Category: News

Barefoot runner Diana-Lebo Phalula’s record-breaking victory at the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge at Pollock Beach in Port Elizabeth on Saturday has given her a massive headstart in this year’s Spar Grand Prix.

Maxed Elite’s Phalula, who became the fourth-fastest South African runner when she crossed the finishing line in 32.27 minutes, also won the Cape Town leg in record time. With bonus points for beating the previous year’s time in both races, she now has a massive 60 points on the leaderboard – 26 ahead of her nearest rival, Mapaseka Makhanya.

With Phalula holding a massive lead, the tussle is likely to be for second place, with several athletes closely bunched together. Boxer’s Makhanya, who was last year’s Grand Prix winner, finished fifth in Cape Town and third in Port Elizabeth and has a total of 34 points. She is just two points ahead of three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer of Modern Athlete. Kalmer finished eighth in Cape Town and second in Port Elizabeth. Two points behind her, with 30 points, is Nolene Conrad (Boxer), who finished third in Cape Town and ninth in Port Elizabeth.

Kalmer’s sister Christine is in fifth position, with 24 points, and Phalula’s sister Lebogang is five points behind her, in sixth place.

The Grand Prix rewards the top runners competing in the five Challenge races, which are held around South Africa. The winner will receive a Nissan Micra, and the runner-up R30 000. There are also prizes on offer to the top runners in the various age categories.

Only South Africans are eligible for Grand Prix points, so foreign runners like Ethiopians Hunduma Gemeda and Chelity Asefe, and Zimbabwe’s Rutendo Nyahora are not eligible for Grand Prix points.
After years of Nedbank dominance on the club leaderboard, the Green Team is playing second fiddle to Boxer, who top the club leaderboard with 118 points. Nedbank is in second place, with 91 points and Maxed Elite are in third, with 61 points.

While Phalula has said she is determined to run all five Challenge races so that she can drive away in a brand new car, her immediate focus will be on qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July in the 5000m and 800m events. Makhanya, who won her debut marathon last year, will also be turning her attention to road races in Europe, while Rene Kalmer is heading for the United States for some road races there.

The next Spar Challenge race takes place in Durban on August 24.

Runners throughout the world have the opportunity to be part, celebrate the life and commemorate the legacy of Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, the father of the nation, and the world icon who led South Africa through its most difficult period in history. Less than a year after the passing of Nelson Mandela and in only its third year, the Mandela Day Marathon is making the event more accessible to a greater diversity of participants.

As a mark of Coming – Of – Age and moving into the 21st year of Freedom, a 21km distance has been included in the day that already offers the Flagship 42km Mandela Day Marathon and a 10km race. The half marathon addition is only the first of a number of innovations planned for the 2014 race.

“It is absolutely appropriate that the full marathon has challenged runners with a tough, unyielding uphill course: that is a fitting reflection on the life of Madiba,” said uMgungundlovu District Municipality Mayor Yusuf Bhamjee. “However, Madiba’s objective was to provide a country for people of all diversities. The addition of the half marathon will bring not only younger runners, but also open the way for those who perhaps are not yet ready for the full challenge, as well as those who are now older and less able to complete a marathon.”

“Commemorating Madiba’s legacy is about sharing the experience and atmosphere, and we want everyone to have the freedom of that opportunity,” continued Bhamjee. “We are finalizing a number of other events and opportunities and we are convinced that over 10,000 people will be participating in the Mandela Day Marathon events this year.”

Registration is set for a three day period both in Durban and Pietermaritzburg towards the end of August.

The addition of the half marathon now gives runners the option of three events:

• The “Full Mandela ” 42km,
• The “Half Mandela ” 21km
• And the 10km, while there will be a 4.664km walk and run for invited VIP’s.

The 10km kicks off at 06:30 am and all distances finish at the site where Mandela was captured, located on the Lions River road north of Midmar Dam.

Entries for all three events are available:

• online (www.Mandelamarathon.co.za ),
• by hand delivery to the MANDELA DAY MARATHON Office C10, 242 Langalibalele street Pietermaritzburg,
• by post to: Mandela Day Marathon, PO Box 3235, Pietermaritzburg, 3200.

All entries close on 31 July 2014, and no late entries will be accepted.

Given the challenge of the “Full Mandela” it is only open to registered club runners over the age of 20 years on race day, where as non-licensed runners can enter the 21km and 10km providing they are over 18 and 15 year respectively on race day.

The Full Mandela commences at 07:00 am at the Manaye Hall in Imbali Edendale, where Madiba, then known as the “black pimpernel”, gave his last speech as a free man on 26 March 1961.The 42km runners face the unrelenting and appropriately named 8km Struggle Hill to Sweetwater, before the shorter but steeper Challenge Climb to the highest point in Hilton which signals the drop towards Cedara.

The Half Mandela commences at 06:45 a.m. in the suburbs of Hilton with runners initially benefiting from the drop towards the Midlands Meander, but then facing more than a few undulations prior to running through Howick Stadium, which not only hosts the Anglo-Boer war memorial, but also the start venue for the 10km race.

All runners then enjoy the many scenic views of Midmar Dam, the Dam wall and the rolling foothills with the World famous Drakensburg Mountains as a backdrop, as they run into the Nelson Mandela Capture site.

The event is one of only six South African races registered with AIMS (Association of Marathons and Distances Races) and all distances are IAAF certified.

In the last edition of the Mandela Day Marathon attracted over 5 500 runners nationally and with 13 international countries. This is the first running since the passing of Madiba, and the number is expected to significantly increase.

With a route so full of history and character, runners, walkers and even spectators will find no better way to commemorate and celebrate the life and legacy of the icon.The three uniquely designed Mandela Day Marathon medals will be proudly displayed by all who complete the challenging route. This is one marathon that every runner will want to have completed.

Sonja Laxton completed her 81st Spar Women’s Challenge in Port Elizabeth on Saturday in a time of 57.12 minutes.

It was not her best time, but for fans of the runner who has more than 70 national titles to her name, it was a time to celebrate. On November 17 last year, Sonja was hit by a car during a training run. She suffered multiple fractures, including shoulders, elbows, ribs, ankle and spine, and spent some time in intensive care at the Milpark Hospital. Many thought she would never be able to run again, but Sonja’s indomitable spirit saw her back on the road in less than six months.

“It came as a surprise to me when I heard she was running,” said her husband, Ian, who is the manager of the Spar Grand Prix.

“We’d been on holiday in the Eastern Cape, and Sonja must have hidden her RAC clothes at the bottom of her suitcase, because we arrived in Port Elizabeth and she told me she was going to run.”
Despite a swollen ankle and a still painful shoulder, Sonja was the third grandmaster to finish, well ahead of the 70 minutes Ian had predicted.

Her daughter Kim finished in 16th place, in 36.13 minutes, and immediately made her way back to find her mother and escort her to the finish line.

“I’m so proud of Sonja,” said Ian. “And the time she did is amazing, when you remember how badly she was injured.”

Africa’s first Ultra SkyMarathon® continues to move steadily onto world stage As entries for the 2014 Lesotho Ultra Trail continue to pour in from around the world, including Spain, Belgium, Austria, England, North America and Australia, as well as continued local interest from aspirant skyrunners in Southern Africa, the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) has announced that Africa’s first Ultra SkyMarathon® will be recognised as one of their official World Ranking ultra races for 2014.

Being one of only thirty six top global events in this category, as well as one of only two events selected from the African continent, the Lesotho Ultra Trail heads into only its second year with already some big shoes to fill. Race director Andrew Booth of KZN Trail Running comments:

“The growth and interest in the Lesotho Ultra Trail has given the organising team confidence in the kind of race we are presenting. The nature of the challenge and remoteness of parts of the trail hold great allure. When you finish this race you know you’ve been on an adventure, the battle scars will tell you that.”

The elite runner field is also beginning to heat up with confirmation from current Skyrunner® World Series partners INOV-8 international, that UK-based team members Ben Abdelnoor and Tracy Dean will be making the trip down to the “Mountain Kingdom” to toe the staring line alongside some of South Africa’s top trail athletes including Kane Riley, Lucky Mia, defending men’s and women’s title holders Andrew Hagen and Tracy Zunckel, Su Don Wauchope, Meg Mackenzie and Iain Don Wauchope. Further interest has also been shown by the likes of American ultra runners Dakota Jones (winner of the 2012 Transvulcania) and Mike Wolfe (2nd at the 2013 Lavardo Ultra Trail) who missed last years event to a last minute change in itinerary.

Booth continues: “Having such a strong group of elite athletes at the Lesotho Ultra Trail makes race day very exciting, we are able to track the leaders progress through our radio communications network and we’ll be beaming this out to the world who continue to take a keen interest in our race.”

A handful of entries for the event, which will be held on Saturday the 29th of November and forms part of the South African Skyrunner® Series, are still available. For more information about the Lesotho Ultra Trail, please visit www.lesothoultratrail.com or follow the event on Twitter and Facebook. About the Lesotho Ultra Trail

In the heart of the Lesotho Highlands lies the Maluti Mountains, some of the best terrain for high altitude running in the world. Serving as the “veins” of this region, an intricate network of trails exists along the valleys and mountain flanks, connecting many of the remote villages. Used primarily by livestock and shepherds, many of the mountain passes have been established by hand, allowing people and animals to pass through the Maluti Mountain Range on foot. It is this ancient philosophy of man’s primal need to explore and conquer his surrounding terrain that has lead to the development of the Lesotho Ultra Trail in 2013, a 50km high altitude skyrunning event, staged in the Tsehlanyane National Park, Lesotho.

The bushveld bash in Bela Bela, the 5150 Bela Bela Triathlon is back this year on 23 August at Forever Resorts Warmbaths. Enter now and be part of South Africa’s fastest growing triathlon series and take on the 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run.

Entries to one of South Africa’s new favourite triathlons are now open and another sell-out field is expected. The 2013 event saw record numbers with 1400 athletes competing to either qualify for the Hy-Vee 5150 US Championship, reach a personal best or simply have fun. Team entries are also allowed for those who are not quite ready to take on the full distance.

The 5150 Bela Bela Triathlon is the perfect way to start the new triathlon season and a great excuse to have that mid-year family getaway. Situated only two hours from Johannesburg and just over an hour from Pretoria, Forever Resorts Warmbaths is the ideal location for a fun weekend and great triathlon racing.

The 1.5km swim takes place in the Forever Resorts Warmbaths ski dam while the 40km bike takes athletes out of the resort before returning to complete the 10km run within the resort.

The 5150 series is the ideal starting platform for budding triathletes as the distances are manageable yet also long enough to be very competitive. The 5150 Bela Bela Triathlon is the first qualifier to the 2015 Hy-Vee 5150 US Championship offering an R85 000 prize purse, series points for professionals and 10 Hy-Vee 5150 US Championship qualifier slots for amateurs.

General entry is R880 for individuals and R1350 for teams. General entries run until midnight 25 July 2014 or until the race is sold out. Entries are limited to 1400 only. Enter today and be part of the excitement in Bela Bela this August. Enter online at www.5150.co.za.

Spain’s Javier Gomez Noya’s quest to become the second man to win four ITU World Championships gained strength in Cape Town yesterday, as he comfortably beat Jonathan Brownlee for his second consecutive ITU World Triathlon Series win in 2014.

As the series made its debut in Africa, Gomez put the hammer down with around 4km to go. Just like in the series opener in Auckland, Brownlee just could not stick with him. It means Gomez holds onto the lead in the Threadneedle rankings and looks the one to beat in the race for the 2014 world title. But Gomez revealed afterwards he was not confident at the start of the 10km run.

“The run, I didn’t feel very fresh I think we all were pretty tired. I had heavy legs but I just went as hard as I could on that third lap and I could make this little gap with Jonathan and luckily I could commit,” Gomez said. “I just didn’t look back and went as hard as I could.”

Brownlee was filled with nothing but praise, admitting he just did not have Gomez’s measure again.
“I was even more impressed this time, to be honest with you, In Auckland I let him kind of run the race at the front,” Brownlee said. “Here I thought I would change it up a bit but every time he went for it, I kind of counter attacked and then he counter attacked again and dropped me. It’s as simple as that. He was very impressive today. He was strong on the bike, strong in the swim and then on the run. He was a lot better than me on the run, so well done to him.”

It added yet another chapter to their rivalry, as Gomez now just leads in WTS encounters. In 19 races, Brownlee has five wins and Gomez six. It is also the third consecutive time Gomez has beaten the younger Brownlee brother, after last year’s London Grand Final and the season opener in Auckland.
While the top two podium places were again filled by Gomez and Brownlee, it was Russia’s Dmitry Polyanskiy who re-captured his best form to collect another career WTS medal.

The men’s race started with a two-lap 750m swim in the V&A Waterfront. Slovakia’s Richard Varga assumed his regular position at the front of the pack and the frenetic pace he set started to string out the field quickly. While Gomez and Brownlee were just on his heels, pre-race podium threats Mario Mola and Richard Murray had already lost significant time after the first lap, falling more than 20 seconds back. That gap increased on the second lap of the swim, and those at the front made it count by forming a 14-strong lead group on the bike.

Led by South Africa’s Henri Schoeman, Jonathan Brownlee, Javier Gomez Noya and Aaron Royle, a 14-man lead group came together on the first lap and worked together to push the pace. While a quad of men that included Joao Silva and Gordon Benson was initially in touch with the leaders, they quickly fell back to the large chase group. With the technical course providing less breakaway opportunities, the trailing group of 25 struggled to regain time across the 40km bike.

Although Australia’s Declan Wilson, Cameron Good, Mola, Murray and company sweated to keep the pace steady, their effort was not enough to close the gap on the leaders. At the halfway point of the 40km bike, the gap to the chase pack was 53 seconds, while a third chase pack led by Conor Murphy was 2 minutes and 25 seconds down. That gap increased slightly at the second transition, to 1:20, just enough to see Mola and Murray out of podium reach.

With five WTS medallists in the lead group, including Brownlee, Gomez, Royle, Polyanskiy and Vincent Luis, and two others who have recorded top-5 finishes in Schoeman and Alessandro Fabian, positioning became paramount. It was Germany’s Justus Nieschlag who stepped out in front from T2, but Brownlee and Gomez quickly moved to the front to resume yet another battle in an epic rivalry.

Behind them the experienced Polyanskiy looked to have found the form that carried him to series podiums in the past, leading a small group that included South Africa’s Wian Sullwald, France’s Aurelien Raphael and Luis and Royle. The Russian opened up the lead on the second lap to 20 seconds and did not look back, claiming his first podium since 2012.

In another impressive comeback run performance in Cape Town, Mola and Murray crashed their way back from the chase pack into the top five, claiming fourth and fifth places respectively.

Says Richard Murray: “Wow, this was amazing. It was like the Olympics with the people going crazy! It was hard. I didn’t feel myself today and couldn’t work as hard as I would’ve liked to on the bike. Sorry to the guys. I actually thought my swim was quite good. When I came into transition I saw, to my surprise, there weren’t many bikes left! Mario and I went together on the run and on the second lap he said ‘Let’s go’ and I thought oh no! I’m happy with fifth, but I know that I need to improve. It was something special to race in front of family and friends and I’m looking forward to doing it again next year. This was something spectacular.”

Great Britain’s Jodie Stimpson asserted her status as the female triathlete to beat in 2014, collecting her second consecutive World Triathlon Series win as the series made its debut in Africa on Saturday.

After being part of a 12-strong lead group on the bike that left T2 just over two minutes up on the chase, Stimpson hit the run course in Cape Town with intent. While it initially looked like it would be a repeat of Auckland, where Stimpson was not headed across the 10km, Helen Jenkins had other ideas. The two-time ITU World Champion caught Stimpson at the halfway mark, before a frenzied final five kilometres where the lead changed multiple times. But Stimpson pulled out another gear in the final 500m as the blue carpet came into sight, and stormed home for her second win of 2014.

““When Helen passed me it was just all about trying to hang on, I was going through a bad bit, I had a stitch and I was just like, come on, just hold on to Helen,” Stimpson said. “I tried to break her going onto the last lap and then I couldn’t, so I just sat behind and I gave it all I’ve got and managed to get on top today.”

While Stimpson and Jenkins’ battle rightly headlined Cape Town, the USA’s Gwen Jorgensen almost stole the show with another breath-taking run. Jorgensen was part of the chase that left the second transition 2 minutes and 12 seconds behind the leaders, but the American speedster did not let that deter her as she blew through every other member of the lead group – including Sarah Groff in the final kilometers – to take her place on the podium with bronze.

The swim was shortened to 750m in Cape Town due to low water temperatures at the V&A Waterfront and Carolina Routier and Lucy Hall led the field out of the water and onto the bike. In a chaotic first lap, a group of 12 formed including three of Hall’s British teammates, Helen Jenkins, Jodie Stimpson and Vicky Holland, as well as Sarah Groff, Yuka Sato, Kirsten Sweetland, Anja Knapp, Ainhoa Murua, Pamela Oliveira and South Africa’s own Marie Rabie, in her first WTS race since 2010.

What began as a 25-second lead, quickly amounted to more than a minute halfway through the bike thanks to the experience and organisation of the lead pack. Jenkins may have missed the 2012 season, but the talent that carried her to two world championship titles was alive and back in action.

Despite being led by cycling cyclone Anne Haug, the group just could not muster up the speed to close in on the dazzling dozen.

At the end of the sixth lap, the third chase pack bridged up, but the added muscle did little to increase the group’s tempo. The leaders flew into T2 with a 2 minute and 12 second lead and got to work pushing the pace to ward off the powerful Haug and Jorgensen behind them.

Continuing on her stellar form from Auckland, Stimpson went straight to the front. While Holland stuck on her shoulder initially, she fell back and it seemed like Stimpson had her second straight victory all but wrapped up. But that was not in Helen Jenkins plan, as she steadily reeled Stimpson back in, catching her at the halfway point of the run. From there the pair’s intensity only increased, with multiple lead changes before Stimpson gained the upper hand in the final 500m.

The win means that Stimpson moves further ahead in the 2014 Threadneedle rankings, after two rounds of the World Triathlon Series. Jenkins sits in second, while Anne Haug’s strong sixth place – after leaving T2 in the same place as Jorgensen – means she sits in third just ahead of Groff, who has now recorded two consecutive top-5 finishes to start the 2014 season. Jorgensen is currently in fifth place.

It was Stimpson’s third career World Triathlon Series win, while it was Jenkins’ 12th career WTS podium. Ainhoa Murua’s fifth place was her highest career WTS result.

African Triathlon Champion Gillian Sanders finished in fifteenth place. Says Sanders: “It was so tough out there. I was in the second bike pack and it was mostly a day of catching up. I realised that I’d have to run really hard and I’m happy with my result. I’m a proud South African today. You can’t beat this venue. Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town was so awesome and everybody loved it. I think it bodes well for the future of this event.”
Compatriot Mari Rabie finished 27th in a 46-strong field: “My expectations weren’t high. It’s been two years since I’ve competed as I’ve been focusing on my studies. I’ve only been training for four months and I knew the run would be the big challenge. I’m somewhat disappointed with my swim because I’m usually a strong swimmer. I’m so happy though that I have competed today and it’s great to be back!”

Not only is the Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town a first for the African continent, but it is also a first ever for Richard Murray when he lines up against the best triathletes in the world on home soil.
Murray (25) along with brothers Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) and Javier Gomez (ESP) are headlining the ITU World Series race on Sunday at the V&A Waterfront.

Murray, like many other athletes, have been preparing in Stellenbosch for the past few weeks. The whole Joel Filliol squad of which Murray is part and includes another red-hot Spaniard Mario Mola is training in Stellenbosch. “Training has been going great. I mostly did sharpening up before the Cape Town race. I’m very keen to see how the past five months’ training has gone and how I’ll perform this early in the season.”

Murray has thus far won the SA Championships in East London and the ATU African Sprint Cup and finished second at the Mooloolaba World Cup in Australia and the African Championships in Harare, Zimbabwe. “With four races under the belt, I feel confidant and sharp leading into the Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town.

Murray, along with Henri Schoeman, will be the two prominent South Africans in the race. But youngsters Wian Sullwald, Travis Johnston and Wikus Weber are some of the other locals that will be racing on a very fast and flat route. “With a few other African boys on the start line, with family, friends and sponsors in support, it’s going to be something very special for me. I’m super-amped to race against the best triathletes at home.”

This is not only a great opportunity for Murray and other local athletes to race internationally on home soil, but it is a chance for the sport of triathlon to get some much-needed national exposure in the country. “Triathlon and Cape Town are getting some great exposure and publicity. Our sport really needs this. For the athletes and the sponsors.”

He hopes spectators pitch in their masses for the ITU’s Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town, because World Champion Javier Gomez believes all the world-class triathletes are ready to put on a show that won’t easily be forgotten.

The Cape Town event in the ITU World Triathlon Series will be held at the V&A Waterfront. The women’s race is on the Saturday (26 April) and the men on the Sunday (27 April).

Spain’s Gomez won the first race in the ITU World Triathlon Series in Auckland earlier in April. He is also the current World Champion. “It’s always great to start the season with a victory, but Auckland’s course really suits me and there is still seven races to come in the World Series.”

The Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town course is flat and promises some fast racing. “It’s going to be a very fast race with both the Brownlees (Alistair and Jonathan) in action. Competing against them never gets boring. They’re the best rivals I’ve ever had. They have no weak points. But also keep in mind that the gap between the three of us and the next group is not that big. Mario Mola won two World Cup events this season and Richard Murray is a super strong athlete – he’s had some chances. If you want to win an ITU race you have to be 100%”

Gomez believes that people should use this opportunity to come and witness some international triathlon action. “I think spectators will be surprised with the intensity of the race and how aggressive the athletes race. They’ll have many opportunities to see us with the laps and I really hope they come and enjoy the show.”

Even though Olympic distance races are sometimes less than 2 hours, Gomez warns that longer is not always harder. “The intensity of this kind of racing really hurts! It’s very intense, not to mention tactical. There are some very important decisions you have to make and when your heart rate is at 180 you’re not thinking that clear! You have to be fit, strong and smart.”

Gomez is ready to battle the Brownlees, Mola, Murray and the usual suspects for a victory in Cape Town. “It’s good to have both Alistair and Jonathan back. Because I won in Auckland, there is less pressure on me. I do like to keep going though and be on top of the podium again.”

It was a historic Boston Marathon in Massachusetts on Monday. South Africa’s Ernst van Dyk became the first athlete ever to win ten titles at the marathon showpiece. The 41 year old wheelchair racer finished in a time of 1:20:36, his second fastest finish time ever, slower only to the course record of 1:18:27 that he set in back in 2004.

The veteran South African, who dominated the race from start to finish, crossed the line 38 seconds ahead of Japan’s Kota Hokinoue, who claimed second in 1:21:14.

It was also a historic day too for Meb Keflezighi who won the overall men’s race in a time of 2:08:37 and in doing so became the first American to win the Boston Marathon since Greg A. Meyer did it in 1983. Eritrean born Keflezighi broke the 29 year American duck just a year after a terrorist attack at the 2013 edition of the race killed three people and left more than 260 injured. The 38 year old, who won the New York Marathon in 2009, honoured the victims of the bombing by running with their names on his race bib.

The 2004 Olympic Silver medallist finished 11 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Wilson Chebet. South Africa’s Lusaho April claimed 15th position in a time of 2:14:59, more than six minutes behind the eventual winner Keflezighi.

History was also rewritten in the women’s elite race with Kenyan Rita Jeptoo defending the title she won in 2013 in a new course record of 2:18:57. Jeptoo claimed her third Boston Marathon title with a winning margin of over a minute from Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Deba who crossed the line in a time of 2:19:59 with countrywoman Mare Dibaba in third. All three of the leading ladies ran faster than the previous course record.