KNYSNA – Local men Jan Schutte and Andre Gie of Team McCain Element won the Men’s Pro division of the Salomon Night Run in the Knysna leg of the Petzl Adventure Nights Series held at Portland Manor last evening. The event formed part of the Pick ‘n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival.

Thirty Teams took part in the Pro- and eighty seven in the Open divisions, making this the largest field ever to enter a Salomon Night Run. “It was also the toughest course we’ve ever built,” said race director Mark Collins of event organisers Magnetic South, “with nearly 800 metres of vertical ascent over the 14 kilometre Pro course – most of which involved climbing out of two steep ravines cut by the Knysna River – and 300 metres of ascent over the 8 km of the Open course.”

In keeping with the spirit of the Oyster Festival, which seeks to include everyone from the local community, a number of spaces were allocated to development teams – and this year Mark Bruiners and Merilene Janklaas of the Knysna Canoe Club Development Team led a group of seven children (ranging in age from eight to sixteen) and four adults from previously disadvantaged backgrounds along the Open course.

“The children absolutely surprised us,” said Ms. Janklaas. “They were pulling us along the track!” And, in fact, one of the development teams – Werner Jonkers and 12-year-old Jumay Taylor of Team Kat Leisure – 1 placed second in the Junior Division (junior teams race on the Open course and must include one adult and at least one child under 14).

Mr. Bruiners said that the children came from a previously disadvantaged background and that many of them came from broken homes; while Ms. Janklaas said that events like these – and the training that goes into preparing for them – have the power to change lives. “Through our work (in sports development) we would like to change their whole mindset, their thinking about what they could become.

“This is a huge experience for them.”

For the first time, representatives of both the series sponsors (Petzl) and the race sponsors (Salomon) entered the Night Run.

Petzl’s John Fontyn and Salomon’s Bennie Botha both commented on the quality of the event and the beauty of the trail.

“We were delighted that it was almost sold out early on and also to see the number of people queuing up to register when we arrived,” said Mr. Fontyn, while Mr. Botha added that he was excited at the number of entries because it showed that the sport of trail running was taking off.

Commenting on the development teams, Mr. Botha said “I don’t think it’s ‘development’ any more – they showed most of the others a clean pair of heals.

“Salomon has been supporting them for a while now and we’re very, very impressed with their progress.”

Martin Dreyer, known as ‘The Duke’ in adventure racing circles (he’s the reigning champion in the international Land Rover G4 Challenge) said that the course – which was billed as ‘The Beast’ – was “certainly the most challenging of any Adventure Nights so far” but that it was also “the best one I’ve ever done.

“It was beautiful because we went down into the Knysna River twice and although we had ‘Heartbreak Hill’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’ – which were apt names because of their steepness – it was just beautiful because you’re deep in the forests: when you’re going round any corner, you almost expected to see some elephant dung.

“You felt like you were really in the jungle.”

The Petzl Adventure Nights continues this evening with the Vaude Night Bike, and Magnetic South will present the Salomon Featherbed Trail Run tomorrow, Tuesday 8 July, at Knysna’s Cruise Cafe (registration from 13h00). Results and more information at www.magneticsouth.net

ENDS 652 WORDS

Abridged Results

Pro Men

1 McCain Element, Jan Schutte & Andre Gie 1:40:33

2 Phoenix Extreme, Marsel Roos & Juan Pretorius 1:44:48

3 The Geeks, Neil Swanepoel & Piet Jacobs 2:03:34

Pro Mixed

1 Live Life, Robyn Ferrar & Cas van Aardenne 1:59:14

2 USN, Martin Dreyer & Jeannie Bomford 2:09:27

3 First Ascent Wilde Fire, Craig & Christine Woods 2:16:53

Pro Female

1 Mc Cain Chicks, Tatum Prius & Debbie Gerand 2:29:02

2 Trail Dusters, Jolene McKenzie & Svelka Sharp 2:42:48

3 Speed Queens, Tanya Rabie & Elzaan Visser 2:44:44

MEDIA RELEASE BY BarefootClients

MARTIN HATCHUEL Barefoot Writer martin@barefootclients.co.za

Cell +27(0)84 951 0574 | Telephone +27(0)44 384 1810

Want The Barefoot Benefit? – Visit www.barefootclients.co.za

PROUDLY BAREFOOT – FULLY SOUTH AFRICAN