Summary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Nr.
| Naam
| Hike
| Bike
| Paddel
| Total Time
| Overall Place
| Men
| Ladies
| Team Time
| Team
|
1
| ALEX AVIERINOS
| 14:25
| 8:34
| 5:29
| 28:28
| 11
| 10
|
|
|
|
2
| GRAHAM BIRD
| 9:24
| 5:34
| 4:11
| 19:09
| 2
| 2
|
|
|
|
3
| JEANNIE BOMFORD
| 9:31
| 6:24
| 4:41
| 20:36
| 4
| 0
| 1
|
|
|
4
| JACQUES BOOYSEN
| 14:45
| 8:40
| 6:45
| 30:10
| 0
| 0
|
| 30:10
| 3
|
5
| KAREL BOTHA
| 13:32
| 10:05
| 6:31
| 30:08
| 15
| 13
|
|
|
|
6
| DIRK BOTHA
| 11:55
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
7
| KATARINA BOVA
| 14:25
| 7:55
| 5:42
| 28:02
| 0
| 0
|
| 28:02
| 2
|
8
| LAURA DE HAAST
| 13:25
| 8:42
| 6:45
| 28:52
| 14
| 0
| 2
|
|
|
9
| MARTIN DREYER
| 0:00
| 5:30
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
| 19:09
| 1
|
10
| ANDRE GIE
| 8:57
| 5:34
| 4:24
| 18:55
| 1
| 1
|
|
|
|
11
| ROBERT GIE
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
12
| GUY JENNINGS
| 13:33
| 6:19
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
| EUGENE KELLY
| 14:45
| 8:40
| 6:45
| 30:10
| 0
| 0
|
| 30:10
| 3
|
14
| BENEDICTUS KOK
| 13:22
| 0:00
| 6:31
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
15
| DANIE LE ROUX
| 13:25
| 7:22
| 6:34
| 27:21
| 10
| 9
|
|
|
|
16
| JACQUES MOUTON
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
17
| CLARE MURPHY
| 14:50
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
18
| LUCAS MTHALANE
| 13:11
| 8:33
| 4:23
| 26:07
| 9
| 8
|
|
|
|
19
| TOM NGCOBO
| fiets
| 0:00
| 4:12
| 19:09
| 0
| 0
|
| 19:09
| 1
|
20
| THOMAS NGIDI
| 9:27
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
| 19:09
| 1
|
21
| RAY O’BREE
| 13:33
| 8:25
| 6:45
| 28:43
| 13
| 12
|
|
|
|
22
| RUSSELL OLSEN
| 14:25
| 7:55
| 5:42
| 28:02
| 0
| 0
|
| 28:02
| 2
|
23
| ROLAND PEARCE
| 13:08
| 7:22
| 5:06
| 25:36
| 8
| 7
|
|
|
|
24
| CRAIG POWELL
| 13:29
| 7:01
| 4:23
| 24:53
| 7
| 6
|
|
|
|
25
| TATUM PRINS
| 14:25
| 0:00
| 5:04
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
| JOE SEPHTON
| 14:50
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
| DONOVAN SIMS
| 9:45
| 6:10
| 5:08
| 21:03
| 6
| 5
|
|
|
|
28
| HANNO SMIT
| 9:31
| 5:45
| 4:21
| 19:37
| 3
| 3
|
|
|
|
29
| KATE SOUTHEY
| 0:00
| 8:44
| 5:04
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
| JUSTIN THEUNISSEN
| 9:28
| 6:05
| 5:06
| 20:39
| 5
| 4
|
|
|
|
31
| PEET VAN ROOYEN
| 13:25
| 8:31
| 6:45
| 28:41
| 12
| 11
|
|
|
|
32
| COBUS VAN ZYL
| 9:30
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
| S ROSS
| 14:34
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
34
| F ROSS
| 14:34
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
35
| Barinda Botha
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
| 0:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
--------------------
The Garmin Wartrail has the most appropriate name of any event that I know off. Like warriors of ancient time, competitors go to war against their own personal limitations, against natures remote mountain ridges, against mountain passes and winding back roads, against remote river gorges where civilization has not yet made an appearance.
They do this in order to conquer the 65km Mountain Wilderness run, the 135km Mountain bike leg and the 60km paddle of the Garmin Wartrail.
This event is the perfect place to put Garmin units and software to the test. Many competitors would be lost without their Garmin units to guide them especially in poor weather conditions or when the sun disappears and darkness takes over. (gratuitous advertising, but true – ed)
Once again the field consisted of some of the top multi sport endurance athletes. For the first time in the history of this event we had development athletes competing. Martin Dreyer brought along three of his guys from the valleys of Natal to come challenge themselves against the Eastern Cape wilderness . They faced these first time challenges as brave warriors showing no fear despite not knowing what lay in store for them.
In the men’s category the competition was going to be fierce, due to the individual nature of this event. This allowed for usual team mates to push each other to the limits.
These male warriors have to however fend off the female warriors who like legendary amazons feel nothing for gender and want to claim the overall podium positions for themselves. (what’s this guy smoking – ed) The Garmin Wartrail levels the playing field as can be seen from the results for the past few years.
With an early race start at 4am the next morning there was not much socializing. Pretty soon the Country Club was deserted and everyone left to prepare themselves to enter the arena; natures own Coliseum.
As the race set off I was aware that there would be no dawdling today, these guys were serious, the pace was fast and furious.
The day was amazing. At Snowden all the racers had an Easter egg and a short break in honor of our fallen comrades, great men like Paul Mitchell and Philip Swanepoel that were role models to me and many of the racers.
With perfect weather and a fast field I got into Balloch; the end of the first stage; before nightfall. What a treat for the first time I as race organizer got to enjoy the ambiance and camaraderie of warriors around the camp fire during the truce of night. Margy Frost again fed the gladiators and their family and friends with her by now famous Shepard’s stew. With a later start for the Mountain Bike leg the competitors enjoyed some socializing under a perfect sky with the Balloch cave in the background to provide comfort and protection if needed.
The cycle leg that starts with a heartbreaking climb up and over Lundeans Neck started like day 1 fast and furious.
I soon caught up to Lucas one of Marty’s prodigies who prior to this event had never ridden a mountain bike for more that a couple of kilo’s. Here he was facing 135km of tough cycling terrain and I really thought he was in for a tough time. Boy was I wrong. He soon discovered the Lance Amstrong dancing on the pedals trick and stood every climb without sitting down just dancing on those pedals away from me and the other back markers until I lost sight of him until the end.
I as sweeper had a little character building experience when with about 50km to go my rear derailleur for some unexplained reason got sucked into my spokes and shattered into a blob of unusable aluminum. Thanks to the help of Jaco from the Merrel team I was able to convert my bike into a single speed and spin my way to the finish. Definitely a character builder.
Again I got to the end of stage 2 early due to the quality of the field. I embraced old friends – the village elders of Mdlokovane Village. This little rural village is literally at the end of the road. Beyond its boundaries there is nothing but wilderness for kilometers and kilometers. A remote part of our country. We arranged the porters to carry the kayaks down into the Orange River Gorge ready for the start at first light the following morning.
After the formal work was completed the Warriors once again enjoyed the truce brought on by nightfall and around the campfire war stories were shared and a great meal was enjoyed in the Sticks. Lizby once again put on a fantastic spread.
Day 3 and the warriors wound their way like a serpent down to the waiting kayaks at the bottom of the gorge. When we arrived at the mighty Orange I was expecting a torrent of water after the huge amount of rain that the area had experienced in the weeks prior to the race. We found a low and meek Orange that would make paddling the 60km to Aliwal tougher than expected.
It was again a pleasure to accompany the back paddlers to the finish at The River Side Lodge in Aliwal North. To see them conquer their demons and dig deep to grind swear and swim their way to the end always fills me with awe.
At the Lodge warriors finally could let down their guard the battle was over and they were successful.
Once again the race was an amazing success. I know that with Garmin by my side and this event constantly attracting the best of the best and the other courageous warriors who dare take on the Garmin Wartrail we can only get better.
I would never attempt organizing an event of this nature and in this type of terrain if it was not for my Marshals, assistants, medics, caterers and land owners.
They make it possible for us to experience the Garmin Wartrail. Thank you guys for everything you do for the event.
Garmin Wartrail is held to create awareness and generate funds for Aids Orphans and Home Based Care for those affected by the Aids epidemic in the region that we traverse. Its great that a company like Garmin is part of this amazing event making it possible for us to alleviate a little of those suffering from the effects of this devastating disease.
Well done to Andre Gie and Jeannie Bomford for taking the 2009 individual titles. Well done to Martin and his guys Thomas and Tom for taking the team title and a special well done to Lucas for being the first ever development athlete to complete the individual Garmin Wartrail after being thrown in the deep end.
Look out for the Garmin Wartrail on Super Sport thanks to Andrew King and his D4 Production Crew. See you next year.
Adrian
