Baard the man to beat in Bastille

BASTILLE DAY is said to be a “French holiday celebrated with military parades and fireworks”. This morning 1 500 trail runners are commemorating the 1789 breakout of Paris’ most famous prison with their own fireworks along the trails in the high mountains above the Berg River Dam outside Franschhoek.

Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 and the unity of the French people at the Fete da la Federation exactly one year later, is celebrated all over the world, with Franschhoek bedecked in red, white and blue this weekend. The annual Salomon Bastille Day Trail Race is one of the festival’s biggest attractions.

The country’s best- supported single day of trail running, ‘the Bastille’ traditionally attracts the regions’ leading off road athletes and this morning’s fare is no exception.

Last year’s winner of the 50km event, Ryan Sandes, is in recovery mode after his recent victory in the Western States 100 miler and won’t defend his title he won last year in record time, leaving the way open for several other contenders to fight is out over the mountain trail circumnavigation of the dam. in predicted freezing conditions.

2014 winner, veteran Derek Baard remains competitive, although he will have his work cut out this morning against fellow forty-plusser and consistent top ultra-trail performer, Johannesburg-based Jock Green, Italian- born, Andrea Biffi, Joshua Chigome and last year’s 4th placed Lucas Adams although an athlete not among the early entries could change the picture completely.

Franchhoek’s Julian Atkinson chased Sandes all the way last year to an excellent runner-up position and rumours are that he could be a last-minute entry. Recently back from adventure racing in China, Atkinson could be tough to be on his home terrain.

Strong running Dunya Ansems makes a welcome return to local competition, and is favoured to hold off Caitlin Lewis for line honours in the longer-distance event.

Fast- improving Zimbabwean- born Edson Kumwamba could be first finisher in the 35km if he has recovered from his ankle injury sustained during the Beast 50km last month in Cape Town, although last year’s runner-up, William Leslie, will want to go one better today.

Former Free-Stater, Chris Strydom, has the talent and form to take line honours in the 25km ahead of Jarryd Dunn, while the women’s race could see a close contest between Meg Mackenzie, fresh from her 6th place at the Mont Blanc Marathon last month, and vastly talented Stellenbosch medical student, Annamart Laubscher. – Stephen Granger