TRAIL RUNNING |
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It was a mild winter ’ s morning on the 8th of July in 1981 when the Mozambican Air Force pilot guided his Soviet-made MIG-17 off the runway , but instead of climbing to the planned operational altitude , Lieutenant Adriano Bomba kept his ageing fighter jet flying low and westward , guiding his aircraft to breach South African airspace over the Kruger National Park . One can just imagine the tension in the radar station at 1 Air Defence Unit Detachment on top of Mariepskop , where the highaltitude position gave their equipment a clear view well into Mozambican airspace . |
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The personnel manning the radar station triggered a high priority response to the threat , and two South African Air Force Mirage F1AZ fighters were immediately despatched to intercept the intruding aircraft , forcing it to land at Hoedspruit Air Force Base . It later transpired that Lt Bomba wanted to defect to South Africa , but with the immediate threat to South African airspace extinguished , a collective sigh of relief and celebration happened high up in the radar station , its raison d ’ etre vindicated by the day ’ s outcome .
View from the Top
The reason Mariepskop was chosen by the SA Defence Force as an ideal site for a radar station is because it rises over a kilometre above the surrounding lowveld to a provincial-high of 1945m . This height is what gives it a clear view all the way into Mozambique and Zimbabwe , and provides a perfect lookout to protect national airspace . Now , almost 41 years to the day later , I found myself looking up at that radar station , and my thoughts turned to anxiety , realising that first thing in the morning , I would be starting the Kruger2Canyon Challenge Trail Run , and
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The Mozambican fighter jet flown by Lt Adriano Bomba when he defected to South Africa in 1981
heading up to its lofty perch on what looked like a sheer vertical face .
It is claimed that the name Mariepskop comes from the 19th century chief of the Mapulana tribe , Maripe Mashile , and it is also known as Thaba ya Moholoholo ( Mountain of the Very Great One ). During the tribal wars of that time , this mountain with its sheer cliffs on almost all sides made for a secure stronghold from which to defend against regular attacks by the Swazis and Zulus .
I was surprised to learn that Mariepskop is actually part of the Drakensberg . It is , after all , just outside Hoedspruit in the Lowveld , but I suppose that like many others , I associate the Drakensberg with the mountains of KZN and the Free State , where it forms a natural border with Lesotho . However , the
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Drakensberg range actually extends for over 1100km , forming the divide between our lower lying coastal regions and the high inland plateau , and presides over five of our nine provinces , claiming each one ’ s highest point .
On the Wish List
The Kruger2Canyon is hosted by KZN Trail Running , the domain of Andrew Booth , who boasts a number of quality trail runs across the country . His passion for the sport , nature and the country is evident when you see the man in action at his events , which include the Lesotho Ultra Trail , Drakensberg Northern Trail and the pinnacle race , the Karkloof 100 Miler .
When his Kruger2Canyon event first appeared on my friend Warren ’ s radar , it was a no-brainer for me , as it had already been on my ‘ wish list ’ for some time , and
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Images : Courtesy KZN Trail Running , Stefano Migliore |
The author on his way up Mariepskop |