Following on from the highly successful first ever running of the 5 day Otter Hiking Trail in September 2009 – Knysna based, event organisers, Magnetic South have confirmed the 2010 dates.

The inaugural  Otter – African Trail Run presented by Hi-Tec, introduced an experience onto the South African sports calendar that was guaranteed to raise intense interest and debate from both the huge hiking and now burgeoning trail running communities.

The Otter Hiking Trail has long been classified as a tough challenge and for all the countless hikers who have undertaken this 5 day epic, they will agree that to run the entire trail in one day is absolute lunacy !

Could the 5 Day Otter Trail be conquered in under 5 hours was the question doing the rounds ?. Garden Route based adventure racing athlete, John Collins, was the lunatic who had masterminded the concept of the country’s leading hiking trail becoming the holy grail of trail running. In the various scouting runs, sanctioned by the GRNP, that the Magnetic South team had done to plan for the event – John Collins had posted a 5hrs 12min personal best time.

On the 20 September 2009, KZN based South African duathlon champ – Iain Don Wauchope crawled over the finish line on all fours in a record breaking time of 4 hours 59 mins and 7 seconds – he is the only person to have ever broken the 5 hour barrier. Now everyone is asking if this time can be beaten ?  The lunacy continues !

Thanks to the very valuable input of the Nature Conservation Corporation who consulted on the very strict Environmental Management Plan which both the organisers,  Magnetic South, and trail custodians, SANParks (GRNP) had to implement for the event to take place. These same rules have been laid down again to ensure the 2010 event upholds the extremely high environmental and safety levels achieved. Garden Route MCSA Mountain Rescue volunteers lead by Crags local, Andrew Scott , played a pivotal role in ensuring participant safety in the first ever event and with their extensive experience of the rugged terrain had rapid response qualified ropes teams in place to manage any emergency evacuations.

“The Otter Trail traverses some of the most technical trail running terrain imaginable and competitors are thrown into the tricky root strewn single track from the moment they step onto the Otter. Add in ragged rocky shorelines, boulders, heart stopping climbs with rapid steep descents resulting in over 2200m of elevation covered, and this becomes one of the hardest marathon distance runs you are ever going to experience in your lifetime. There are longer runs being offered around the globe, however the 42 km Otter Trail is able to pack in so much which also includes the adrenaline pumping swim across the Bloukrans River. This is one challenge that is hard to beat “ commented Mark Collins, Magnetic South Race Director.

Dates for the 2010 event have been set as 24 September when those wishing to participate in the Otter Run only will have their opportunity to add their names to a very select few official finishers.

The multi stage, 6 day Southern Storm Trail Duathlon, will also start with its first stage on the Otter and these athletes will be running and riding themselves ragged with their date with the Otter starting on the 26 September 2010.