Lilyfontein race report & results

On Saturday 6 September, 82 teams took to the tracks, rivers and beaches around Cefani Mouth Resort for this year’s Lilyfontein School Adventure Race. Teams ran, cycled and paddled, in various categories covering different distances. The corporate teams started their race at 04h00 and took in over 110 kilometres. Other races started throughout the day from 05h00 until the last race for the grade 1-3’s which started at 08h00.

The key to success in adventure racing is not just physical fitness; it encompasses elements of navigation, team work, prior preparation and quick decision making. Being first through the finish does not always make you the winning team. Teams must arrive at specific destinations along the route where they have to clip their passports. Sometimes, they will have to complete challenges before receiving this clip. Any team arriving at the finish without a completely and correctly clipped passport is disqualified. Any team found not to have obeyed all the rules set out in the pre-race briefing is also disqualified. After many hours on foot, bike and craft the disappointment for those disqualified is palpable, but they emerge from the event stronger and more determined to get it right next time.

Lilyfontein teams really rose to the challenge this year and came in first in each of the SA Schools Championships qualifying categories for U13, U15 and U19. They also took second in the U13 and U15 categories.

Donovan Sims, who has competed in 9 of the 14 Lilyfontein Adventure Races says, “This is a race everybody should do. The lessons learnt out on the routes cannot be taught in the classroom and they are invaluable life lessons. One team, had a broken bike, they ran 8kms back to transition to fix it and then got back onto the route. How better to teach people not to give up at the first hurdle?”

Graham Bird from Merrell Adventure Addicts, winner of the Corporate Duo category  and a first time Lilyfontein Adventure Race competitor says “It was a great fun Adventure Race. A beautiful and challenging route which tested the mind and body as well as the basic navigational skills. Well done to all those that competed across all the events and awesome to see all the school kids out enjoying this great sport. Huge congrats to Lilyfontein School for hosting a brilliant event.”

Thanks go to all the sponsors particularly Oilco Engineering, Alderson Ambulance, Crossways Spar and Tops, Wild Coast 98.6FM, Cycle Torque, Twizza, Ngumbela Melisizwe Butchery, Fabkomp, Mzantsi Auto and Ener-B and to all the participants that made this one of the best Lilyfontein Adventure Races to date.

With the Eastern Cape being the Adventure Province your adventure truly does start here at Lilyfontein School.

RESULTS

Grade 1-3

1^st: Christopher Ham, Teo Bosazza, Connor Timmins & Megan Emslie (Lilyfontein)

2^nd: Amber Herman, Cameron Bennett, Noah Meistre, Jedd Kriel (Stirling)

3^rd: Logan Annandale, Timothy Page, Kaila-Jade Kriel & Alex McQuirk (Lilyfontein)

 

Grade 4 – 5

1^st: Tia Caswell, Nicholas Heath, Carmen de Beer & Guy Bishop (Stirling)

2^nd: Michael Tasker, Anke de Ridder, Keelan Hartley & Corbyn Keen (Merrifield)

3^rd: Shawn du Preez, Joshua Niemand, Gabriel Kriel & Kathryn Odendaal (Lilyfontein)

 

U13 (Regional SA School Adventure Race qualifiers)

1^st: Matthew Niemand, Jarrod Rehse, Jade Underwood & Ethan de Beer (Lilyfontein)

2^nd: Logan McQuirk, Teagan Steyl, Jaydee Nicholson & Keegan Weyer (Lilyfontein)

3^rd: Blake Hurly, Nathan Janse Van Rensburg, Lillian Sawyer & Damon Gall (Kidds Beach)

 

U15 (Regional SA School Adventure Race qualifiers)

1^st: Robyn Emslie, Teo Jordaan, Mattheus van der Walt & Coleen Grobler (Lilyfontein)

2^nd: Johan van der Walt, Danielle Roets, Tristan-Lee Niemand & Nathan Campbell (Lilyfontein)

 

U19 (Regional SA School Adventure Race qualifiers)

1^st: Chane Keese, Kevin Bickell, Nicolas Macallister & Hilanco Jordaan (Lilyfontein)

2^nd: Nicole Venter, Simon Webster, Jamie Jackson & Clayton Fletcher (Stirling)

3^rd: Taylor Rose Sims, Shiven Sewrajh, Troy Seeger & Seren Luck (Stirling)

 

Family Fun

1^st: Morne, Rene & Juan Van Der Merwe & Kelsi Hobbs

2^nd: Alethea Duncan-Brown, Damian Bretzke, Steven Webb, Anzell Maritz

3^rd: Jacqueline and Johan Van der Walt & Marita & Christo Steyn

 

Corporate Crocs

1^st: Michelle Schlebusch, Len Moerdyk, Kimberley Murgatroyd & Sheryl Hanger

2^nd: Aubrey Tidbury, Paul Angelbeck, Grant Swan and Carla Edworthy

3^rd: Timo Lehmann, Garth Lumb, Katherine Caswell & Gillian Robinson

 

Corporate Croc Duo

1^st: Michael Webb & Martin Smith

2^nd: Rudi Le Roux & Bianca Rohland

3^rd: Michael Mc Killen & Gerhardus Swart

 

Corporate Challenge

1^st: Donovan Sims, Garth Peinke, Hayley Mcloughlin & Troy Sims

2^nd: Cobus Van Dyk, Stephanie Smith, Weyers Marais & Brett Petersen

 

Corporate Duo

1^st: Graham Bird & Hanno Smit

2^nd: Coenrad De Bruin & Dave de Coning

3^rd: Andrew Emslie & Sharon Emslie