Cape trail events mark a return to “real” racing

A return to real-world racing after months of “virtual” events has proven a welcome respite for South African trail runners, with the successful completion of a number of top trail races in recent weeks.

Most notably, the Cederberg Traverse, which has attracted hardened trail aficionados over the years and offers some of the most rugged terrain in the sport, saw seventy competitors take on distances of 40 km, 60 km and the “big daddy” of 100 km.

The race is a favourite with top mountain runner AJ Calitz and he regained his 2018 title, clocking a record time of 13 hrs 53 min for the rocky wonderland circuit. In a ‘sprint finish’, given the overall context, Kyle Herring crossed the line at Sandrift just 14 minutes off the front man’s pace.

Hout Bay’s Karoline Hanks came back to bag one of her favourite titles, finishing fifth overall in 17 hrs 34 sec, while Riebeek Kasteel athlete, Erhard Sauer, and Johannesburg’s Suzette von Broembsen took the honours in the 60 km, which ended at Algeria Forest Station.

The Old Fisherman’s Trail Challenge is one of the oldest events on the Cape Town calendar.  Run over 24 km across the mountain chain between Fish Hoek and Hout Bay, with a total elevation gain of 1150 metres, the route approximates the footsteps of the fishers of yore, who used to trek from Kalk Bay to Hout Bay, chasing big shoals of fish.

The race has taken place in mid-winter for the past two decades, but COVID led to a postponement till spring this year, and over 100 trail athletes enjoyed a later-than-usual opportunity to race the “Fishers” last weekend. Several of the Cape’s leading athletes turned out, with former top road athlete, Siviwe Nkombi, edging out Robbie Rorich in the final stretch along Hout Bay Beach to the finish at the harbour.

Earlier Rorich had come from behind to catch and overtake Nkombi on the sharp descent down Blackburn Ravine, but the final kilometres on road and beach played to Nkombi’s strength and he went on to win by 38 seconds in 2 hr 03 min 42 sec. Jonathan Black took the final podium position, one place down but one minute faster than his run last year.

Meg Mackenzie enjoyed a useful low-profile warm-up race before departing to participate in the Golden Trail Championship on the Azores Islands, racing home to a comfortable victory in 2:25:55 – ten minutes ahead of Kristen Heath.

Results

Cederberg Traverse 100 km

Men: 1 AJ Calitz 13:53; 2 Kyle Herring 14:07; 3 Martin Jooste 17:34

Women: 1 Karoline Hanks 17:38; 2 Marietjie Kohn 21:06

Cederberg Traverse 60 km

Men: 1 Erhard Sauer 8:08; 2 Cobus Smit 8:32; 3 Juan Carstens 8:37

Women: 1 Suzette von Broembsen 9:17; 2 Linda Doke 10:41; 3 Charlotte Noble 12:06

Cederberg Traverse 40 km

Men: 1 Al Leslie 4:35; 2 Daniel Cunnama 5:05; 3 Doug Turvey 5:25

Women: 1 Katherine Antel 6:05; 2 Michelle van Zyl 6:05; 3 Jodi Marcus 6:11

Old Fisherman’s Trail Challenge 24 km

Men: 1 Siviwe Nkombi 2:03:42; 2 Robert Rorich 2:04:20; 3 Jonathan Black 2:15:14

Women: 1 Meg Mackenzie 2:25:55; 2 Kristen Heath 2:35:47; 3 Philippa Burger 2:47:01