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11-Sep-2010 09:51:23 |
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BRACE yourself for non-stop action |
| 25-Jul-2008 13:27:49 |
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BRACE yourself for non-stop action of a kind rarely seen in this province.
The Bull of Africa Adventure Race, a qualifier for the Adventure World Championships, is coming to South Africa, and more specifically to East London.
Various non-motorised disciplines make up adventure racing. It includes trail running, trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, navigation, abseiling and other rope work with teams participating in all disciplines.
There is no easing up though as teams race through the night in an attempt to complete a distance of 570km, which will cover most of the Amatole District.
The winning team is expected to finish the event in about four- and-a-half days while tail-enders could take up to seven days to complete this arduous test.
The event, to be held from August 9-16, will start in the Katberg area, traverse over the Amatole Mountains towards Thomas River, into Komgha district, cross the Kei River into Transkei, hike down the Wild Coast and finish in East London.
The race will meander through numerous local villages and rural areas. Participants will thus have lots of opportunities to interact with the locals in the villages and support their trading efforts.
While Australia's Blackheart- Bunker Capital are heavily favoured along with the Bjurfors Adventure Racing, a combined team from Sweden and Denmark, South African teams - USN and uge.cyanosis - are expected to put up a strong challenge.
The Eastern Cape has an array of teams in Hard Rock, Kubusi, Pennypinchers, PeptoPro and Toppie en de Laaities all hoping to use “home advantage” in their quest for glory.
And in a bid to spread the sport, a development team - Kat Leisure - has also been included.
There will also be a separate women's category, with three teams - Haglöfs (Finland), Dew Point (South Africa) Arena (Russia) - set to compete.
According to race director Sonja Otto, the Arena team could well be one of the teams fighting for the main title.
This year's Bull will see 42 teams - four competitors per team - of which exactly half are from South Africa, battling for the R300000.
The race, in association with Pepto Pro and Kat Leisure and presented by Bunker Capital, is well-supported by local sponsors - Meyers Motors, Getaway Trailers, Kempston Truck Hire, Protea Car Rental and the Amatole District Municipality.
Sonja, with husband Hano, hold the rights to present the African leg of the series and have also put in a bid for the World Championships for 2011.
By DOMINIC PEEL |
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