Nomore powers to victory

ZIMBABWEAN Nomore Mandivengerei emphatically retained his title in the men’s 18km trail run that kick-started the 2018 Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival yesterday, while Comrades runner Sarah Gray dethroned Kim Westbrook in the women’s 18km race.

35-year-old Mandivengerei, based in Pietermaritzburg, said he thrived on the fast, twisty trails and the superb early morning running conditions. “You needed power to be fast on all those sharp corners,” he said. “The trails were superb and wellmarked,” he added.

Valley of a Thousand Hills athlete Mthobisi Mzolo stayed with Mandivengerei for most of the race, but was unable to match the Zimbabwean man’s kick three kilometres from the finish.

“I tried as hard as I could to catch him but he was too good,” conceded Mzolo, who added his praise to the trail builders.

“It was an awesome route, but the switchbacks were quite difficult,” said Mzolo who was pleased to realise his goal of making it into the top three against a strong field.

Breakaway

The women’s race saw defending champion Kim Westbrook beaten into second by Sarah Gray, in the key stage of her training for the upcoming Comrades Marathon.

She managed to break away on her own and gradually drive a two minute wedge between herself and Westbrook.

“It was a beautiful morning on the trails and great Comrades training,” she said afterwards.

Westbrook, who is aiming to ride the MTB Enduro in the afternoon and the 60 km MTB ultra-marathon today, conceded that Gray was in a class of her own over the 18km.

The 9km trail runners made light work of the Karkloof layout, running in ideal cool and clear morning conditions as the mist lifted in the Karkloof Valley, with Mxolisi Zondi winning the sprint finish to the line from Hlelani Radebe, while Roxanne Vale was a very comfortable winner of the women’s 9km race.