Outshoorn is known for its ostriches, one of the fastest creatures across the land. And feathers and dust were all that their rivals saw of Oudtshoorn-based athletes, Underson Ncube and John April (Team Ride Along 2), in the final 10km of the first stage of the PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN, run over 24km between Houw Hoek Inn and Paul Cluver wine estate in Grabouw this morning (Friday 17 March).
The pair crossed the line in a brisk 1 hr 41 min 53 sec to win comfortably ahead of seasoned trail athletes Kyle Bucklow and Oli Morris (New Balance), who finished in 1:47:29. Team Here to WIN’s Siviwe Nkombi and Retsepile Khotle were close behind in a scramble for the runners-up berth.
Seasoned veterans and three-times winners of the AFRICANX, AJ Calitz and Bernie Rukadza (Team K-Way New Balance) were a competitive fourth in 1:49:54, biding their time ahead of the longer stages, with of last year’s runners-up Hakeem Smith and Lovemo Nyade (Team HTR Crew Trail Taxi) following in fifth.
“We came with a clear plan,” said the 26 year old Sports Manager at Oudtshoorn’s Bongolethu Primary School, Ncube. “It was our first time at AFRICANX, and we wanted to sit at the back and watch for the first half. The guys in front started at a fast pace – at 3 min 30 sec per kilometre – and we just managed to hang in behind them.
“With 10km to go we went to the front, and just continued with our pace. We didn’t look back and didn’t go for broke, keeping in mind the longer stages to come. Tomorrow we just have to chill with the guys to maintain our lead before closing it out on Sunday.
“I always run with John (April) as my partner. We train and also work together. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses so he is the ideal teammate!”
As expected, brother and sister duo, Stuart Marais and Kerry-Anne Marshall were a cut above the rest in the mixed team contest. Marais has been one of South Africa’s leading triathletes and duathletes in recent years while his sister, who owns Comrades and Two Oceans gold medals and an Ultra-trail Cape Town 100km title, has excelled in road and trail over a range of distances.
The pair enjoyed some quality sibling time, finding themselves running on their own for much of the stage. “We enjoyed the run today at an easy consistent pace,” said Marshall. “Or rather Stu found it easy! I was breathing hard and keeping silent while he was chatting away – I guess a bit of a role reversal!”
Kirsten Heath and Jarryd Dunn (Team Nearly Dunn) came in second, ten minutes behind the leaders, while Chantel Nienaber and Chris Visser (Team COWrageous) finished third.
Namibian runners Alexa Rack and Julia Jansen Van Rensburg (Team Nam Power) took the lead in the Women’s Team category, securing the stage victory on their debut attempt in a time of 02 hours 07 minutes 44 seconds, close behind the second placed mixed team of Heath and Dunn.
“I entered AFRICANX because of Alexa, she’s the army sergeant of this team,” laughed former winner of the Cape Peninsula Marathon, Jansen Van Rensburg. “Coming from Namibia, we’re used to dry conditions. These trails are just so lovely, and the weather is lovely. We’re in our element to be here.”
“It’s so much harder to train in Namibia,” said Rack. “It was so nice running here today. The altitude makes it so much easier. I expected the event to be beautiful, it really is breath-taking. We will try to push harder tomorrow. We have to take the stage victory again.”
RESULTS: PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN Three-Day Stage Race
OPEN MEN’S TEAMS:
1 Underson Ncube and John April (Ride along 2) 01:41:53, 2 Kyle Bucklow and Oli Morris (New Balance) 01:47:29, 3 Siviwe Nkombi and Retsepile Khotle (Here to WIN) 01:48:08, 4 AJ Calitz and Bernard Rukadza (K-Way New Balance) 01:49:54, 5 Hakeem Smith and Lovemo Nyade (HTRCrew Trail Taxi) 01:50:22
OPEN WOMEN’S TEAMS:
1 Alexa Rack and Julia Jansen Van Rensburg (Nam Power) 02:07:44, 2 Nicola De Villiers and Jani Kruger (RIOT) 02:10:22, 3 Leani Potgieter and Isel Barnard (Grimes Sisters) 02:12:09, 4 Monique Bartsch and Nicole Bartsch (The Bartsch’s) 02:22:51, 5 Shaundre Jacobs and Erika Mohr-Holland (Trail Queens) 02:26:41
OPEN MIXED TEAMS:
1 Kerry-Ann Marshall and Stuart Marais (Team New Balance #WeGotNow) 01:57:50, 2 Kristen Heath and Jarryd Dunn (Nearly Dunn) 02:07:15, 3 Chantel Nienaber and Chris Visser (COWrageous) 02:10:32, 4 Anna Haw and Melikhaya Msizi (Harmony CX) 02:12:45, 5 Tennille Gay and Jono Gay (Team Mom and Dad) 02:17:48
