By Stephen Granger

SPNAfrica recently broke the news that two leading South African athletes had joined adidas, highlighting new signings Gerda Steyn (road) and Toni McCann (trail). We also revealed that a third, yet-to-be-named leading trail athlete, had also joined the athletics powerhouse, adidas.

We can now unmask the identity of the third athlete – twenty-four year old Cape Town chemical engineering graduate, Bianca Tarboton – and also confirm the retention by adidas TERREX (the trail wing of adidas) of Zimbabwean super-star, Emily Hawgood, after a stellar year of distance running.

One of the top trail athletes in South Africa, Tarboton achieved several notable performances last year, including victories in the Ultra-trail Drakensberg 32km in April, the competitive Cape Town ‘Special Edition’ 25km on Table Mountain in May and the Otter African Trail Run in October and enjoyed a solid introduction to international competition with a 12th position in the Limone Extreme SkyRace in Italy in November, despite aggravating a sprained ankle.

Tarboton’s Otter win was particularly impressive, her time of 4 hrs 45 min 34 sec placing her seventh overall and improving her new adidas TERREX teammate McCann’s previous record for the ‘classic’ east to west direction by more than seven minutes. Tarboton finished a full forty minutes clear of second-placed athlete, Namibian-born Julika Pahl.

While COVID-travel restrictions curtailed Tarboton’s international plans last year, she thrived on a year where she could focus on running, free of the significant academic pressures her engineering degree brought to bear.

But as good as 2021 proved to be, nothing could compare to the start in 2022 and her invitation to join the “three-stripes” stable. “The adidas TERREX vision is to be the best sports brand in the world,” said Tarboton proudly. “It’s the best in all aspects, not just in terms of performance. They want to be credible and inclusive and a leader in sustainability, and I love that about the team. They encourage their athletes to embrace a more connected, conscious and adventurous life through sport.

“I don’t have much to do with the adidas road team, although I did get some beautiful road shoes to play in! It’s SOO amazing and exciting to see that Gerda is also part of the adidas stable, wow!”

Tarboton is particularly impressed with adidas TERREX’s emphasis on partnership and of being a team. “They have a major focus on the team aspect of sport,” Tarboton added. “Their main hashtag is #oneteam! I love that they want their athletes to support each other, share the same values and work together in the trail running community.”

Tarboton and McCann are thrilled to be part of a professional squad and teammates to such trail luminaries as Kiwi Ruth Croft, England’s Holly Page and Tom Evans and Spanish star Pablo Villa, who won the 126km Transgrancanaria last week. But when the South Africans race to their potential at some of Europe’s top events – and McCann’s second place in the Transgrancanaria 43km marathon gave notice of what is to come – the feeling will undoubtedly be mutual.

Tarboton, who has joined the adidas TERREX team for a week training camp on the Canaries Island of Fuerteventura, can’t wait to realise her dream to live and race in Europe and she plans a five month sojourn from early May, when she races the Innsbruck Trail Festival. From there she plans to compete in her second SkyRace in Livigno, Italy, in June, the Zugspitz ultra-trail in Austria in July, the Golden Trail World Series’ Sierre Zinal in Switzerland in August and ending with the adidas Infinite Trail Race in Austria in September.

Tarboton also looks forward to competing in some of her favourite local events towards the end of the year. “In South Africa I’ll probably compete in the Otter Trail or else Cape Town Trail Marathon in October,” Tarboton reflected. “Depending on how my body feels, I may race one of the Ultra-trail Cape Town races in November. I’m not sure about the shorter races yet but they could definitely be a possibility before I leave for some fun speed work!”

McCann and Tarboton will join former Ultra-trail Cape Town champion, and top ten finisher at the 2022 Western States and Ultra-trail Mont Blanc 100 milers, Emily Hawgood, to make up a powerful Southern African contingent to the adidas TERREX team.

Hawgood was thrilled at the news of the South Africans coming on board. “It’s very exciting that Bianca and Toni have joined the team. They will be welcomed with open arms from all around the world! We are very tight-knit in support of one another and each person holds a special place in the team and is valued beyond measure.

“Toni and Bianca will bring young, raw talent to adidas TERREX and I’m sure will add significant value both in and out of races in the years to come.”

©SPNAfrica News

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