An exciting Lilyfontein Adventure Race took place at Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve on Saturday – the 17th edition of the popular annual event.
Just under 400 participants linked up with the Jikileza Festival for the first time.
“It takes a massive team effort to pull off an activity that covers a distance over 100km and the team designed six different routes covering the East Coast resort area,” Lilyfontein adventure programme head and adventure race manager Margaret Mitchell said.
“Each has to be hacked out and marked leading up to the race and needs to be marshalled on the day.
“It takes a team of over 90 land owners, teachers, parents and leaders to make this event a success.”
The Not Ready To Race team, featuring Michelle Schlebusch, Troy Sims, Michelle Powell and Stephen van den Burg, triumphed in the main Corporate Challenge category, that saw them traverse the 110km course in a time of 10 hours and 31 minutes.
They finished comfortably ahead of the second placed team, Fury, who came in just over four hours later.
Corporate challenge pair Hobble and Hurl, featuring Joshua and Sally Hayman cruised home first, ahead of team Fire Hawks in second place.
Team Racing for Rhinos finished in third spot.
The Corporate Crocs division was won by Jessie, Warren, Russell and Christopher Bryant of The Sweepers team ahead of team Slow and Steady, while team WTF of Walter Nelson and Wayne Krenski took the Corporate Crocs duo title, with team Restore Raiders and Amper Daar finishing second and third respectively.
The Family / Fun division then saw The Long Range Target team of Denise Norris, Wayne Randell and Michael and Klara Webb come out on top, ahead of Team Taylor Made and Fantastical Unicorns.
On the school front, things were spiced up with qualification for the SA Schools Adventure Racing Champs at stake for the top performers.
In the U19 division team Synergy featuring Melissa Hayward, Teo Jordaan, Ryan Swart and Mattheus van der Walt put in a top effort to triumph in a time of nine hours and 12 minutes, 37 minutes ahead of team Epic who had to settle for second place.
“It was a very tough race, which took a lot of determination to finish, I managed to get to the end with the help of a very supportive team,” said Hayward.
“The hills on the bikes were a killer, especially the last hill in the last kilometre of the race, which we actually did not have to do, a wrong turn is never a good thing.
In the U15 division it was a Lilyfontein one-two as team Mud Mense with Storme Barben, Michail Meyer, Luke Swinney and Hein Weyer took an exciting win in nine hours and 21 minutes, just five minutes ahead of the hard chasing Pathfinders who took the runners-up spot.
Lilyfontein then made it a trio of victories in the age group divisions as Teo Bosazza, Megan Emslie, Josie Price and Connor Timmins of team Vertically Challenged, came in first in a time of four hours and 52 minutes, nine minutes ahead of team Fast and Furious, while team Raging Rhinos finished a further 19 minutes back in third place. The school teams will now ready themselves for the SA Adventure Racing Championships
Lilyfontein race delivers epic battles
Just under 400 participants linked up with the Jikileza Festival for the first time.
“It takes a massive team effort to pull off an activity that covers a distance over 100km and the team designed six different routes covering the East Coast resort area,” Lilyfontein adventure programme head and adventure race manager Margaret Mitchell said.
“Each has to be hacked out and marked leading up to the race and needs to be marshalled on the day.
“It takes a team of over 90 land owners, teachers, parents and leaders to make this event a success.”
The Not Ready To Race team, featuring Michelle Schlebusch, Troy Sims, Michelle Powell and Stephen van den Burg, triumphed in the main Corporate Challenge category, that saw them traverse the 110km course in a time of 10 hours and 31 minutes.
They finished comfortably ahead of the second placed team, Fury, who came in just over four hours later.
Corporate challenge pair Hobble and Hurl, featuring Joshua and Sally Hayman cruised home first, ahead of team Fire Hawks in second place.
Team Racing for Rhinos finished in third spot.
The Corporate Crocs division was won by Jessie, Warren, Russell and Christopher Bryant of The Sweepers team ahead of team Slow and Steady, while team WTF of Walter Nelson and Wayne Krenski took the Corporate Crocs duo title, with team Restore Raiders and Amper Daar finishing second and third respectively.
The Family / Fun division then saw The Long Range Target team of Denise Norris, Wayne Randell and Michael and Klara Webb come out on top, ahead of Team Taylor Made and Fantastical Unicorns.
On the school front, things were spiced up with qualification for the SA Schools Adventure Racing Champs at stake for the top performers.
In the U19 division team Synergy featuring Melissa Hayward, Teo Jordaan, Ryan Swart and Mattheus van der Walt put in a top effort to triumph in a time of nine hours and 12 minutes, 37 minutes ahead of team Epic who had to settle for second place.
“It was a very tough race, which took a lot of determination to finish, I managed to get to the end with the help of a very supportive team,” said Hayward.
“The hills on the bikes were a killer, especially the last hill in the last kilometre of the race, which we actually did not have to do, a wrong turn is never a good thing.
In the U15 division it was a Lilyfontein one-two as team Mud Mense with Storme Barben, Michail Meyer, Luke Swinney and Hein Weyer took an exciting win in nine hours and 21 minutes, just five minutes ahead of the hard chasing Pathfinders who took the runners-up spot.
Lilyfontein then made it a trio of victories in the age group divisions as Teo Bosazza, Megan Emslie, Josie Price and Connor Timmins of team Vertically Challenged, came in first in a time of four hours and 52 minutes, nine minutes ahead of team Fast and Furious, while team Raging Rhinos finished a further 19 minutes back in third place. The school teams will now ready themselves for the SA Adventure Racing Championships
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos