ASK NOT FOR AN EASY RACE BUT FOR THE SPIRIT TO COMPLETE A DIFFICULT ONE
Or – If at first you don’t succeed, redefine success.
Some of you may have considered finishing within the cutoff to be the mark of success. In that case, you all failed. However, choosing to turn up at a Vasbyt event and face failure knowing that it is but a part of the process of a much greater success, you have already won a greater reward. Respect to all of you!
The Vasbyt 36hr course was set to test and challenge teams physically, mentally and navigationally – yet still be achievable. The routes are not set for “afkak” but are rather courses in line with what I have experienced racing internationally over 15 years. With Vasbyt, I am committed to raising the level of expertise in South Africa so that our teams can be equipped to compete admirably against the global racers.
If you were pushed beyond comfortable, if you learned something, if you wanted to quit at least once, but chose to continue, if you marveled at the beauty and recognized the unique opportunity you were offered to be exactly where you were, our event was a success. I’ll admit I doubted it at times, when the potjie was getting cold all afternoon and anxious supporters were demanding answers, but messages like these reconfirm we did the right thing:
“Thanks again for putting on another legendary event 😁. I love your style of races! Tough, honest and no fuss. Just a good way to test ourselves and see some incredible places on the way.”
We tried to always reward effort with views and clever nav with clear advantages. It was awesome to watch the tracking and see dots charging off in all directions heading to the same destination. It was awful to lose the tracking and not know where some teams were for most of Saturday, but we had to keep reminding ourselves that you could call, you could find someone out there to help if you needed, and you were actually just out there doing what you came here to do.
Thank you again, everyone, for trusting us even though you knew it would be difficult and putting yourselves out there.
Circumstances forced the decision of going undercover in terms of media coverage and satellite tracking. We are confident we made the right decision in going ahead and although it’s unfortunate we couldn’t share your experiences with the public we don’t think it was to the detriment of anyone’s race experience. Instead, we ask you guys now, as disciples of this style of adventure racing, to spread the word and encourage others.
The Vasbyt 36hr course had five legs. First 20km trek leg took the teams into the Ezemvelo Wildlife Park to the top of Siphongweni (just under 2300m) with a spectacular 270-degree view of the Drakensberg escarpment, before dropping off to one of the Drakensberg’s best bushman paintings cave. The second leg was a 31km paddle down the uMzimkhulu river, followed by an easy 22km mountain bike leg across to the second trek leg. With curfew in place and the need to keep the teams at a “place of residence” overnight – we had a 32km (1800m ascent) loop on Sunset Farm in the Marwaqa mountains. Navigation on this leg was tough at night, but easier during daylight. The final leg was a 100km MTB with over 2000m of climbing. Sections of tough navigation requiring navigators to continually concentrate on the features.
The Vasbyt 12hr course was designed to be a bit more basic, giving distance and time on the legs but less chance for choice and strategy. A quick 1.5km run to the put in for a 7km paddle down the uMzimkhulu river, followed by a 12km trek around the base of Sangwana mountain with the final leg a 36km MTB back to the finish. This course had the right balance of introductory basics with a touch of tricky navigation. The 7 teams, though tired where all elated at the finish.
The Vasbyt 6hr course was a butterfly layout of four looped legs set around our host farm, Khotso, that allowed teams to decide how much they wanted to do based on fitness and skill levels. Navigation was basic with Google Earth images and Open Topo Maps used. The highlight for the three family teams that entered was the 2.5km of tubing down the uMzimkhulu river but for us it was watching the special bonds forged amongst families racing together.
View Results and Course Maps here
A huge thank you to Merrell for their continued support and belief as we strive to get people out into the GREAT OUTDOORS.
As with any route that covers over 200km, there are many landowners and people who assisted us with logistics who need to be thanked.
- Khotso Lodge – The legendary Steve and Lulu Black and their team – whose venue was perfect for hosting all three events.
- Gordon Mackenzie from CHEP for all his assistance in helping me identify landowners and giving us permission to go through large portions of the CHEP plantations.
- Iain & Janine Rennie from Sunset Farms – their farm provided the curfew compliant “overnight residence” for the 36hr and magnificent Marwaqa Mountains for the challenging leg 4.
- John Eustace from Moyeni farm – Leg 4 on the 36hr crossed onto parts of John’s farm.
- Ezemvelo Wildlife granted us permission to do the initial 20km trek through a protected nature reserve.Reserve manager, Thanduxolo Nomatshila and Park Ecologist, Sonja Krüger.
- Sani Spoors Trails allowed us to use the farm for TA1, swing bridge over the river and MTB trails around Khotso. Ian Bonsma and Derek Christie.
- Nick & Steve Williamson, Des Dukes – for use of their land and plantations in the final MTB legs on the 36hr and 12hr routes.
- Bryan Hein – farm used on the trek leg on the 12hr.
- Trev Thursten, Murray Turner, Marc Anderson, Colin Wilson, Chippy Watson, Adrian Hoffman, Nick Grice – whose farms we passed through on the MTB and Trek legs.
- Tanya Barkhuisen, Angela and Danica Atlenroxel, Dylan Weyers – who all jumped in and helped us marshall when things got a bit hectic on Friday at TA1 & TA2.
- Katie Corfe – for marshalling at TA2 36hr
- Kate and Chris Birkett – for giving up their Saturday to marshall at TA3 36hr
- Adrian Thomas – for assisting with 12hr logistics and TA1 12hr
- Nikki and Daniel Smit – for marshalling at TA2 12hr
- Underberg Emergency Medical Services – who go unnoticed until needed
- Rory Scheffer for getting some images on day 1.