“Let Nature Give You A Run For Your Money”
Stage Two, the maiden stage of the 2023 PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN 3-Day Stage Race started in cool weather conditions at the picturesque Elgin Grabouw Country Club on Saturday 18 March 2023. Teams of two runners (male, female and/or mixed) had to complete a challenging +-34km “true trail running” course before crossing the finish line at the iconic Houw Hoek Hotel aka “AFRICANX basecamp”.
There was a shakeup in the Men’s Team Category with Hakeem Smith and Lovemo Nyaude (Team HTRCrew Trail Taxi) claiming the Stage Two victory in a deserving time of 02 hours 46 minutes 44 seconds.
“We stayed behind a little. When we got to the second water point, we decided to open it up. We overtook yesterday’s leaders with about 8km to go. This was a good stage for us because we’ve been training inclines and pacing at inclines. AFRICANX is great. We love rubbing shoulders withs guys like AJ (Calitz) and Nicholas (Rupanga). Even in this race they told us ‘Well done, consistent pace guys and keep eating’. It’s such a great vibe and great trail running community.”
“We finished in fifth place yesterday after Stage One, so our plan for today (and tomorrow) was to win,” says Nyaude. “Hakeem and I make a good team. We wake up early and train together. We work well together, encourage each other and trained hard because we want to win this race. AFRICANX is special to me firstly because there’s a lot of food and there are so many supporters supporting us. The support really motivates us.”
Kyle Bucklow and Oli Morris (Team New Balance) came in second, while Oliver Stapleton-Cotton and Mike Van Der Merwe (Team Italian Jog) finished third.
Leading the race in the Mixed Team Category the brother and sister pairing of Team New Balance #WeGotNow’s Stuart Marais and Kerry-Ann Marshall secured their second stage victory in a time of 03 hours 01 minute 49 seconds.
“I’d say today is the closest that you could come to executing a perfect race plan,” says Marais. “We ran conservatively in the beginning. At about 20km Kerry and I both felt good, so we started to put the pressure on and ended up having a good run. It really was a true trail running route. There was so much beautiful single track with epic bundu-bashing sections which led to amazing trails. All in all, it was a great route layout. Well done to Alfred (Thorpe) and well done to the team. That was a great trail run. So far, the AFRICANX has been amazing. As I said yesterday it’s a ‘Party on Foot’. It’s a huge jol out there, everyone is so friendly and happy to be out running. A hattrick stage win tomorrow would be the cherry on top, but we’ll go out, see how we feel and hopefully it all comes together on the day.”
“Today was amazing,” says Marshall. “The routes were beautiful, fast, flowing but also some proper climbing. The views were amazing, just a lot of breath-taking moments. Stu was just strong. I refer to my brother as power. He just drags me up the climbs and along the flats. He sets a really strong pace and then goes for it. I hook onto his backpack. We had a good time together and did lots more chatting about memories today. The route included a bit of everything, and I love that. I don’t want AFRICANX to end. It’s been a really cool event with a cool vibe.”
Melikhaya Msizi and Anna Haw (Team Harmony CX) came in second, while Kristen Heath and Jarryd Dunn (Team Nearly Dunn) finished third.
In the Women’s Team Category Team Nam Power’s Alexa Rack and Julia Jansen Van Rensburg also claimed their second stage victory in a time of 03 hours 16 minutes 49 seconds.
“It was another beautiful day, and the light rain has been so awesome,” says Jansen Van Rensburg. “It’s been perfect weather for running. We were trying for the stage win. We didn’t know if it would come off, but we decided to give it a go. Taking the stage win is incredible, we didn’t expect this, so what a privilege. Tomorrow we’re going to have fun and will have our outfits on (for dress-up day).”
“The route was very nice. It was beautiful, but hard,” says Rack. “So far, the two days at AFRICANX have been an absolute dream. It’s been an absolute dream come true coming from Namibia to do this. I am so excited and so grateful for Julia. It’s been perfect and I can’t wait to do it again.”
Nicola De Villiers and Jani Kruger (Team RIOT) came in second, while Leani Potgieter and Isel Barnard (Grimes Sisters) finished third.
Going into Stage Three (the final stage) on Sunday 19 March 2023, the Top Three positions in the Open Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Team Categories are as follows:
OPEN MEN’S TEAMS:
1 Kyle Bucklow and Oli Morris (New Balance) 04:35:44
2 John April and Underson Ncube (Ride along 2) 04:36:59
3 Lovemo Nyaude and Hakeem Smith (HTRCrew Trail Taxi) 04:37:05
OPEN WOMEN’S TEAMS:
1 Alexa Rack and Julia Jansen Van Rensburg (Nam Power) 05:24:32
2 Nicola De Villiers and Jani Kruger (RIOT) 05:30:57
3 Leani Potgieter and Isel Barnard (Grimes Sisters) 05:34:26
OPEN MIXED TEAMS:
1 Stuart Marais and Kerry-Ann Marshall (Team New Balance #WeGotNow) 04:59:38
2 Kristen Heath and Jarryd Dunn (Nearly Dunn) 05:21:17
3 Chantel Nienaber and Chris Visser (COWrageous) 05:25:00
EVENT INFORMATION: PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN 3-Day Stage Race
| DATE: | Sunday 19 March 2023 |
| DISTANCE: | +- 18 km |
| START TIME: | 07:30 |
| VENUE: | Start Venue: Houw Hoek Hotel
Finish Venue: Houw Hoek Hotel |
| EVENT FORMAT: | 3-Day Stage Trail Run |
| ENTRY FORMAT: | Teams of Two Runners (male / female / mixed) |
‘SANET WENTZEL SPIRIT’ AWARD: PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN entrants are reminded to submit their nominations for the event’s treasured ‘Sanet Wentzel Spirit’ Award. Introduced in the second year of the PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN (2010) in honour of Sanet Wentzel, an Oudtshoorn based athlete who passed away tragically at the end of 2009, the ‘Sanet Wentzel Spirit’ Award honours the AFRICANX’s most inspirational athletes, athletes who persevere irrespective of the adversity that they face. Nominations for the award can be sent to [email protected] For more information, read the following article: https://www.stillwatersports.com/news/africanx-searches-for-the-next-recipient-of-its-sanet-wentzel-spirit-award/
DRESS UP COMPETITION: The PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN will once again close off on a high note with entrants vying for the coveted title of ‘Best Dressed Team’ on Sunday during the third and final stage of the event. The competition is fierce, with trail runners pulling out all the stops to secure the coveted ‘Best Dressed Team’ title. To be in the running to be crowned the ‘Best Dressed Team’ and win an entry into the 2024 PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN both runners need to wear their outfits for the duration of the stage, from start to finish. Read more here: https://www.stillwatersports.com/news/dress-up-and-win-with-africanx/
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For additional information on the PICKLE JUICE AFRICANX TRAILRUN 3-Day Stage Race please visit www.stillwatersports.com, contact Stillwater Sports on 082 991 0045 or email [email protected].