Christian Callebaut could not find a lift to the Kwelera starting point so he paddled there in high seas before completing the Surfers Challenge in the top 15 on Saturday.
Munching on a boerewors role and clutching the coveted mustard Surfers T-shirt with its iconic logo, Callebaut, 44, is a textbook example of the grit displayed by the thousands of participants who took part in the 41st challenge this year.
And, while athletes like Callebaut appeared barely out of breath at the end of the gruelling 17.5km race, which was dogged by pumping headwinds, others, like Mzwanele Ndzuzo, 39, landed up in an ambulance.
Ndzuzo fractured his arm when he slipped on rocks near the start of the race, but persevered – running and swimming through the pain all the way to the Nahoon Beach finish.
“I just wanted to finish, but this was my first and last Surfers,” he said, his victorious smile belying his words.
For 72-year-old Doug Ellis, his tenth Surfers was an inspiration for his son Kurt Ellis, 40. “He’s very fit and at one point was ahead of me. This is my fifteenth Surfers and hopefully I will follow in his footsteps and still be running when I’m his age.”
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, 200 women received long-stemmed red roses at the finish line, while Stirling High teen Taylor-Rose Sims, 17, ran the entire challenge clad in a sparkly scarlet tutu.
“My mom drew red hearts on me and everyone was wishing me a happy Valentine’s Day during the race. I just did it to bring a smile to people’s faces,” said Sims, who conquered her first Surfers when she was just 11.
Undeterred by the raging wind and fierce currents, which many said made this the toughest Surfers Challenge yet, Mmampho Gogela, 44, who ran straight into fiancé Neil Smith’s, 58, arms at Nahoon Beach, was gearing up for a Valentine’s Ball with him later that evening.
Dr Anthea Klopper and her husband, architect Ron Begbie, cunningly waited for the very last minute before entering the paddling category, which this year was held on the Nahoon River in avoidance of dangerous ocean swells.
“We only did it because it was on the river and we were the last mixed double in,” grinned the Border Canoe Club members.
Also egging each other on were mother-and-daughter team Taralyn McLean, 32, and Christine Pickup, 53, who ran the Surfers as a bonding experience.
Pickup, who has run the Comrades Marathon 18 times, commended the Surfers for its camaraderie.
Less thrilled was Caitlyn Smith, 27, who arrived at the Kwelera start with her running mates a few minutes before 2pm, only to find everyone had already left.
“The official Surfers Challenge website said it started at 2pm. They could have smsed me that the time had changed or told me at registration.”
Race convenor Neville Wilkins apologised for the incorrect time on the website, but said posters bearing the 1.45pm starting time were posted at the registration venue.
Nine times Comrades Marathon winner Bruce Fordyce, 59, scaled down this year and ran the shorter 10km race which started in Gonubie.
“My knee is crocked. It’s old age, but next year I’ll be back,” said the running legend, who said he is seldom recognised by other participants.
“I think it’s because I look like Yoda from Star Wars.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
‘Surfers’ battled gruelling conditions
Munching on a boerewors role and clutching the coveted mustard Surfers T-shirt with its iconic logo, Callebaut, 44, is a textbook example of the grit displayed by the thousands of participants who took part in the 41st challenge this year.
And, while athletes like Callebaut appeared barely out of breath at the end of the gruelling 17.5km race, which was dogged by pumping headwinds, others, like Mzwanele Ndzuzo, 39, landed up in an ambulance.
Ndzuzo fractured his arm when he slipped on rocks near the start of the race, but persevered – running and swimming through the pain all the way to the Nahoon Beach finish.
“I just wanted to finish, but this was my first and last Surfers,” he said, his victorious smile belying his words.
For 72-year-old Doug Ellis, his tenth Surfers was an inspiration for his son Kurt Ellis, 40. “He’s very fit and at one point was ahead of me. This is my fifteenth Surfers and hopefully I will follow in his footsteps and still be running when I’m his age.”
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, 200 women received long-stemmed red roses at the finish line, while Stirling High teen Taylor-Rose Sims, 17, ran the entire challenge clad in a sparkly scarlet tutu.
“My mom drew red hearts on me and everyone was wishing me a happy Valentine’s Day during the race. I just did it to bring a smile to people’s faces,” said Sims, who conquered her first Surfers when she was just 11.
Undeterred by the raging wind and fierce currents, which many said made this the toughest Surfers Challenge yet, Mmampho Gogela, 44, who ran straight into fiancé Neil Smith’s, 58, arms at Nahoon Beach, was gearing up for a Valentine’s Ball with him later that evening.
Dr Anthea Klopper and her husband, architect Ron Begbie, cunningly waited for the very last minute before entering the paddling category, which this year was held on the Nahoon River in avoidance of dangerous ocean swells.
“We only did it because it was on the river and we were the last mixed double in,” grinned the Border Canoe Club members.
Also egging each other on were mother-and-daughter team Taralyn McLean, 32, and Christine Pickup, 53, who ran the Surfers as a bonding experience.
Pickup, who has run the Comrades Marathon 18 times, commended the Surfers for its camaraderie.
Less thrilled was Caitlyn Smith, 27, who arrived at the Kwelera start with her running mates a few minutes before 2pm, only to find everyone had already left.
“The official Surfers Challenge website said it started at 2pm. They could have smsed me that the time had changed or told me at registration.”
Race convenor Neville Wilkins apologised for the incorrect time on the website, but said posters bearing the 1.45pm starting time were posted at the registration venue.
Nine times Comrades Marathon winner Bruce Fordyce, 59, scaled down this year and ran the shorter 10km race which started in Gonubie.
“My knee is crocked. It’s old age, but next year I’ll be back,” said the running legend, who said he is seldom recognised by other participants.
“I think it’s because I look like Yoda from Star Wars.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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