The culmination of the 19th Adventure Racing World Championship was celebrated at the Cape St Francis Resort, with the Swedish Armed Forces Adventure Team taking first place.
The awards ceremony was held in a marquee on Saturday night, with torrential rain bucketing down as it did for most of the week, making the 830km race even tougher.
Display screens were moved indoors to allow family and friends to watch in comfort but the competitors embraced the wet to cheer on the winners with thunderous applause and revel in the stories of how the different teams fared.
The Swedish team’s captain, John Karlsson, thanked the organisers, his teammates and the competing teams, declaring “from the bottom of my heart, this will be a memory to last for my lifetime”.
The 106 four-member teams from all over the world set out from close to Alexandria on Thursday, navigating by map and GPS to the control points across the Karoo, through the Baviaanskloof and along the Kouga coast, mountain biking, trekking, kayaking and abseiling to race through the day and night.
Race organisers Expedition Africa honoured every participant, announcing their names and presenting them with their medals.
Finishers were ranked according to how much of the course they completed, with 45 teams from 16 countries having finished the full course, visiting every checkpoint.
Of the three teams comprising one or more Nelson Mandela Bay representatives, two visited every checkpoint — Truffle Hunters came in 36th after 196 hours and 27 minutes, and Mountain Mammoth came in 44th after 211 hours and 18 minutes.
Due to bad weather, Ubhejane, made up of PE Mountain Club members, were unluckily forced to skip the abseiling leg, which would have been their strongest, and finished in an unofficial 213 hours and 35 minutes.
Hundreds of thousands of race followers from all over the world followed the race through a live social media link, and Saturday’s awards ceremony provided a chance for the teams to see the footage.
Each member of the winning team was presented with a specially commissioned trophy of a lion, made by renowned sculptor Abel van de Merwe, who took part in the race with team Bloed en Omo.
Van der Merwe, 71, was also one of the oldest competitors in the race.
Expedition Canada was officially announced as the host for the 2025 Adventure Racing World Championship, which will take place from Penticton in British Columbia.
Kouga Municipality mayor Hattingh Bornman said the race had brought immense benefits to the region.
“It has showcased our stunning landscapes and hospitality to a global audience and bolstered the local economy through increased tourism,” he said.
“It has created jobs, increased business for local establishments and fostered a sense of community pride and camaraderie.
“The international spotlight on our region has attracted visitors and investment opportunities, leaving a lasting positive impact on our community.”
HeraldLIVE