Ryder and Odendaal overcome challenges to triumph at the K-Way MaxiRace Cape Winelands

Thirty-eight-year old transport logistics operator come KZN berry farmer, Douglas Pickard, raced to another high-profile ultra-trail victory in the 120km K-Way MaxiRace Cape Winelands presented by Banhoek Chilli Oil in association with Yenn Health and On Running  in Stellenbosch over the weekend (Saturday 1 October), while George-based Lodelia Odendaal ran the race of her life to finish third overall and claim the women’s title.

Pickard, who broke Ryan Sandes’ Ultra-trail Drakensberg 100-mile record in April, was in a league of his own, cross the finish line at Stellenbosch High School in 13 hrs 57 min 31 sec – 1 hour 41 minutes clear of second-placed Anele Bans, while Odendaal surprised with her strong running, finishing just 8 minutes behind Bans to win the women’s title by a similar margin over Caro Jordaan.

Stellenbosch athlete, Grobler Basson was good value for his 22-minute victory over Roelof Mostert in 8:01:35 in the 75km race, with consistent Maxi racer, Jana van Houwelingen racing to a comfortable win in the women’s race.  Jacques du Plessis and Christelle Hattingh were the respective winners of the shortest ‘ultra-marathon’ over 45km.

Pickard was under the radar coming into the Ultra-trail Drakensberg 100 miler in April this year, with few expecting him to beat the talented Simon Tshabalala. That he did so in record time was the story of that weekend and ‘blew the cover’ of the KZN ultra-trail runner, who was fated never again to race as an unknown. And in the absence of past Maxi winners of the calibre of Sandes and Tshabalala, Pickard started strong favourite for the 120km title.

And from the time Pickard took over the lead from early pace-setter, Werner Bruckner, who has a penchant for fast starts and was 90 seconds up on Pickard through 5km entering Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, the outcome of the race was never in doubt. Pickard’s lead had grown to 21 minutes as the runners exited the reserve through 20km following a testing summit of Perdekop (2:47:54), with Bans having moved into second and Bruckner back in third in 3:13:35.

Odendaal had taken an early lead in the women’s race and was running 12 minutes clear of race-favourite Jo Keppler through 20km, the lead women holding 4^th and 5^th places overall.

The race was long and temperatures warming, but the shape of the race was to remain the same, through aid stations at Berg River Dam, Bethlehem Farm and Farm Banhoek as Pickard continued to open on the rest of the field.  Although Bans was overtaken by Odendaal for a short period beyond the halfway mark at Bethlehem Farm, Bans had regained second place and was five minutes ahead of Odendaal at Farm Banhoek 78km into the race.

Pickard also struggled in the heat but maintained a competitive pace and was 1 hr 23 min clear of Bans as the athletes entered Eden Forest, racing through 95km in 11:11:50. Odendaal remained five minutes back in a close third position.

Enjoying the cooler conditions, Pickard stepped up the pace, racing to the finish shortly before 7pm, the only athlete not requiring the use of a head-torch to see them to the finish. Bans and Odendaal finished strongly to take second and third overall, with the fast-starting Bruckner the 6^th a last athlete home before midnight in 18:55:27.  Suzaan Janse van Vuuren was the last athlete to finish, crossing the line at 09h13 Sunday morning in 28:13:26.

“I was hoping for a faster time,” admitted Pickard. “But the technicality of the run, especially in the first 60km, blew me. It felt like running on snooker balls on some of the descents – a very testing course and challenge.

 “I really loved the first 25 km in Mont Rochelle.  It was absolutely beautiful running in those mountains in the early dawn.  I was on schedule up and down the mountain and also down to the Berg River Dam. The descent was very runnable, really ‘lekker’.

“But then we hit a section up to around 70km with loose rocks and patches of soft beach sand, which throws you off your pace. And from Berg River Dam wall around 56km to the next checkpoint I took some serious strain in the heat. I dunked my buff in ice water to cool down, but it dried out again well before the next checkpoint 15km on.

“I think it was a combination of the difficult terrain and having no breeze in the valley. Everyone struggled in the heat.  Anele (Bans) said the heat almost killed him – he was swimming in every river. It all but broke me, but somehow I kept going.

“Because of my work and farm schedules I have to do all my training very early in the morning and last in the afternoons and evenings, so I never get accustomed to running in warmer weather. I need to make a plan about that before my next race. Overall, it was a ‘lekker’ race, and for a 100km plus race, one of the best-marked races I’ve come across. The race organizer did a good job.”

Odendaal was delighted with her performance. “This is my first time running in this area and what a treat! Going up Mont Rochelle and getting to see the sunrise was a highlight,” said Odendaal. “I completely underestimated this race though, but it was such an amazing experience!”

Joint-winner of the UTD 100 miler in April, Keppler started the race with an infection and her hopes that she would be able to shrug off its effects during the race were dashed as she struggled from the 30km mark , eventually being forced to withdraw shortly after the Berg River Dam site at 56km.

Grobler Basson, who placed third in the 45km race last year, was well-pleased with his win in the 75km.  “What a flipping lekker race!” said Basson. “The climbs early on in the morning were really cool and I felt incredibly strong. Roelof (Mostert) pushed me hard on the downhills, but I was able to pull away in the second part of the race.”

“What an amazing day out in the mountains,” said women’s 75km champion Van Houwelingen. “It was super-hot, so each of the river crossings were an absolute blessing. I really enjoy this race, the route is spectacular and the aid stations are the best!”

Results

120km overall

1. Douglas Pickard                                13hrs57min31sec.
2. Anele Bans                                       15hrs38min46sec
3. Lodelia Odendaal                             15hrs59min07sec

120km Women

1. Lodelia Odendaal                             15hrs59min07sec
2. Caro Jordaan                                   17hrs36min10sec
3. Danelle Joubert                               27hrs03min31sec

75km overall

4. Grobler Basson                                8hrs01min35sec
5. Roelof Mostert                                 8hrs23min59sec
6. Brendan Lombard                            8hrs52min27sec

75km Women

1. Jana Van Houwelingen                  10hrs25min23sec
2. Nicky Booyens                               11hrs19min31sec
3. Mandy Banks                                 12hrs06min55sec

45km Men

1. Jacques du Plessis                            3hrs33min29sec
2. Zibele Bala                                       3hrs50min15sec
3. Cornel Smuts                                   3hrs50min27secs

45km Women

1. Christelle Hattingh                           4hrs40min03secs
2. Natalie van Reenen                        4hrs50min54secs
3. Sveta Becker                                   4hrs54min25sec

20km Men

1. Siviwe Nkombi                     1hr21min22sec
2. Wano Katjiri                        1hr22min40sec
3. Underson Ncube                1hr23min13sec

20km Women

1   Rebecca Kohne                   1hr37min02sec

2  Leani Potgieter                    1hr41min44sec

3  Julia Bickel                          1hr43min45sec