TRAIL

The Dryland Traverse has long been a semi-secret favourite event that Southern and Eastern Cape locals raved about , but which never quite hit the trail running mainstream … until German star Marcel Höche and New Zealand ’ s Daniel Jones were invited into the African hinterland by Capetonian and fellow TERREX teammate , Bianca Tarboton .

Once these international stars were in the Klein Karoo , the Swartberg Mountains worked their dark magic , intoxicating the visitors with their beauty as they were wowed by the jagged peaks , deep green gorges , babbling brooks and pristine fynbos , but the racing at the front end of the field was still frenetic . Jones and Höche dominated the event , claiming four stage wins out of four , but they were pushed the whole way by the Oudtshoorn locals , Underson Ncube and John April , former winners of the event . After four days of racing , the TERREX team ’ s winning margin was just seven minutes and one second !

“ I had a really great time here at Dryland Traverse . The people , the trails , the atmosphere … to be fair , this whole event has just been unreal . We had some good racing , too , with Underson and John – they pushed us hard every day ,” said Jones with his distinctive Kiwi accent . “ I think the big thing about this event is the community aspect . It has atmosphere in spades . We had lots of good yarns with the other runners and the food was amazing . And of course , we had the fancy dress party … which is why I sounded a little bit dusty on the last day . But , hey , I had a great time getting hooked into the old brandy and Cokes !”

In the mixed category Tarboton cantered to the title with boyfriend , Robbert Tweddle . “ I ’ ve had the best weekend at Dryland Traverse , it exceeded all my expectations ,” she said with a huge grin . “ Everything was amazing , from the food , to the runs , the party , and just the general atmosphere . I felt very privileged to be a part of it .”

South African ’ s Landie and Christiaan Greyling made their Dryland Traverse return after a sevenyear absence and won the solo women ’ s and men ’ s categories respectively . “ It ’ s great to be back at the Dryland Traverse and to be welcomed like family by the Dryland crew ,” Christiaan Greyling praised . “ I think more elite athletes should come and run here ahead of Ultra-Trail Cape Town – not just the locals , but also the internationals , who could then blend a good race with some sightseeing , too .”

Men ’ s Teams

1 . TERREX ( Marcel Höche & Daniel Jones ) 4:49:45

2 . Oudtshoorn Locals ( Underson Ncube & John April ) 4:56:47

3 . Co-Xplorers ( Louis le Grange & Johardt van Heerden ) 5:37:42

Women ’ s Teams

1 . Zebras ( Nadia Enslin & Karen Wentzel ) 7:23:21

2 . Twinzees ( Elrita Blignaut & Hanri Wagener ) 7:29:37

3 . Tough Cookies ( Britt Milne & Diane Jonker 8:02:56

Mixed Teams

1 . TERREX ( Bianca Tarboton & Robert Tweddle ) 5:54:04

2 . Last Minute ( Julius de Clercq & Rose de Jonge ) 6:43:24

3 . Net 1 Bier ( Andre Gerber & Eugenie Lombard ) 7:14:42

Dan Jones and Marcel Höche

Rob Tweddle and Bianca Tarboton

Landie and Christiaan Greyling one of us would break the silence with our running joke-slash-mantra : “ We ’ re making this race our b #$* h .” Without fail , the words would make us laugh , lifting our spirits and reminding us that we can do this , and that laughter is indeed the best medicine .

As we neared the final stretch , I could feel my knee protesting ever louder , but the thought of returning to De Hoek Resort kept me going . The course looped back towards the resort , and the familiar sight of the finish line spurred me into a final burst of energy . When we crossed the finish line , despite the physical discomfort , there was a deep sense of achievement , knowing we had not only overcome the challenge of the day , but had done so with a smile . We were indeed making this race our b #$* h !

Parting the Night Away

After the gruelling 25.6km of Stage 2 , the evening brought a completely different kind of adventure : The legendary Dryland Traverse party . This year ’ s theme , “ Karoony Tunes ,” encouraged everyone to channel their favourite cartoon characters , and the result was nothing short of spectacular . The energy shifted from physical endurance to pure creative fun as runners transformed themselves into iconic characters .

I embraced my inner fairy and dressed as Tinkerbell – wings , elven ears and all – but Mirri had apparently missed the memo about the theme . When she dashed into a costume store , she picked out a hippie outfit that she liked , only realising later that it didn ’ t fit the cartoon theme , but we just laughed about it and improvised a backstory , and she became ‘ Hippy Barbie .’ Sean went as ‘ Runella de Trail ,’ a brilliant twist on Cruella de Ville , and his outfit was a riot , complete with dramatic makeup , accessories and even a stuffed bra . It soon became a bit of a joke that just two weeks into our marriage , I was already helping my husband cross-dress and lending him lingerie . The humour of the situation , combined with Sean ’ s flair , set the tone for a night of laughter and lighthearted fun .

The creativity on display was incredible . From the Flintstones to the Minions , the effort that the runners put into their costumes was truly inspiring . Everywhere you looked , there were colourful characters , clever interpretations , and a joyful spirit that captured the essence of the Dryland Traverse .

Ready for the Karoony Tunes party !

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