The MED, a 24-hour adventure race, was held in Wilderness on Saturday, October 29. This event has taken place for 11 consecutive years.
The race comprises cycling, swimming, trail running and paddling.
Jan Heenop of 24-7 Adventure event management company, said "I feel proud about the fact that 24-7 Adventure can host an event with the focus to make a difference in people’s lives."
Athletes took part in pairs and in relay teams. The 150km course was divided into eight legs in the following sequence: 4km paddle, 10km kloofing, 35km MTB, 25km hike, 35km MTB, 16km paddle, 20km beach run, and finally a 4km paddle to finish.
The overall winners were a junior team of Knysna. Brandon Wilcocks and Nick Cuthbert, both of Oakhill School, became the youngest team members to win the MED 150 endurance race. They were the first male competitors to cross the finish line in a time of 14 hours. They won prize money of R10 000. The team who obtained second place in the male category is a veteran team of Plettenberg Bay (James Stewart and Voitec Orczechovski), while a mixed team of Port Elizabeth came third.
Nina Orzechowski and Mikayla Olivier of Oakhill School were the youngest female competitors to win this race, and despite taking a wrong turn and doing an extra hour of cycling through some very steep passes, managed to catch up and overtake the leading female team from the Eastern Cape, to win the overall female category.
Oakhill school is very proud of these two teams who won both the male and female senior categories of the race.
In conclusion Heenop said that aspirant participants should enter well in advance for the 2012 MED, adding that 24-7 Adventures will also present a 100km mountain-biking event at Saasveld on December 17 and a 100km, three-day trail run in the Knysna Forest at the end of April next year.
For more information visit the website, www.24-7adventure.com.
Nina Orzechowski and Mikayla Olivier during a paddling leg of the Merrel Eden Duo.
