Van der Merwe feels he can do more
Johan van der Merwe won his second Washie on the trot when he arrived at Buffs Club on Saturday morning, clocking an excellent time of 13:18:02.
Whilst this is some way off the 13:07 record he set last year there were mitigating factors which precluded a record attempt.
Speaking yesterday Van der Merwe said that while he feels he under performed, if he had been offered a 13:30 before the race started he would have taken it. His time is the fourth fastest in the history of the race.
Running 24-hour and six-day races over the past 12 months plus a few other 100 milers would not be ideal preparation and Van der Merwe admits to going into the race with a few niggles.
“I will now focus on the 2014 Washie exclusively,” said a seemingly relaxed Van der Merwe.
It will be intriguing to see what he can achieve with such an attitude.
Meanwhile his seconding team were full of praise for the organisers, spectators on the route and the traffic authorities who guided them into the city.
A new local ultra marathon hero was born with a fine run by All Stars athlete Mcebisi Yose who finished second in 15:35:15. This after winning the Griffin 50 miler last year.
At the quarter mark he was in fourth position behind Jacobus de Jaeger and Craig Norris, while Van der Merwe had already established a big lead.
Yose came through strongly over the next quarter, reaching halfway 20 minutes ahead of Norris who would go on to fill third position at the finish.
Norris’ time was 17:11:59. He had De Jaeger not far off the pace and chasing to finish in 17:14:20, while Thobang Moloi of the SANDF made a late surge finishing fifth in 17:30:20.
The women’s race saw last year’s winner Megan Davey go through the first checkpoint in the lead, but only one minute ahead of Martha Pretorius. By halfway Pretorius had taken over and established a sixminute dominance. This would steadily increase as the race went on with Pretorius winning in 18:51:22.
Spectators may be forgiven for not realising that Pretorius is a previous and multiple winner of the Washie. She won in 2004, 2005 and 2006 achieving a permanent number for her efforts.
Davey finished second in 19:18:43, while Susanna Hurter was third in 19:39:01.
Hazel Moller finished her back-toback Washie attempts, confounding the critics and completing the “second” and official Washie in 23:00:20.
Champ returns to win
Johan van der Merwe won his second Washie on the trot when he arrived at Buffs Club on Saturday morning, clocking an excellent time of 13:18:02.
Whilst this is some way off the 13:07 record he set last year there were mitigating factors which precluded a record attempt.
Speaking yesterday Van der Merwe said that while he feels he under performed, if he had been offered a 13:30 before the race started he would have taken it. His time is the fourth fastest in the history of the race.
Running 24-hour and six-day races over the past 12 months plus a few other 100 milers would not be ideal preparation and Van der Merwe admits to going into the race with a few niggles.
“I will now focus on the 2014 Washie exclusively,” said a seemingly relaxed Van der Merwe.
It will be intriguing to see what he can achieve with such an attitude.
Meanwhile his seconding team were full of praise for the organisers, spectators on the route and the traffic authorities who guided them into the city.
A new local ultra marathon hero was born with a fine run by All Stars athlete Mcebisi Yose who finished second in 15:35:15. This after winning the Griffin 50 miler last year.
At the quarter mark he was in fourth position behind Jacobus de Jaeger and Craig Norris, while Van der Merwe had already established a big lead.
Yose came through strongly over the next quarter, reaching halfway 20 minutes ahead of Norris who would go on to fill third position at the finish.
Norris’ time was 17:11:59. He had De Jaeger not far off the pace and chasing to finish in 17:14:20, while Thobang Moloi of the SANDF made a late surge finishing fifth in 17:30:20.
The women’s race saw last year’s winner Megan Davey go through the first checkpoint in the lead, but only one minute ahead of Martha Pretorius. By halfway Pretorius had taken over and established a sixminute dominance. This would steadily increase as the race went on with Pretorius winning in 18:51:22.
Spectators may be forgiven for not realising that Pretorius is a previous and multiple winner of the Washie. She won in 2004, 2005 and 2006 achieving a permanent number for her efforts.
Davey finished second in 19:18:43, while Susanna Hurter was third in 19:39:01.
Hazel Moller finished her back-toback Washie attempts, confounding the critics and completing the “second” and official Washie in 23:00:20.
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