Africa.

While challenges aplenty face participants in each of the races, its unlikely that molten lava flow will be one of them. Formed 182 million years ago during the break-up of the supercontinent, Gondawana, volcanoes were prominent during the formation of the Drakensberg.  Currently the mountains are geologically stable, however, and there has been no volcanic activity for 50 million years.

Race founder and director, Underberg farmer Spurgeon Flemington started out with a 100km race in the Giant’s Cup – Sani Pass area in 2017, but went trans-frontier the following year, adding a 100 miler to the recipe, affording athletes the opportunity to run through the Lesotho highlands. This extension through Lesotho included summiting the highest peak in Southern Africa – Thabana Ntlenyana at 3482 metres – in the first part of the race, before runners dropped down spectacular ridge-lines into South Africa for the remainder.

“Having spent a lot of time running on the hiking trails in the Southern Drakensberg, it had always been in the back of my mind to start a trail event of some sort in the mountains,” explained Flemington. “Once I started to think about it seriously, the enormous potential for a major trail festival in the Giant’s Cup region became clear and UTD was launched five years ago.”

While there are several other high profile ultra-trail races in the sub-region, Ultra-trail Drakensberg has a unique flavour.  Whereas many footraces have lead cars or bikes accompanying the front-runners, UTD has a lead horseman – a Mosothu shepherd who accompanies the lead runner through the uncertain trails of the Lesotho Highlands.  The 100 miler starts at the Sani Pass border post at the ‘highest pub in Africa’ and runners face climatic extremes, with last year’s 100 miler starting in snow and finishing in warm sunshine.

But perhaps more than anything, the passionate support from local farming communities of the Underberg – Himeville region defines the event, with generous aid and refreshment stations staffed by locals, setting new standards for mid-race care of runners. “It’s always a bit of a wrench to get going again from an aid station,” a runner admitted last year.

With a half-marathon added last year, trail runners can choose from one of five distances – 21, 32, 62, 100, or 160 km – with something for everyone to enjoy over two days of running action in paradise.

The presence of global star, Ryan Sandes, in the 100 miler was an important feature of last year’s event and the Cape Town athlete raced to an impressive victory.  Sandes will be half way through his latest adventure – a circumnavigation of Lesotho with fellow mountain-adventurer, Ryno Griesel – and will not defend his title, but many of Southern Africa’s best trail athletes will be making their way to race HQ at the Premier Sani Pass Hotel later this month to test their skills and endurance on some of the finest trails in the sport.

One athlete will be travelling from further afield. Leading American ultra-trail athlete and past winner of Ultra-trail Cape Town 100km, Cody Reed, signed up to race the UTD 100 km, providing a significant dollop of international glamour to the event.

“I first heard of UTD after I ran Ultra-trail Cape Town in 2019 when someone mentioned it, and then they reached out to me on social media,” Reed explained. “When I saw the videos and pictures of how epic and remote the Drakensberg mountains looked, I knew I had to get out there. 

“I know nothing about the area but can’t wait to learn as much as I can while I’m there. It is important to me to learn about the people and the land in the places where I run – I don’t want to just be a tourist.”

Reed has prepared well for the race and is clear about his focus for the race. “My plan is the same as any other race I run, to win! And to come away from it with fitness gained for the short and long term. I find that each successful race gives me a lot of physical and mental benefits to be used in future races.”

Unlike his compatriot Adam Kimble, who was only able to fly into South Africa the day before the race, Reed plans to spend two weeks at the race venue to acclimatise and get to know the trails. But the Arizona-based athlete will not be dwelling on his competition. “I don’t like looking at entrance lists. I’ll figure out what the competition looks like around half way through the race!”

Simon Tshabalala has established himself as one of South Africa’s leading ultra-trail athletes, having won the inaugural Maxi Winelands 100km in 2019, the Four Peaks Challenge in the Free State last year (in record time) and the 65km Sky Run in the NE Cape. The Gauteng athlete will start favourite in the 100 miler, although his inexperience over the longer distance, will give the likes of Grobler Basson and Kennedy Sekhute (second and third last year) and former national champion, Lucky Miya, some hope of success.

Stellenbosch athlete, Amri Williamson, will be favoured to defend her crown, but local KZN athlete, Jo Keppler, second to Williamson last year, and Annalise Scholtz, who led in the early stages, will be determined to improve on their performances last year.

Former Comrades Marathon winner, Ann Ashworth, will start favourite to defend her title in the women’s 100km contest after placing an impressive 7^th overall in last year’s race. 

Victory in the 62km race (Giant’s Cup Uncut or the GCU62) along the length of the five-day Giant’s Cup Trail will be hard fought in both the men’s and women’s races, with many of the country’s leading marathon-distance trail athletes competing. Johardt van Heerden, Daniel Claassen, Eric Ngubane, Thabang Madiba, Meg Mackenzie, Landie Greyling, Jade Bucklow and Naomi Brand are just some of the big name athletes who will be competing for podium places.

Last month Marion Leiberich and Lijan van Niekerk raced to victory at the AfricanX three day stage race and an interesting contest between these two is promised in the  Sundowner Run (SDR32), while David Krone will be looking to turn his minor placings in last year’s Otter African Trail Run and Ultra-trail Cape Town 35km into a winning formula in the men’s race.