The Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival served up its first brutal challenge for those who took part in the Salomon Adventure Nights – Petzl Night Run held at the Simola Golf & Country Estate on Saturday evening 4 July 2009.

“The location of Simola as a venue allowed us to include a large variety of terrain changes in this year’s Salomon Adventure Nights – Petzl Night Run.” Remarked Mark Collins, route designer for Magnetic South, the event organisers: “Being close to Knysna and its residential suburbs of Eastford and Old Drift gave competitors the opportunity to traverse everything from paved roads to rocky riverbeds and exciting fynbos trails that ordinarily are out of bounds to the general public to enjoy.

The success of any Adventure Nights event not only lies in the correct management of it – but the attraction is also in being able to create a route that will blow people away. For this we have to thank the various landowners including the Simola Golf & Country Estate for making it happen.”

“The 2009 Salomon Adventure Nights – Petzl Night Run included the longest routes to date and it was guaranteed to challenge all who took on the gauntlet. Many commented on the 2008 event being the hardest so far however a new benchmark had been set this year with record numbers of entries wanting a slice of the action. It was BRUTAL!” said Andre Gie of Team McCain Element. “

All eyes were on the Salomon sponsored, Cape Town based Ultra Trail Runner – Ryan Sandes. Having won major events overseas taking a first in both the 250 km self supporting Sahara and Gobi Desert Marathons – the question everyone was asking – was it going to be an easy task for the defending champions of Andre Gie and Jan Schutte to make it another gold or was there another serious contender about to write their name in the record books? Ryan Sandes who incidentally started his running career here in Knysna in 2006 when he took on his first Knysna Forest Marathon was able to rely on local all rounder Hanno Smit to navigate the Salomon McCain Team into winning the Men’s Pro Run category. Squad members from the South Africa Adventure Racing outfit McCain Adventure Addicts in fact dominated the podium positions in the Pro Run.      

Other category winners included Team Jeep McCain, Tatum Prins and Cas van Ardenne in the Mixed & Team Xtrail of Tanya Rabie & Zahn Munch winning the Ladies Pro Run.         

Magnetic South with event sponsors Salomon & Petzl have long supported the development of multisport to local disadvantaged communities in the Knysna area.  It was particularly pleasing to see the achievements of Development Team Hakunamatata of David Bruiners & Sydwell Gelant taking 1^st place in the Junior Category followed in 2^nd place by another Development Team Strong & Stronger of Stephan Harker and Ashwin Olivier. The development program is achieving great results and bodes well for the future.

                                                                                                            498 words