3 500 contribute to successful race spectacle

ABOUT 3 500 paddlers, runners and walkers took to the sea and beach on Saturday to take part in the annual endurance race, the Discovery Surfers Challenge.

A high presence of law enforcement and traffic officers directed traffic which was backed up at the Kwelera, Gonubie and Nahoon starting points as supporters dropped participants and followed through to each of the stops before waiting at the finish line for all distances, at Nahoon Beach.

The race consisted of a marathon of 17km from Kwelera and a 11.1km run from Gonubie, which both concluded at Nahoon beach, while a different route was introduced for the paddlers who came in from the Orient Beach, before they made it to the same finish line.

Event organiser, Neville Wilkins, said the competition had attracted more participants and supporters each year.

“There’s an increase of about 400 competitors this year, which is just another sign of growth and it’s nice that we have had a bigger crowd from the community also watching on.

“There have been no incidents and everything has run very smoothly. Fortunately the weather has also been wonderful, although the route had to be redirected for the paddlers so they did not have to paddle against the wind.”

Wilkens said it was great to have celebrity runners and comrades gold medalists like Shaun Meicklejohn and Alan Rob.

“None of this would have been a success without the support of the participants and sponsors, Discovery and CocaCola, who have invested so much into the marathon.”

Female paddler Ros Schwechheimer, 47, said she had taken part in the surfers many times.

“It doesn’t get old, the sense of accomplishment and the vibe, it’s all very exciting.”

Male runner Shano Smith, 35, from Braelyn said the marathon merely confirmed what he already knew. “I am unfit,” he confessed. Amalinda resident Sive Matyobeni, who took part in the marathon for the second time, was elated.

“Compared to last year, I finished the race 20 minutes earlier and that’s a big deal for me. Hopefully it will get better each year,” she said. — mbalit@dispatch.