Powell powers to mountain victory
After 40 kilometres over rough terrain with steep inclines and declines, over streams and through indigenous forest, Geoffrey Powell beat Piers Cruickshanks by 10 minutes and 48 seconds to be crowned king of the Uitsoek Mountain Marathon on Saturday.
Powell clocked four hours 45 minutes and two seconds.
Cruickshanks finished the race in 04:55;50. He was also the first veteran home.
Andrew Leeburn was third in 05:24;14.
The women’s 40km Uitsoek Mountain Marathon was won by Carna Koch in 06:06;15.
Janneke Leask finished just 90 seconds later in 06:07;45.
Marianne Semmelink was third, clocking 06:28;35.
Running for the seventh year, the Uitsoek Mountain Marathon is one of the toughest mountain marathons in South Africa. The race is set deep in the mountains outside Mbombela at the Uitsoek Hut on Safcol property.
The course climbs all the way to the top of the escarpment and traversers it a short way before descending through plantation and indigenous forest, criss-crossing streams and finally goes over a few ridges to the finish line.
It is not an event for the underprepared or the faint-hearted.
The second vet to finish was Michael Coles, who was fourth overall. He clocked 05:28;28.
Fabrice Meyer was the third veteran home in 05:44;06.
Riaan Steyn won the master men’s 40km race in 05:33;59. He was fifth overall, a remarkable achievement.
Leon van Rensburg was second in 07:32;07 and Nathan Bellingham third in 09:11;48.
Sarah Crooks took the honours in the master women’s race in 09:00;41.
Bettina Klesse was second, clocking 10:52;39 and Sally George third in 10:55;42.
The veteran women’s race was won by Vicky White in 08:23;08
She was followed by Ciska Bouwer in 08:34;10.