The Salomon Skyrun is a gruelling 105km run across the Witteberg Mountains, the highest point of the course in excess of 2 700m above sea level. The race started in Lady Grey and those competing in the Skyrun Lite had a tough day traversing the ridge-lines of the Witteberg to finish their conquest 65km later at the very remote Balloch Farm.
For those taking on the whole 105km beast, their Skyrun journey also started in Lady Grey and Balloch Farm became a transition point, where the athletes had the opportunity to replenish their food and drink, before having to embark on another 40km circuit, which again climbed up onto the mountain ridge-lines to eventually finish at the Wartrail Country Club.
The start gun sounded at 04:00 and it was a full house of Garden Route participants racing their way to Balloch and finally Wartrail Country Club.
Climbing steadily into the ever thinning air, those who had travelled up from sea level, soon felt the negative effects of the higher altitudes. In addition to lower oxygen levels, temperatures were dropping and gale force winds took the place of the calm way below. Thunder and lightning added to the drama unfolding.
Svelka Sharp, a novice to the Skyrun Lite, took everything thrown at her in her stride, and was the eighth lady across the 65km finish line at Balloch in a time of 12 hours 55 minutes.
James 'Lettuce' Stewart and fellow Penny pinchers AR Team mate, Garth Pienke from the Eastern Cape, thrived in the challenging conditions. With a year of hard racing under their belts, these seasoned endurance athletes were as solid as ever as they made their way to Wartrail Country Club. The Pennypinchers Team had only a week before, taken on the 150km, non-stop Eden Duo endurance event. Both achieved 31st place tie in a time of 25 hours 46 minutes and were two of only 81 participants who completed the full course out of the 147 starters.
Chris Crewdson, having worked on the prestigious mountain bike fundraiser, the Nedbank Tour De Tuli earlier in the year, opted to dedicate his Skyrun to raising awareness of the NPO - Children In The Wilderness, the nominated beneficiary of the Tour de Tuli. He joined up with my fellow Penny pinchers AR Team mates in the last 30km, who were instrumental in getting him through the race to end up as third master across the line in the same 25 hours 46 minutes.
Jeff Wilcocks also of the Penny pinchers AR Team outfit, made it his mission to mentor novice, Svelka Sharp, through the course to Balloch, before embarking on his equally heroic journey to the Wartrail finish line, as he too had also just taken on the Eden Duo just a week before. Wilcocks completed the full Skyrun in a time of 28 hours 44 minutes. Marco Coetzee unfortunately picked up a virus which had a hugely detrimental impact on his race, despite his comprehensive preparation training on the Tsitsikamma trails. Coetzee's race sadly ended at Balloch.
The runners thanked their ever-busy seconds Bev Coetzee and Gisele Crewdson.
The conquerors of the 2012 Salomon Skyrun (from left): Garth Pienke, James 'Lettuce' Stewart, Jeff Willcocks, Svelka Sharp, Marco Coetzee and Chris Crewdson. (Photo: Bev Coetzee)
