The first Tri The Karoo triathlon was staged in Graaff-Reinet on Saturday and provided a new experience for all competitors.
The aim of the event is not only to enable access to these types of races to more people in the region, but also to provide something that has fallen off the calendar in the Karoo in recent years — a mass participation swim, bike, run (and walk) platform for athletes of all fitness and skill levels.
The Kids Distance Event, comprising a 150m open-water swim, a 4km cycle and 1km run, provided the ideal stepping stone for youngsters and those weekend warriors taking their first strokes (and strides in triathlon), while the Tri FUN Mania saw corporate teams and families spend some special time together being active in the outdoors.
The Sprint Distance Event (750m open-water swim, a 20km cycle and a 5km run) provided the perfect distance for participants to get a feel for the sport and was also perfectly achievable for a complete beginner.
The main feature of the day was the Olympic Distance Event.
With the wet conditions, the 1,500m open-water swim, 40km tarmac and trail combination cycle and 10km run proved tough and technical, but the enthusiasm of the athletes and the level of racing proved there is a need for multi-sport events in future.
The men’s Olympic Distance Event was won by professional road-racing cyclist Marc Pritzen, followed by Jarod Jordan in second place and Bruce Campbell in third.
“The event was really good value for money and very well organised, everything from the registration to the goody bags and the course layout. I really enjoyed it,” Pritzen said
“The clean, clear water of the dam made for a magnificent start to a great event”, he added.
“The bike course was tough, but that is what you expect in the Karoo.
“The run leg saw participants running over the wall of the Nqweba Dam, which was awesome.
“There were a few challenging climbs on the run, but we were rewarded with well-stocked water points.
“The event was well supported by the local community as well as the sponsors.
“All in all, it was a fantastic day out and I can see it growing into a big race in the future.”
The women’s equivalent was clinched by Antonella Saporta, followed by Rousseau Snyman in second place and Joleen Roussouw in third, while team honours were clinched by the trio of Christo Stottelaar, Jaco van der Merwe and Sumene Jordaan.
The men’s sprint event was won by Alessandro Fannichi, who recently represented Team SA at the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games.
He was followed by Union High School pupil Ben Lemke in second place and Hanson Singaphi of Gqeberha third.
Jade Singleton grabbed the women’s sprint title and Graaff-Reinet’s Claire Lemke was second and Janiene Schwarz third.
The team sprint saw Anna Clarke, Ilze Nel and Marnice Pieterse on the podium, while the boys’ Kids Event was won by Laer Volkskool pupil Naude van der Merwe, followed by Mateo Schoeman, Mark Lemke and Daniel Davenport.
Union pupil Samantha Gilfillan was crowned the girls' Kid Event champion, with Layla Ott second and Katie Davenport third.
Amelia King, Lilly Hunter and Kari Stern were the first three in the Kids team race.
HeraldLIVE
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