KNYSNA NEWS - Having been raised in Sedgefield and Knysna as an active child running free in the area’s wildernesses, it is not entirely surprising that John Collins broke the record in that most challenging of off-road races, the OTTER African Trail Run. On Saturday, September 24 John Collins and about 160 other athletes took on this 42km, 5-day hiking route through rough and diverse terrain, with the aim of completing it within 10 hours. John Collins, however, was adamant to complete the run within only five hours.

Rampaging home in a blistering 4h 56min, he managed to break the five-hour barrier, only the second time in history, and also broke the record time set by the first athlete to do so last year, KZN runner Iain Don-Wauchope (4h 59min). He was chased all the way by Plettenberg Bay’s Victor Gugushe, who missed the five-hour mark by an agonising 12 seconds, and Dominic Simms who claimed third position. In the ladies category, Jaqueline Haasbroek duelled it out with Katja Sogget, the former claiming victory in a new ladies’ record time of 5h 34min.
However, Collins’ and Haasbroek’s reigns as Otter champions were short-lived short-lived.

On Monday, September 27 the OTTER African Trail Run took place again, this time as part of the six-day Southern Storm Duathlon. A dog-fight of a run saw last saw Don-Wauchope slug it out with Knysna doctor André Gie. In the end Gie took it by 9 seconds, charging home across the Floating Bridge literally metres ahead of Wauchope, and in a new record time of 4h 48min. Jeannie Bomford took to the trail and delivered an impeccable display of trail running, claiming a clear victory over the other ladies with an untouchable time of 5h 17min.
The concept of the OTTER Africa Trail Run was the collective brainchild of brothers John and Mark Collins, the key partners in the event organising company Magnetic South. Together with Hi-Tec and Plettenberg Bay Tourism, they forged a partnership with SANParks to make the impossible dream of running a 42km off-road marathon along an unspoilt wilderness coastline a reality.
It was John’s life-long dream to have his name inscribed on the Otter Grail, a trophy honouring all sub-5-hour competitors. In order to achieve this he had to run a flawless 42km burst, negotiating plunging sea cliffs, loose rocks, cascading waves, sandy beaches, treacherous tree roots, gruelling climbs and at least three river crossings.
According to event organiser Mark Collins, the key ethos around the OTTER African Trail Run focuses on environmental preservation. "The only way we can make this 100% sustainable for competitors, landowners and the outdoor tribe is to be untouchable when it comes to how we treat the environment. It is a sad fact that we leave the trail in a better condition than what we find it in; this year we removed more than 70 plastic dry-bags left behind by hikers who cross at Bloukrans."


Jeannie Bomford is the official holder of the ladies record for the fastest time to complete the gruelling 42km all-terrain Otter trail. Her impeccable run sets the new record time at 5h 17min.