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Seen here (from left to right): AJ Calitz and Bernard Rukadza in action on the day. PHOTO CREDIT: Volume Photography
The action of the 7th annual ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun presented by New Balance, SA’s premier three day stage trail run, culminated at the picturesque Houw Hoek Inn on Sunday, 15 March 2015.
Top trail runners AJ Calitz and Bernard Rukadza of Team KWAY set the course ablaze claiming their second stage victory for the weekend in a lightning fast time of 01 hour 30 minutes 45 seconds, successfully defending their title for 2015. “Today’s stage was very tactical,” says Calitz. “It was hard to tell whether the other teams wanted to go for the stage win or for the overall win. Bernie and I just sat behind Eric and Thabang, letting them work upfront. Every time they slowed down, we would slow down. It is war out there, but we’re all still friends afterwards. Bernie and I are definitely better friends now than ever before”. Team KWAY completed the 2015 ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun presented by New Balance in a combined time of 06 hours 46 minutes 18 seconds. Eric Ngubane and Thabang Madiba of Team Salomon came in second, while Edwin Sesipi and Johardt Van Heerden of Team 32gi Gauteng finished third.
Yolande Maclean and Nic De Beer of Team CW-X Ultraspire claimed their hat-trick win of the weekend, securing the overall mixed team title in an impressive combined time of 07 hours 40 minutes 46 seconds. “It is really awesome winning the overall title, especially with this being my first AfricanX,” says Maclean. “I loved taking part. I still have a lot of improving to do, but this was perfect training for the upcoming Oceans”. Kerry-Ann Marshall and Morne Van Greunen of Team Enduro Hub came in second, while Natia and
Antoine Van Heerden of Team Twinning finished third.
Team EnduroHub’s Morne Van Greunen and Kerry-Ann Marshall finished 2nd in the Mix Category – Volume Photography
Nicolette Griffioen and Carla Van Huyssteen of Team ProNutro Timefreight shook things up in the women’s race. Although they claimed the Stage Three victory in an impressive time of 01 hour 49 minutes 05 seconds, it just wasn’t enough to grab the overall victory from race leaders Meg Mackenzie and Landie Greyling of Team Salomon Blondies. “We are really happy with the overall win,” says Mackenzie. “Landie woke up with a sore throat again. So we just gave as much as we could, while trying to take it easy at the same time. It is amazing to win the overall title”. Team Salomon Blondies completed the three stages of the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun in an impressive combined time of 08 hours 06 minutes 26 seconds. Nicolette Griffioen and Carla Van Huyssteen of Team ProNutro Timefreight came in second, while Inge Visser and Liesbeth Van Der Merwe of Team Ganbei finished third.
Overall Results (Stages 1, 2 and 3 combined):
| GC / Overall Results: Stages 1, 2 and 3 combined | |||||
| Women’s Results | |||||
| Group_GC | Team# | TeamName | Runner1 | Runner2 | Time GC |
| 1 | 113AB | Salomon Blondies | Meg Mackenzie | Landie Greyling | 8:06:26 |
| 2 | 155AB | Team Pronutro Timefreight | Nicolette Griffioen | Carla Van Huyssteen | 8:41:56 |
| 3 | 103AB | Ganbei | Inge Visser | Liesbeth van der merwe | 9:29:34 |
| 4 | 105AB | Team HD | Alex Adie | Jane Swarbreck | 9:41:44 |
| 5 | 146AB | Turbo Thunderbirds | Kelly McKenzie | Sam Reilly | 9:55:19 |
| Men’s Results | |||||
| Group_GC | Team# | TeamName | Runner1 | Runner2 | Time GC |
| 1 | 269AB | KWAY | AJ CALITZ | Bernard Rukadza | 6:46:18 |
| 2 | 271AB | Salomon Men | Eric Ngubane | Thabang Madiba | 6:51:11 |
| 3 | 282AB | 32gi Gauteng men’s team | Edwin Sesipi | Johardt Van Heerden | 7:07:30 |
| 4 | 247AB | Drip and bungy outlaws | Rohan Kennedy | Dawid Visser | 7:19:35 |
| 5 | 252AB | Suunto Salomon | Andrew Erasmus | Christiaan Greyling | 7:27:51 |
| Mixed Teams Results | |||||
| Group_GC | Team# | TeamName | Runner1 | Runner2 | Time GC |
| 1 | 352AB | CW-X Ultraspire | Nic De Beer | Yolande Maclean | 7:40:46 |
| 2 | 358AB | Team Enduro Hub | Kerry-Ann Marshall | Morne Van Greunen | 7:51:44 |
| 3 | 360AB | Twinning | Natia van Heerden | Antoine van Heerden | 8:20:39 |
| 4 | 346AB | Aan-Die-Brand | Frederik Lotter | Naomi Brand | 8:26:32 |
| 5 | 355AB | Team name? | Brett Nattrass | Ronel Nattrass | 8:49:36 |
Stage Three Results:
| Stage Three / Sunday, 15 March 2015 | |||||
| Women’s Results | |||||
| Group_Day3 | TeamName | Runner1 | Runner2 | Group | Time Day3 |
| 1 | Team Pronutro Timefreight | Nicolette Griffioen | Carla Van Huyssteen | Female | 1:49:05 |
| 2 | Salomon Blondies | Meg Mackenzie | Landie Greyling | Female | 1:51:20 |
| 3 | Ganbei | Inge Visser | Liesbeth van der merwe | Female | 2:11:41 |
| 4 | Team HD | Alex Adie | Jane Swarbreck | Female | 2:14:56 |
| 5 | Adept | Carla Pietersen | Jean Rossouw | Female | 2:16:10 |
| Men’s Results | |||||
| Group_Day3 | TeamName | Runner1 | Runner2 | Group | Time Day3 |
| 1 | KWAY | AJ CALITZ | Bernard Rukadza | Male | 1:30:45 |
| 2 | Salomon Men | Eric Ngubane | Thabang Madiba | Male | 1:31:15 |
| 3 | Drip and bungy outlaws | Rohan Kennedy | Dawid Visser | Male | 1:39:19 |
| 4 | ProNutro | Tsungai Mwanangeni | Chad Gordon | Male | 1:40:04 |
| 5 | 32gi Gauteng men’s team | Edwin Sesipi | Johardt Van Heerden | Male | 1:42:45 |
| Mixed Teams Results | |||||
| Group_Day3 | TeamName | Runner1 | Runner2 | Group | Time Day3 |
| 1 | CW-X Ultraspire | Nic De Beer | Yolande Maclean | Mixed | 1:45:53 |
| 2 | Team Enduro Hub | Kerry-Ann Marshall | Morne Van Greunen | Mixed | 1:47:23 |
| 3 | Twinning | Natia van Heerden | Antoine van Heerden | Mixed | 1:58:46 |
| 4 | Team name? | Brett Nattrass | Ronel Nattrass | Mixed | 1:59:24 |
| 5 | Aan-Die-Brand | Frederik Lotter | Naomi Brand | Mixed | 2:00:12 |
EVENT INFORMATION:
Teamwork forms an essential part of this leading stage race, with participants having to rely on each other’s experience, strength and expertise in order to complete the route. The three routes have been planned in such a way that the participants were granted the opportunity to tackle a different breath-taking scenic route each day, allowing them to enjoy the full beauty of the Overberg.
STAGE ONE:
| Date: | Friday, 13 March 2015 |
| Start Time: | 08:00 |
| Start Venue: | Houw Hoek Inn / Grabouw |
| Finish Venue: | Houw Hoek Inn / Grabouw |
| Distance: | 34km / 890m Ascent |
STAGE TWO:
| Date: | Saturday, 14 March 2015 |
| Start Time: | 08:00 |
| Start Venue: | Mount Rozier Estate / Somerset West |
| Finish Venue: | Paul Cluver Amphitheatre / Grabouw |
| Distance: | 34km / 1100m Ascent |
STAGE THREE:
| Date: | Sunday, 15 March 2015 |
| Start Time: | 07:30 |
| 08:45 / Top Five in each category | |
| Start Venue: | Houw Hoek Inn / Grabouw |
| Finish Venue: | Houw Hoek Inn / Grabouw |
| Distance: | 22km / 670m Ascent |
On entering the 2015 ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun presented by New Balance each entrant received a spectacular goodie bag containing ProNutro Product, a ProNutro Visor, a New Balance Hoodie, Rehidrat Sport Sachets, Wintergreen product and a ButtaNutt Squeeze Pack.
An exciting new edition to the 2015 event, the Rehidrat Zone was a welcomed oasis for tired runners when they crossed the finish line after each stage.
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For additional information on the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun presented by New Balance visit www.stillwatersports.com, contact Stillwater Sports on 082 991 0045 or email entries@stillwatersports.com
