Twenty-nine-year-old Tymebank Langa athlete, Raydon Balie, regained his Bay to Bay 30km title over the weekend (Sunday 21 January) with a convincing victory over the traditional out and back race between Cape Town’s coastal suburbs of Camps Bay and Hout Bay, while leading British athletes cashed in on podium glory.
Over five thousand runners took part in the 15km and 30km races, underlining the Bay to Bay’s status as one of Cape Town’s ‘Big Five’ high profile road races.
London-based Steph McCall, who took the honours in last year’s Bay to Bay 15km, returned to Cape Town for her (northern) winter training, stepping up to the full distance this year and winning the women’s 30km title, while world-class trail athlete, Robbie Simpson of Scotland, took the 15km honours after a close-fought battle with Balie’s Langa teammate, Andre Africa.
A third British athlete, Cape Town-based World 50km champion and Comrades Marathon gold-medalist, Carla Molinara, stepped down in distance to comfortably win the 15km title.
Balie won the Bay to Bay 30km title in 2022, clocking 1:40:18, three minutes clear of Philani Senqe, while leg cramps in the closing stages in last year’s race cost him the title, with Satori’s Malusi Judase winning in 1:36:08. Balie finished third just 39 seconds back.
This year proved a two-horse race, with regular visitor from the Southern Cape, Nedbank athlete, Lloyd Bosman, taking the race to Balie until the latter’s acceleration on the final stages of the climb up Suikerbossie Hill on the homeward stretch decided the outcome in Balie’s favour.
“This had been a key target race for me,” said Balie, after crossing the finish line in 1:37:15. “And I’m pleased at the way it went. I ran with Lloyd for much of the way but sensed he was struggling a bit on the return climb up Suikerbossie Hill.
“I used that to my advantage, opened a gap on the final section of the climb and managed to keep ahead on the downhill to the finish at Camps Bay.”
McCall was in a class of her own in the women’s race, winning by ten minutes over 2019 winner and record-holder, Fortunate Chidzivo of Tymebank Langa, her finishing time of 1:54:27 just 1 min 28 sec outside Chidzivo’s mark.
Zimbabwe-born Chidzivo used Sunday’s run to return to racing after a long injury lay-off and was happy with her performance, edging out last year’s winner, Mia Steytler, by 34 seconds for second position.
McCall is one of a number of leading British athletes who have used the Cape as a training base this summer and has clearly enjoyed her time in the Mother City. “I’ve been staying with Carla (Molinaro) and it’s been a good time for my training,” said McCall.
“Today’s race went well – I was a bit cautious at the start knowing the hills to come. I live near Richmond Park in London where everything is flat, but in the end I felt good on the climbs. In fact, I’m considering returning in April to race the Two Oceans Marathon!”
Balie has been with leading Stellenbosch-based coach Ernie Gruhn, for over six years, having joined his stable after his time at the Endurocad Running Academy.
“Raydon is very consistent and got to where he is through sheer determination and discipline,” said Gruhn. “Unlike many athletes, he hardly ever overtrains.
“But he needs to improve his times over shorter distances on the track and road if he is to break through the glass ceiling he seems to have reached in his marathon performances.”
Balie’s fastest three marathons are within just 50 seconds of each other, his best of 2:17:55 coming at the 2022 national championships in Durban, where he placed a creditable 8th.
“We might have switched to the track some weeks back, but the Bay to Bay is such an important one to Raydon, so we worked towards success there. I thought he ran a well-judged and balanced race and made use of the good conditions where his depth of conditioning proved decisive.
“But now it’s important we work at getting his 5000m and 10 000m times down,” Gruhn continued. “To race the marathon under 2 hrs 15 min, he needs to be about 20 seconds quicker than is current 10 000m best of 29:33.”
Balie’s commitment to improving as an athlete is apparent. He travels two to three times a week to Stellenbosch from his Eerste River home in order to train under Gruhn’s guidance and he is determined to work even harder to achieve his goals in the near future.
Results Bay to Bay 15km
Men
1 Robbie Simpson (tmp UK) 47:35; 2 Andre Africa (Tymebank Langa) 47:58; 3 Tsungai Mwanengeni (RCS Gugs) 52:14
Women
1 Carla Molinaro (Phantane) 55:41; 2 Alexa Townsend (Tymebank Langa) 1:00:14; 3 Alexandra Quenet TL 1:00:52
Results Bay to Bay 30km
Men
1 Raydon Balie (Tymebank Langa) 1:37:15; 2 Lloyd Bosman (Ned SWD) 1:39:55; 3 Riaan Wildschott ATC
Women
1 Steph McCall (Tmp – UK) 1:54:27; 2 Fortunate Chidzivo (Tymebank Langa) 2:04:15; 3 Mia Steytler (Tymebank Langa) 2:04:49
