ExpAfrica: They’re taking Ifidi

This morning started slowly with the first teams taking longer than expected to pop out of the main Royal Natal National Park and on to the ridge and road leading up to the Sentinal car park.

The front teams were around 1.5 to two hours behind schedule at that point (they seem to be back on schedule tonight). Surprise-surprise was seeing Capestorm WCAD out front. Our eyes were on the teams weaving along the hiking trail when lo-and-behold we see WCAD coming along the fence line at Witsieshoek. They said that they saw a trail leading up from the cave and took it. It led upwards on to the ridge and onto another trail along the fence. This route gave them a decent lead over the other teams, who they were watching on the other side of the valley. Raidlight were leading a choo-choo-train with Tecnu, Silva and Merrell Adventure Addicts when they arrived at this CP.

WCAD weren’t expecting to be upfront even though they kept their ground for hours as the other teams caught and overtook on the trail to the Chain Ladders.

Speaking to teams up on the mountain it seemed that many were aiming to take Ifidi Pass. This is the one that is more rough than Rockeries but the overall route is shorter. Reasons for taking Ifidi include:

1. Shorter route overall.
2. First route off the mountain.
3. Daylight available to do the worst of the Pass before dark.
4. Racers struggling with altitude afflictions – from headaches to vomiting. Their teams want the soonest descent.

Having arrived back at the hotel I see that many of the South Africans have taken Ifidi, while the foreigners are going for Rockeries. As we can’t see their tracks up top it is hard to say much suffice that Cyanosis (10th at the chain ladders) and Red Ants (took Ifidi) may have made up a chunk of time (from the Chain Ladders) on Silva, Raidlight, Sweco and co.

Interestingly, race organiser Stephan Muller had his money on Rockeries Pass BUT with the focus on it being the best option in the dark, which is the situation a majority of the teams will find themselves in. Up on top it seemed that many of these were keen to take Ifidi too…

One of our race volunteers has just returned. He says he went down Ifidi two weeks ago. Says that parts can take 2hrs for one kilometre… Cyanosis et al have really done well on this part.

Teams at the back are moving very slowly. Descending late this afternoon I saw CQS / Big Swing, Bad Medicine and Hakuna Matata will edging towards the Chain Ladder. According to the marshals it seems they were clear of the waterfall (CP6) only at 17h15. Sunset is around 17h30… They’d do well to walk a bit, set up camp, have a good sleep and to move at first light. They would benefit more from a good rest than from progressing even slower in the dark.

As for the other teams – I had the fortune of seeing all of them today…

Some racers are looking fabulous, enjoying the trekking. Others are very, very tired. And I was surprised to see some people hobbling on sore feet. The waterfall is probably around 30-35km into the race. Way too soon to have sore feet, I think.

Looking ahead… Teams will get to the Mnweni Cultural Centre throughout the night and into tomorrow. They’ve got a 34km cycle to the kayak put in. In fact, the kayak put in is on the OTHER side of where they leave their bikes and they can either swim 400 metres to the kayaks or walk around. This distance is a few kilometres. There’s a roaring fire on the other side, waiting for the ice-cold swimmers. And ice-cold they will certainly be. The water is seriously cold. I can’t even take a guess at the degrees but it is colder than Cape Town’s oceans – mid- to lower single digits (Celcius).

They kayak leg is 75km – flat water on dam first and then river and then dam. There’s a 17h00 cut-off at a CP on the river where a section of rapids follows. Most of the teams should make it through before this dark zone very comfortably. Those who get caught may appreciate the enforced rest.

But, this is very much for another day. Teams making it on to the water tonight should reach the river by sunrise.

And so begins another day.

Photos from today on SleepMonsters Facebook by Rob Howard.

Also photos from Soren Nielsen on Team Merrell Denmark Facebook.

(You’ll probably know more than me during the day from the tracking. I’ll check in with you when I get a chance – I’ll be heading for the river in the morning – off to T1 shortly.)