The MERRELL Adventure Addicts cemented their position as South Africa’s blue-chip AR team with a near-flawless race at this week’s 500km Expedition Africa, presented by Kinetic. After more than 60 hours of non-stop racing, they claimed top of the podium ahead of local rivals Cyanosis and a gutsy Team Accelerate from the UK.
Outdoor events do not come more brutal or challenging than Expedition Africa. Imagine a grueling route through the southern Cape mountains, with teams of four running, mountain biking, hiking, paddling and canyoning through the night. Made up of a mix of both male and female athletes, these AR foursomes have to be totally self-sufficient and must navigate to check point’s using topographical maps and compasses.
Sleep on Expedition Africa is reduced to a compulsory 5hr break midway during the race, as well as the occasional snatch of shuteye in a ditch along the road or huddled together in a dark pine forest. This is adventure racing, the so-called ‘Sport of the Gods’, and it is certainly not for the faint-hearted.
The MERRELL Adventure Addicts definitely do not suffer from any heart condition, and so far their 2011 has been a massive year. Wins and podium places in events such as the Garden Route 300km MTB Challenge and a number of other events led to the GARMIN Wartrail, a 3-day suffer fest of extreme trail running, MTB and paddling in the remote northern part of the Eastern Cape. ‘The Addicts’ went ballistic along the course – 60km run, 130km bike and 60km paddle – to once more hold aloft some serious silverware.
However, the ultimate test of their ‘Merrell mettle’ was to be the brutal Expedition Africa, a true expedition-style, non-stop Adventure Race. This multi-disciplinary event, presented by Kinetic, combines the full gamut of adventure sports, and teams from all over SA (as well as a few international athletes) joined MERRELL Adventure Addicts on the start line in the village of Hermanus.
When the start gun went at dawn on Monday morning of May 9th, few racers better understood the pain and suffering that lay ahead. The MERRELL Adventure Addicts, however, never once showed any hesitation as they surged ahead with the 22 other teams to rise to the challenge. Awaiting them was a minimum of three days of racing along a 500km route crisscrossing the southern Cape mountains and the gorgeous Whale Coast.
“I knew this would be an extreme test of team dynamics, fitness and commitment”, said team captain Graham Bird, “but our build-up has been superb”. Tatum Prins, lone female ‘Addict’ and long-time stalwart agreed that the team had never been hungrier for glory: “These are ‘My Boys’, and God knows, I will go through hellfire with them”.
Before the end of Expedition Africa, the MERRELL Adventure Addicts figuratively did just this. They ran from Hermanus through the Fernkloof and Walker Bay Nature Reserves to Gansbaai (a quick mountain marathon), then got on their bikes for a 140km MTB crank to Bredasdorp. Now thoroughly warmed up, they trekked through the night along the ridgeline of the Grootrivier ranges to Salmonsdam Nature Reserve.
At the midway camp here race rules forced the team to rest for 5hrs after going full tilt for more than 30hrs with less than 15min sleep. So far, first position had been swapped a couple of times with Team Cyanosis, but MERRELL Adventure Addicts felt confident that they had broken the back of the race with a lead of just on one hours over their rivals.
The next bike leg took them into the night once again, this time finishing near Villiersdorp where a technical canyoning (or Kloofing) leg awaited them. With the help of head torches and maps they scrambled, crawled, jumped and abseiled their way along the rocky ravine to the top of Theewaterskloof Dam. Here two double kayaks awaited them, and they paddled onto the water in search of two checkpoints.
A final mountain biking leg saw them swooping through Bot River and to the Hamilton Russell vineyards beyond. They were on the home straight, but a final challenge awaited them along a short running orienteering course on this gorgeous wine estate. Then, after two and a half days of racing, the sweet taste of triumph awaited the tired but elated MERRELL Adventure Addicts as they biked the last few kilometres to the finish in Hermanus. In the end, they finished 3hrs ahead of Cyanosis, and nearly 5hrs ahead of 3rd placed Team Accelerate from the UK.
As one of the country’s top AR units, the Adventure Addicts needed to align themselves with a leading international brand, and Merrell was the obvious choice. “During an adventure race, we need to know that we can trust our shoes and gear one hundred per cent, but there is also the trust you must have in your sponsor. In Merrell we have it all, and through our racing we will continue to be the best brand ambassadors any company could ever wish for”.
Merrell is an internationally acknowledged leader in the footwear industry, but have in the past few decades broadened their focus to include quality outdoor apparel as part of their range. “We believe that our sponsorship enables the team to focus all their energy on racing“, said Jaco Steenkamp, spokesperson for Merrell (South Africa).
“With more than three decades of experience in the adventure business, we believe as much in the team as we do in our performance products”, continued Steenkamp, “and we encourage everyone to emulate the Adventure Addicts and get outside! We’ve got the gear and shoes to keep you going … further, faster, and in complete comfort”!
For more information on Team Merrell Adventure Addicts, their sponsors and upcoming races, check out the following web sites -:
Team Information – www.advaddicts.co.za
Main Sponsor – www.merrell.com
Expedition Africa – www.kineticgear.co.za
YouTube Video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jFBtYjuWF0
Images by Jacques Marais
