120+ teams, 50km of bushveld wilderness, 38 degrees sunshine and a shimmering pond at the finish set the scene for an incredible day of racing. Both experienced and novice racers lined up at the start with equal amounts of enthusiasm and anticipation. Just after sunrise, we hit the ground running (some more tentatively than others), and were immediately rewarded with a herd of wildebeest joining us at the distance for the first leg of racing. What a wonderful way to start a race!
First time race organizers, Team Gijima, really went the extra mile to make the race exciting and enjoyable to all levels of racers, by
introducing plenty of route choices and special activities, not to mention the special treats, along the way. The abseil was exhilarating after the long bike ride (we love Gravity Training!) and the fudge was yummy, thank you very much! Another special touch was to use indigenous trees as Control Points – thereby expanding the racers’ indigenous tree knowledge and reminding us to look around and appreciate the beauty of our surroundings.
A huge thank you goes out to the venue hosts and all the sponsors for having the vision to support our sport. We’re looking forward to supporting you in return.
Christiaan, Landie, their families and the Gijima Team: Congratulations on putting together a fantastic race! It was impeccably organised and has most definitely set the standard for upcoming races in 2010. The size of the field, especially the amount of novice teams that entered, is certainly witness to the hunger and enthusiasm for races of this nature. We are inspired to step up to the plate and follow your example – and at the same time we are also looking forward to the second round…
Team A2A – Adele and Alwyn
Author: Adele, Adele@bild.co.za
Seringveld Diamond Dash 50km, Cullinan, Saturday 20 Februay 2010