Lilyfontein School is hosting its 14th annual Adventure Race on 5/6 September. With categories for learners from seven-years old to the Corporate Challenge for serious adventurers, the race encompasses the provincial qualifying race for the SA Schools Adventure Racing Championships.
Adventure Racing provides running, hiking cycling, paddling, orienteering and many more adventure-orientated challenges in a race format. Teams of typically four, with one member of the opposite gender, must navigate using a map and compass through several activities to reach specific check points along the way. Teams are only given the starting point of the race at the briefing on the eve of the event. The night is then spent plotting a course for the next day’s race and preparing all the equipment required for success in each of the challenges. The sine qua non of this race type is accurate decision making as a consequence of physical and mental fitness and good planning.
This year’s race will be in the Cefani area. In collaboration with local land owners, Lilyfontein School has managed to secure brand new routes which will take in the unique scenery of the area and will only be available to teams competing in the Adventure Race.
According to Margaret Mitchell, Head of the Adventure Programme at Lilyfontein School, “It’s not always the fittest team that wins in adventure racing. Of course fitness is a component of success but other factors such as careful preparation, teamwork and keeping your head when under pressure are just as important.”
This sentiment is echoed by long-time participant Fjord Jordaan. He says, “I’m a mountain biker, and love riding my bike in the veldt and outdoors. I have always wanted to take part in adventure racing events, but most of the races are outside the Eastern Cape. Adventure events combine different sporting codes and various skills like map reading and orienteering into one, and I love the challenge. I feel that fitness alone will not get you the win.
For these reasons I love taking part in the annual Lilyfontein Adventure Race. The event is close to home, and very reasonably priced. I like to support local events where one knows that the funds will improve various school infrastructures in the area, and improve education of local kids.”
If you fancy joining Fjord and his team, sign up for the 14th annual Lilyfontein Adventure Race on 5/6 Sept. There are categories for the serious adventurer (Corporate Challenge and Corporate Duo), for official school teams wanting to compete in the SA Championships (U13, U15 and U19), for families and the less fit (Family Fun, Corporate Crocs and Corporate Crocs Duo) and for Grade 1-3 and 4-5 learners. All routes will be in the Cefani area but will cover different distances and adventure disciplines determined by the category.
This year the winner’s ‘medals’ will be something quite different. They are being hand crafted by a Chintsa East women’s group called ‘I left my Heart in Africa’. According to co-ordinator Lynne Price, “Projects such as this, go a long way towards helping the ladies in these poorer communities make ends meet.” Lilyfontein is proud to be able to do its part for the local community. To read more navigate to their facebook page.
For details of the categories, the distances covered in each category and to enter navigate to www.lilyfontein.co.za, call 043 737 4258 or email reception@lilyfontein.co.za