Thursday, January 30, 2025

Extreme Sports

Africa is the new best playground for all types of Xtreme Sports. Also see XOA, SPNA’s own TV series, now streaming on SPNAfrica.co.za

Seven marathons on seven continents in seven days – the seventh edition!

The World Marathon Challenge is back after three years COVID-induced absence and 48 marathon addicts from 12 countries leave from Cape Town tomorrow (Tuesday 31 January) on the first leg of their journey which sees them complete seven standard...

Two Oceans Marathon chair upbeat about new beginnings and an end to turbulent times

Sixty-four-year-old Brackenfell-based distance runner and grandfather of two, William Christian Swartbooi, enters his second term as Two Oceans Marathon NPC Chairperson and his 10th year on the board.  Being familiar with athletic trends, he is optimistic that the historic...

It’s the Robbie and Landie show in the Ultra-trail Cape Town pipe-opener

31-year-old Scottish athlete Robbie Simpson raced to an emphatic victory at the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town Peninsula Traverse 55 km (PT55) in windy conditions this morning (Friday 24 November), while Stellenbosch athlete Landie Greyling won the women’s race following...

Showtime on Table Mountain as the world’s top trail athletes line up for the...

It’s showtime for Rand Merchant Bank Ultra-trail Cape Town (RMB UTCT) as the new-look endurance event gets underway this weekend, offering competitive international trail-racing over 100 miles (the UTCT flagship), 100km (the UT100), 55km (the Peninsula Traverse or PT55),...

Simon stars in Southern Drakensberg at the K-Way Skyrun

By Kelly Burke and Stephen Granger Despite a slippery, overgrown course from heavy rainfalls in the area, Simon Tshabalala, showed once again why he is one of the leading mountain runners in South Africa, by taking the 100km 2022 K-Way...

Mountain runners to fly high in first Vertical Kilometre challenge

Running-related competitions, whether on track, road, cross-country or trail, typically take place over distances measured horizontally on the earth’s surface.  The commencement today (Thursday 13 October) of Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s weekend of running, however, sees a footrace measured...

Kanyimo upsets Tshabalala in the Witteberg Mountains

by SPNA / Kelly Burke Perfect weather conditions made for an exciting race at the 2022 K-Way SA 4 Peaks 24km Mountain Challenge over the weekend (Saturday 17 Sept), with fast-improving in-form Johannesburg athlete, Collin Kanyimo, taking line honours in...

“Mountain Abandoned” in Snowdonia, Wales, for top ultra-trail athlete Griffioen

by Stephen Granger Leading South African ultra-distance athlete, Nicolette Griffioen, was a star-performer in the Ultra-trail Snowdonia, which took place in the highlands of north Wales earlier this month, although the forced cancellation of the 100-mile race (UTS 165) through...

Healy on a high in the hills in Amadeus country

by Stephen Granger Former Sharks academy rugby scrum-half, Matt Healy, moved up several notches on the international trail-running circuit with an impressive top ten position in the recent Mozart 100 in Salzburg, Austria, and looks set to achieve further success...

When a successful sporting event becomes Africa’s best brand advertising

By Stephen Granger The dust has settled on Ultra-trail Cape Town (UTCT) trails and most of the international athletes who participated have found sufficient gaps in flight bans to depart our shores, following an exceptional Ultra-trail Cape Town event which...