This year’s Robberg Express – Plettenberg Bay’s annual riding, running and paddling adventure – will take place on the Spring Solstice, September 21.

“It’ll be tough – but it’ll be brilliantly exciting and the setting is mind-bendingly beautiful,” said course designer Chris Crewdson of event organisers Magnetic South.

“It’s the ONLY way to celebrate spring!”

He said that in order to make the event more accessible to more people, the event has been redesigned and will now offer two courses of differing lengths.

“We’ve given the Robberg Express a little brother – the Robberg Raggie. And as we all know, raggies are quite laid-back – so the Robberg Raggie will cover just over half the distances of the Robberg Express.”

The Robberg Express includes a 40 km mountain biking course through the Harkerville Forest, a 10 km trail run on the Robberg Peninsula and a 10 km ocean paddle in Plettenberg Bay.

“The mountain bike route encompasses gravel roads and dirt tracks through sections of indigenous wet high forest; the trail run – which must rate as one of the most challenging and visually stunning in South Africa – traverses 130 million-year-old rock formations where Khoisan people once lived; and the ocean paddle will reward you with marvellous views of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains.

“And you might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Plett’s own 6-metre great white shark – the Robberg Express herself – while you’re out there,” he said.

Participants in the Robberg Express may enter alone or in relay teams of two or three people, and may also enter for the entire event or, in the case of individuals, for any one of the three disciplines (biking, running or paddling). The Robberg Raggie – which includes a 20 km ride, a 5 km trail run and a 5 km paddle – is open only to individuals who must complete the entire event.

The races will be timed electronically. Each discipline will have both start and finish checkpoints and entrants will be required to check in at other strategically located points along the way.

In the Robberg Express, first-home podium finishers (those who have completed all three disciplines) will share R10,000 in prize money and prizes will also be awarded to the fastest relay teams and to the first individual home in each discipline.

Although women are encouraged to enter, there’ll be no female category in the solo and team events, in which everyone will be competing equally via the G-BAT System (gender based adjustment for time) – and everyone will therefore have a fair chance of stepping up to the winner’s podium. The individual disciplines will, however, offer separate categories for women.

“Registration and race briefing will take place at Gilly’s Grill, Main Road in Plettenberg Bay on the evening before the event and race day itself – the spring solstice on Sunday the 21^st – is going to be one of the most exciting days of the year,” said Chris.

More information and entries at www.magneticsouth.net

ENDS 510 Words