TRAIL
lost on loop two . Disqualified after missing the time cut-off , he earned the dubious honour of the fastest DQ in SBBU history , marked by a solemn bagpipe rendition of Taps .
2 The Young Guns :
• Christopher ‘ C-Dawg ’ Dendrinos , 18 , became the youngest-ever solo 100km finisher , wrapping up the challenge just days before his Matric maths final .
• Kai ‘ Achilles Heel ’ Broom , 19 , drove straight to Mooi River after finishing his first-year medical exams in Pretoria , making it just in time for the race briefing , and then going on to claim the second-youngest finisher spot .
This is Sparta !
If you ’ d like to read more about the original SBBU event in Joburg , here is a post-run report on the 2024 SBBU Joburg , published in our April 2024 edition .
3 Team Spirit : The all-girls ‘ Netball Stars ’ became the youngest girls-only team to finish .
4 Against All Odds : ‘ Crazy Hazy ’ Moller smashed her knee on loop two , but pushed through to finish the 100-mile solo challenge – a feat of both grit and mental depravity !
5 Top Supporters : Two top supporters who ensured that they were always available to support the crews were Kim ( mom to Jade ) and Jen ( wife to Garry ). No matter the hour or the conditions , they stayed the course for the full event . It was incredible endurance and commitment from these two wonderful people .
6 Who paid the Piper ? The event had 3 DNFs ( Did
Not Finish ):
• As mentioned , Irish Spartan was disqualified on loop 2 .
• Lara Croft and Andy quit after completing loop 12 .
7 Jade O ’ Shea : With her running partner Yvette , Jade O ’ Shea embodied the event ’ s ethos of resilience and community . Her passion brought the SBBU to Treverton , and though she couldn ’ t complete the full 100km , her resolve to take on the challenge solo next year is already inspiring others . After the event , she wrote these words :
“ Most importantly , a special shout out to Ange ( my gogo ), who got diagnosed with cancer at the end of
2023 . Thank you for showing me what true bravery and dedication looks like . Despite having to go through chemo and radiation therapy , you didn ’ t just do it with a smile on your face , but you made sure everyone around you was okay . I hope I got to make you proud , this one ’ s for you !”
Looking at the Numbers
There were many thoughts as to whether a TRAIL versus ROAD version of the SBBU would affect finish times and if so how . Johnny Cobra therefore analysed the various finish times between the recent SBBU events to see if the numbers would reveal the difference :
• SBBU 1 ( Johannesburg ): 23 x 100km Challengers – 79 % success rate
• SBBU 2 ( Johannesburg ): 33 x 100km Challengers – 88 % success rate
• SBBU 3 ( Johannesburg ): 45 x 100km Challengers – 89 % success rate
• SBBU 4 ( Treverton ): 11 x 100km Challengers – 73 % success rate
More importantly , SBBU Treverton raised over R53,000 for CHOC , bringing the total funds raised for the charity from the various SBBU Challenges to over R1.1 million .
SBBU Treverton , with its inspired course and surroundings , set a new benchmark for what this unique event can achieve . From the youngest finishers to the most seasoned veterans , every Spartan Baby left their mark , and as the ever-encouraging Johnny Cobra declared , “ Remember this day , for it will be yours for all time .”
The Spartan Baby Badass Ultra returns in 2025 with races in Johannesburg , Treverton , and Cape Town . Will you rise to the challenge ? Follow the SBBU ’ s Instagram page at https :// www . instagram . com / sbbu _ official for more information .
45