The 44th Discovery Surfers Challenge was officially launched at the lifesavers shack in Nahoon yesterday afternoon with all the relevant partners joining up for the media launch.
The popular event will be held next week on Saturday. The history of this great event, which has been well documented down the years, speaks for itself.
The records that can be broken are naturally a numbers game and revolve more around participation than time taken to complete the running, walking or paddling races on offer.
The original 1975 Surfers was run over a similar distance to today, but was later shortened to finish at the Nahoon lifesavers shack as opposed to Nahoon Corner. So for the bulk of the 43 Discovery Surfers Challenges already completed, the distance was approximately 16.5km.
When paddlers were introduced to the event they simply paddled from Kwelera Mouth to the same Nahoon Beach finish, as the runners and the two athletic types could generally keep tabs on one another.
In 2010, due to extremely high tides the race was rerouted at the Gonubie River exit point. Instead of running across the magnificent Gonubie Beach and under the boardwalk, runners and walkers were marshalled off the beach at the exit adjacent to the caravan park and sent up the first-ever hill encountered on Surfers, located behind the large Gonubie Beach sand dune.
The result was an extra one kilometre and a first-ever “win” for paddlers. The race never went back to the original route and today is still run over 17.5km.
Interestingly, the men’s record has since come under no threat at all, while the women’s record has been broken twice: once by event ambassador Hanlie Botha who is a three-times winner, and once by Myrette Brink, also a three-time winner and visitor from Pretoria.
The fastest man in history was the late Mzwandile Shube, who won the race in both 1989 and 1991 with a best time of 55 minutes.
Other multiple winners who have been documented (there are no results between Kenny Wilkinson’s first win in 1974 and 1981) include: Comrades Marathon and Dusi Canoe legend Danny Biggs from KZN, who won it three times in succession; Thabang Baholo, the first black man to win in 1988 and again in 1990; the outstanding Makaya Masumpa, who still runs today and won the race in 1996 and 1998; three-time winner Zolani Ntongana; double-champion Pumlani Bongani; Mzuvelile Hlanti, who won the consecutive years 2008-09 and Zingisile Marikeni in 2013 and 2014.
In later years a Junior Surfers, run over 5km, was added for U14s and it has produced some close tussles among the youth. The most controversial addition has been a shortened version for runners and walkers starting at the Gonubie Hotel.
This ‘Surfers’ is billed as 10km, though it is actually closer to 11km and been documented by some participants as being 11.2km.
Be that as it may, it has proved a fairly popular run and walk, and has attracted a good field.
The shorter race has impacted on main race numbers, though pundits are suggesting that the puritans will win the battle this year and that the 17.5km might well reclaim its former status as ‘Big Daddy’ and regain the growth advantage.
Entry fees can be paid online or at Sportsman’s Warehouse. They are R120 for the run and walk and R200 for the paddlers.
Late entries at registration, which takes place at Nutting Hall in Stirling from February 22-24, carry a R100 surcharge.
For up-to-date information visit the Facebook page Surfers Challenge or the website www.surferschallenge.co.za — DDC
Long and short of it is that Challenge will be true test
The popular event will be held next week on Saturday. The history of this great event, which has been well documented down the years, speaks for itself.
The records that can be broken are naturally a numbers game and revolve more around participation than time taken to complete the running, walking or paddling races on offer.
The original 1975 Surfers was run over a similar distance to today, but was later shortened to finish at the Nahoon lifesavers shack as opposed to Nahoon Corner. So for the bulk of the 43 Discovery Surfers Challenges already completed, the distance was approximately 16.5km.
When paddlers were introduced to the event they simply paddled from Kwelera Mouth to the same Nahoon Beach finish, as the runners and the two athletic types could generally keep tabs on one another.
In 2010, due to extremely high tides the race was rerouted at the Gonubie River exit point. Instead of running across the magnificent Gonubie Beach and under the boardwalk, runners and walkers were marshalled off the beach at the exit adjacent to the caravan park and sent up the first-ever hill encountered on Surfers, located behind the large Gonubie Beach sand dune.
The result was an extra one kilometre and a first-ever “win” for paddlers. The race never went back to the original route and today is still run over 17.5km.
Interestingly, the men’s record has since come under no threat at all, while the women’s record has been broken twice: once by event ambassador Hanlie Botha who is a three-times winner, and once by Myrette Brink, also a three-time winner and visitor from Pretoria.
The fastest man in history was the late Mzwandile Shube, who won the race in both 1989 and 1991 with a best time of 55 minutes.
Other multiple winners who have been documented (there are no results between Kenny Wilkinson’s first win in 1974 and 1981) include: Comrades Marathon and Dusi Canoe legend Danny Biggs from KZN, who won it three times in succession; Thabang Baholo, the first black man to win in 1988 and again in 1990; the outstanding Makaya Masumpa, who still runs today and won the race in 1996 and 1998; three-time winner Zolani Ntongana; double-champion Pumlani Bongani; Mzuvelile Hlanti, who won the consecutive years 2008-09 and Zingisile Marikeni in 2013 and 2014.
In later years a Junior Surfers, run over 5km, was added for U14s and it has produced some close tussles among the youth. The most controversial addition has been a shortened version for runners and walkers starting at the Gonubie Hotel.
This ‘Surfers’ is billed as 10km, though it is actually closer to 11km and been documented by some participants as being 11.2km.
Be that as it may, it has proved a fairly popular run and walk, and has attracted a good field.
The shorter race has impacted on main race numbers, though pundits are suggesting that the puritans will win the battle this year and that the 17.5km might well reclaim its former status as ‘Big Daddy’ and regain the growth advantage.
Entry fees can be paid online or at Sportsman’s Warehouse. They are R120 for the run and walk and R200 for the paddlers.
Late entries at registration, which takes place at Nutting Hall in Stirling from February 22-24, carry a R100 surcharge.
For up-to-date information visit the Facebook page Surfers Challenge or the website www.surferschallenge.co.za — DDC
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