It’s the old guard vs newcomers in mouthwatering contest at Cape Town Trail Marathon

The Cape Town Trail Marathon by Ryan Sandes has become an important adjunct to the main event on this weekend’s festival of distance running – Sunday’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – with many of the country’s top trail athletes in action on the slopes, and some summits, of Table Mountain, Devil’s Peak, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill tomorrow (Saturday 13 October).

Nicknamed ‘King Protea’ after the national flower, the event is a celebration of the extraordinary natural wealth of Cape Town, notably the biodiversity wonders of the Cape Plant Kingdom, aka fynbos, which will decorate parts of tomorrow’s challenging trail route.

Undoubtedly the continent’s highest profile trail athlete, with wins in the world’s most prestigious ultra-trail events, Ryan Sandes has always been passionate about his own city’s exceptional mountain trails and he dreamt of staging this race in order to ‘showcase the Mother City’s trails to the world.’

“We have great landscapes, stunning scenic vistas, amazing biodiversity and perfect October spring weather – all the elements of a great race,” Sandes said last year.

This year, the emphasis has been on reaching trail communities and increasing the accessibility of the race to all runners. “Our focus this year is a lot more on growing a sense of community around the event,” explained Sandes. “We’ve had a few community runs in Cape Town and next year we would like to expand upcountry.

“Gone are the days of a one-off event on the day. We are thinking of activating running communities year-round. We need to be conscious of the wider context of trail running in South Africa and to include runners from all backgrounds in our events.

“We have some development runners taking part this year through the new ‘Taxi Trail’ initiative and would like to grow that even more next year if the budget allows.”

Now in its third year, the Cape Town Trail Marathon is one of the richest trail races in South Africa, with R50 000 up for the winners, something which has seen many of the country’s top athletes signing up.

This year, the race promises a mouth-watering contest between experienced trail athletes and those new to the sport, with the two main protagonists, defending champion, Kane Reilly, and Gun Run Trail winner, Philani Sengce personifying those categories.

Reilly has been at the top of South Africa’s trail tree for a decade and is at his peak.  A recent addition to the strong adidas TERREX team, Reilly won yesterday’s Vertical Challenge, just five days after finishing second to Robbie Simpson from Great Britain at the Otter African Trail Challenge.

Last year Reilly placed second to Johardt van Heerden at the Otter before turning the tables at the Cape Town Trail Marathon, winning in record time of 4 hrs 14 min 14 sec, and he starts favourite to retain his title tomorrow in the cool conditions he favours.

Van Heerden won’t be racing but talented ultra-trail athlete, Daniel Claassen, multi-ultra-trail title winner Simon Tshabalala, MUT marathon winner Iain Peterkin, Zimbabwe veteran from Hendrick Ramaala’s Entsika Club, Solicitor ‘Solly’ Manduwa, 2021 Two Oceans Trail winner Collin Kanyimo, ‘Taxi Trail Heroes Hakeem Smith and Lovemo Nyaude, Siviwe Nkombi, Kyle Bucklow, and Kennedy Sekhuthe make up a formidable ‘experienced runner’ team.

On the side of those more recently come to the sport, Jacques du Plessis, Philani Sengce and Brandon Hulley make their debuts over the challenging Cape Town Trail Marathon and all three will be eyeing podium places and a share of the prize money.

Du Plessis has already enjoyed a full year of trail, including participating for South Africa at the World Championships in Austria in June, but it is Sengce, who will be racing in just his second major trail race, who could be the one to challenge Reilly.  A 2:18:00 marathoner, a time set in last year’s Cape Town (road) marathon, Athletes Academy athlete, Sengce, is determined to prove himself against the country’s best.

George-based Hulley’s strength lies more at ultra-distance, having recently won the Winelands Maxi-Race 75km, but he could come through strongly in the second half, when many of the field typically fade following the merciless first 23km.

Landie Greyling is strong favourite to retain the title she won last year, following Toni McCann’s success in the inaugural year. Greyling has enjoyed a stellar career at home and abroad and is competing as strongly as ever, having represented South Africa at the recent World Championships in Austria.

“I’m feeling very excited!” Greyling admitted. “I have not raced much this year, so every time I’m healthy and able to line up at the start I’m happy!

“I injured my knee a few weeks ago and thought it would keep me out for the rest of the year. But it seems to have healed so I’m good to go tomorrow.

“I think it’s always good to believe in yourself. Then it’s just about executing a good race on the day and that is what I’m hoping to do tomorrow.”  

Balancing countless demands as a wife, mother, coach and athlete is always a challenge for Greyling, as it is for one of her rivals, top ultra-trail athlete, Jo Keppler, from UKZN, who will be racing Sanlam Cape Town Trail Marathon for the first time.

“It’s been a bit of an up and down journey this year, following an operation, but I think I’m coming right,” said Keppler.  “I’m training well and feeling good but it’s always a bit of a mission to juggle all the demands of life and running!

“Leo (her son) is playing first team rugby, hockey and water polo at school and has a big inter-schools competition here in Cape Town, so I’m having to be here, there and everywhere!  But I hope to give it a real go tomorrow and run under 6 hours.”

Remarkably, while most trail finishers will be in recovery mode for the next days after the race, Keppler plans to be running the road marathon on Sunday, with fellow ultra-distance athlete Amri Williamson, albeit in non-competitive mode.

Top local athletes, Tarryn King, Samantha Reilly and Kristin Dunn and Brazilian ultra-trail athlete, Nina Oliveira, will be fighting for podium places in the women’s race.

Steeplechase and trail star, Siboniso Soldaka, is strong favourite to win his fourth title in the ‘Peace Trail 22km Trail Race’ while German Marion Leiberich, Lijan Burger and Rebecca Kohne will likely fight it out for honours in what could be one of the closest contests of the day.

The 46km race gets underway from Fritz Sonnenberg Rd, Green Point, at 06h00 with the 22km off at 06h45.  A 11km trail race, new this year, starts at 07h45.  The first 46km runner is expected at the finish in Vlei Road shortly after 10h00.

A highly competitive 10km Road Peace Run starts from the same venue at 07h00 with the 5km Peace Run starting at 08h00.