RUNNING STRAND
Strand Athletics Club has been part of the Helderberg running landscape for over three decades, and like most good running stories, it started with a small group of passionate people and a simple idea.
Back in 1989, a handful of local runners felt something was missing. The only other running club in the Helderberg area had grown so big that its members were spread all over Cape Town and the Winelands. It became difficult to arrange social gatherings and a central weekly time trial. The local athletes felt that there was a need for a club which will be limited to runners residing only in the Helderberg. They wanted to build something local, something rooted in the Strand, Somerset West and Gordon’ s Bay community.
And so, the Strand Athletics Club was born.
The founding members included runners such as Jan Grobler, James Moolman, Johann Diener, Dawie Roussouw and Bram Fisher, along with a small group of equally committed athletes. Twelve members attended the founding meeting, and the new club, Strand Athletics, was approved as an official club by Western Province Athletics soon after. What was evident right from the start was the enthusiasm and belief they had for creating a club that welcomed runners of all abilities.
In those early days, Strand AC runners were easy to spot- proudly wearing white and yellow vests with“ STRAND” printed in blue on the chest, paired with royal blue shorts. It was a simple kit, but it carried plenty of pride. Many of the original photos from that era still live in personal collections and club archives, capturing a time when the club was finding its feet and its identity.
From those humble beginnings, the club grew steadily. Over the years, Strand AC has become one of the largest and most active athletics clubs in the Helderberg, with membership numbers reaching close to 450 members pre-COVID. Today, the club brings together road runners, trail runners, cross-country athletes, track athletes, social runners and ultra-distance specialists, all sharing the same roads, routes and sense of community.
Strand AC has always been about more than just running. The club has played an active role in league competitions,
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