trail run

Our family is growing and we're offering the next generation of trail running champions a chance to compete for FREE! 

In the last 10 years we’ve seen the Trail Series® grow exponentially, becoming the country’s biggest and only national short course trail series. A series that is fit for all types of runners, whether a racing snake or a leisurely stroller. It has become a fun outing for the whole family and as we’ve watched our family grow over the years at the Spur Trail Series® we’d really like to include them in our celebrations.

So as part of our 10-year anniversary, Wildrunner is offering all kids under the age of 10 the opportunity to run the Spur Trail Series® for free.

Please email info@wildrunner.co.za with your child’s name, age and school and we’ll send you a promo code for them to enter.

Race information:

Please follow the link for more information. 

T’s and C’s (Terms and Conditions)

1. Applicable for any child 10 years or younger on the day of the first race.
2. Applicable to the short course only.
3. Only applicable via pre-registration. (ie. Have to enter online, does not apply to on the day entries).

On another incredibly hot summer day in Gauteng more than 500 runners showed up at the final race of the Spur Gauteng Summer Trail Series® at Leeuwenkloof to cap off a fantastic Series of trail running. 

There was to be no respite from the incredibly hot Gauteng summer and by 7am the thermometer was already close to 30 degrees Celsius. Some runners succumbed to the heat and had to pull out of the race to find comfort and an ice cold drink in the shady finish area, but the majority showed their grit and determination and pushed through to finish what has been a tough Series because of the sweltering weather conditions throughout.

Fidel Ncube showed his strength in the 13.8km long course Championship race and beat his closest competition by almost five minutes, making it two out of two wins for this Series, as he crossed the line in 55:00. Unfortunately, he couldn’t take part in a third race this summer and missed out on the Series title because of this but we’re sure he’ll be back in winter to claim his first Championship title. Nicky Ndhlovu and Daniel Jenner were locked in a head-to-head battle for second place, with Ndhlovu just pipping Jenner to the line by four seconds in a time of 59:49. The overall Championship title went to Tim Cable who secured his victory after three consistent performances in the first three races of the Series.

The ladies long course Championship title went to the talented Maphuti Phaka who came back to claim her third victory in three races. Phaka excelled in the heat and there was simply no competition as she raced across the line in 1:05:08 - more than eight minutes ahead of the second placed lady. Benita Kritzinger took second place with her time of 1:13:14 while Michelle Ronne completed the podium in 1:15:35.

Youngsters taught a lesson by experience
In the 8.8km short course Challenge the 33-year-old Ryan Mathaba beat several younger runners to the line, proving that youth doesn’t always beat experience. Mathaba timed his race perfectly and pulled away from 16-year-old Ezra Ferreira in the final stages of the race to beat him by 30 seconds in a time of 33:15. Third across the line was another youngster, Janco Ferreira in a time of 34:58. With this victory Mathaba made it three out of three to wrap up yet another Challenge title.

Anita O’Brien had to settle for second place on the day behind a blistering Jeannie de Beer who came home in 40:43, but her consistent strong performances at the first three races of the Series meant she wrapped up the Series ahead of the young de Beer. On the day, O’Brian crossed the line 44:05 with third place going to Abby Long in a time of 49:15.

The competition in the younger categories is very encouraging and, with five runners under the age of 17 placing in the top ten, we are looking forward to trail running in Gauteng and South Africa becoming stronger and stronger as these youngsters move onto the main stage.

A massive thank you to our sponsors, Spur Steak Ranches, BOS Ice Tea, Protea Hotels and Graham Beck Wines, for their amazing support during the year. We look forward to a much cooler visit to Gauteng in June 2016 for the Spur Gauteng Winter Trail Series®. But first, we’re heading to Cape Town for the Spur Cape Summer Trail Series® in January.

Click here for full results and here for more photos.
 

SERIES RESULTS
Short course Challenge Series 
Open men

1. Ryan Mathaba
2. Janco Erasmus
3. Henco Erasmus

Open women

1. Anita o’Brien
2. Jeannie de Beer
3. Elzani Smith

Veteran men

1. Chris Dorfling
2. Patrick Mynhardt
3. Carlos Teixeira

Veteran women

1. Phylis de Fouw
2. Marisa Marais
3. Brenda Taylor

Master men

1. Johnie Jonker
2. Rainier Ludwig
3. Carl Fickenscher

Master women

1. Sonja Bohnsack
2. Mariana Kinnear
3. Karen Stander

Junior

1. Ezra Ferreira
2. Daniel Rademan
3. Xavier Nel

Minimee

1. Ian de Fouw
2. Caleb Rademsn
3. Daniel Ellis

Peewee

1. Luke Fritz
2. Corne de Fouw
3. Matthew Vaughan

Long course Championship series
Open men

1. Tim Cable
2. Sheldon George
3. Pierre Poulain

Open women

1. Maphuti Phaka
2. Mari de Jager
3. Anrie van Wyk

Veteran men

1. Frans Bonokwane
2. Attie Chambers
3. Nick Reed

Veteran women

1. Benita Kritzinger
2. Lana Dyer
3. Anke Langenhorst

Master men

1. Jay Bradley
2. Brian Chamberlain
3. Herman van der Merwe

Master women

1. Santie Kelsey
2. Sonja van der Vyver
3. Beate Schulte-Brader

The Spur Gauteng Summer Trail Series® and Spur Cape Summer Trail Series® will once again be broadcast on SuperSport this summer. Make sure you run the races and get caught on camera by our paparazzi and then tune in on the following dates to check out the shows. Who knows, this could be your 15 seconds of fame!



Please note, these dates and times are subject to change. Please check final broadcast times closer to the time.

You would have been forgiven if you thought the third race of the Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ took place on a summer’s day as the sun shone down on over 900 trail runners at the Taal Monument in Paarl.

Traditionally known as the fastest course of the Series, this year was no different with the winners of both the long and short courses putting in scintillating performances as they blitzed their way around the Paarl Mountain Reserve before finishing at the inspiring Taal Monument.

In the 13.5km long course Championship, Tsungai Mwanengeni and Liandi van der Westhuyzen took control of the Series as they both claimed their second victories of the current Series. They now only need to put in another consistent performance of the final race of the Series to secure the title.

Mwanengeni showed the value of his experience as he beat the young gun, Raydon Balie to the line in the 13.5km Championship race in a time of 55:58. Balie wasn’t far behind in 57:44 and it’s clear that with a bit more experience he is going to become a tough competitor on the trails. Third over the line was Damian Will in 58:23 as he made it onto the podium for the first time in the Championship.

Liandi van der Westhuyzen was back in top spot after losing out on first place at the second race of the Series as she crossed the line as the first lady in a time of 1:09:52. The second lady home was the relatively unknown Helen Wolfaardt in 1:11:54 while Ellie Courts showed that she just gets better with age as she came home in third place in a time of 1:12:48.

Short course battle shapes up
The racing has been exhilarating in the short course Challenge and this weekend was no different as Dawood Goeieman, Llewelyn Jacobs, Eugene Poss, Andre Afrika, Daniel Arendse and Bruzano Britz continued their fast-paced battle at the front of the short course field. 

This week Goeieman managed to cross the line in the front as he blitzed the 7.5km course in 31:04. Only 17 seconds later, Andre Afrika took second place in 31:21. Third and fourth place was split by just four seconds as Eugene Poss claimed third across the line in 31:39 with Llewelyn Jacobs breathing down his neck.

Liezl du Plooy took full advantage of the perfect conditions and secured her first win of the Series as she romped home in 42:50, just ahead of Lynn Brennan who was across the line in 43:27. Third lady home in the short course was Karen le Roux in a time of 49:55.

It was a spectacular day on the trails for all involved and we can’t wait to take on the fourth race of the Series in two weeks’ time at Kleinmond. With the quality of running we’ve experienced thus far, the racing at the final race is sure to give us some more quality times in another stunning location. Click here to get your entry for this race now!

A big thank you to all the runners for the support and for making our events super special and also to our sponsors, Spur Steak Ranches, BOS Ice Tea, Protea Hotels and Graham Beck, who play a big part in the Spur Trail Series™ success.

Click here for results and here for photos.