Debutant, Robbie Simpson and Otter African Trail Run stalwart, Bianca Tarboton, won the fifteenth
\nedition of the Grail of Trail on Saturday, 7 October. The adidas TERREX athletes claimed their
\nvictories in different ways, with Simpson relying on the experience of others in the first half of the
\ncourse. Tarboton tapped into her extensive route knowledge to win her second title in her fifth
\nfinish.
\nOvernight rain and fears of precipitation throughout the day led to nerves on the start line in Storms
\nRiver. Yet, despite half an hour or so of heavy rain \u2013 in Natures Valley, while the short-course Dassie
\nevent was taking place \u2013 the sun eventually came out, producing perfect trail running conditions. It
\nwas cool, but drying, with a light breeze. Only the conditions underfoot made the going tougher than
\nusual, with slippery rocks, roots and swollen rivers all adding minutes to the finishers\u2019 times.
\n\u201cI knew beforehand that it would be challenging with the wet weather, especially with the slippery
\nrocks,\u201d Johardt van Heerden reflected. \u201cAnd it certainly was challenging, especially on the technical
\nsection to Ngubu. We kept it controlled and careful until there, but Robbie Rorich just pulled away.\u201d
\nRenowned for his technical skills, Rorich thrived over the first 20 kilometres of the course. After
\nestablishing a lead past Ngubu hut he built a 45 second lead passing through the 12 kilometre mark,
\nbefore extending it to 70 seconds through the Munchie Point, at the half way mark. \u201cGiven the
\nweather conditions we always knew it was going to happen,\u201d Kane Reilly smiled, when asked about
\nRorich\u2019s fast start. \u201cBut it\u2019s always amazing to watch him move over those rocks. We just let him go,
\nthinking if we can catch him, we\u2019d catch him. Otherwise, we\u2019d see him at the finish line.\u201d
\nAfter climbing out of the Lottering River Valley, at the halfway mark, Reilly, who had Simpson for
\ncompany and with Van Heerden just behind, started to reel Rorich in. By the time they started the
\ndescent to Bloukrans River they had all caught and past the early leader. The racing was still fierce
\nand positions would change a few times yet.
\n\u201cBloukrans was really exciting!\u201d Simpson confessed. \u201cI\u2019ve never done anything quite like that. The
\nwaves were coming in pretty big from the left, and I was being swept against the rope. Then
\nsuddenly my feet weren\u2019t touching the ground anymore. So, I just basically lay on my back, closed
\nmy eyes, and pulled myself along on the rope.\u201d
\n\u201cOnce I was out the water, I was just glad to have that done and I thought to myself, \u2018now it\u2019s just
\nrunning, no more swimming!\u201d
\nEven those were not easy going however. \u201cI thought that going along the top of the cliffs would be a
\nreal strong point for me, because its really runnable and smooth. But it was really muddy, so I
\ncouldn\u2019t push full gas there. So, I just had to tick along. Once we did the descent onto the beach, the
\nsand was quite firm so I could push again.\u201d
\nBehind Simpson, Reilly and Van Heerden were engaged in their annual Otter showdown. \u201cJohardt
\ncame past me in the Bloukrans crossing,\u201d Reilly noted. Van Heerden was however struggling with
\nnausea and Reilly soon regained second place off the 2021 and 2022 champion. The likable trail
\nrunner from Cape Town then ran it home, reducing Simpson\u2019s advantage slightly over the closing
\nkilometres. Van Heerden recovered, after a stop to compose himself, to complete the podium<\/p>\n
places, well ahead of Marcel H\u00f6che and Christiaan Greyling. Who himself had put in a stellar run
\nhaving started in the first non-Abangeni start group after having missed a top 24 slot by 15 seconds
\non the Prologue.
\nSimpson\u2019s winning time was 4 hours, 12 minutes and 36 seconds. Reilly was 1 minute and 58
\nseconds back, to claim his sixth second place finish in the Otter African Trail Run. A good minute of
\nVan Heerden\u2019s 6 minute and 14 second deficit came as the three-time champion extracted himself
\nfrom the Groot Rivier. Within strides of the finish line, he launched himself into the river, much to
\nthe amusement of the crowd, Simpson and Reilly.
\nIn the women\u2019s race Tarboton led from the opening kilometres. \u201cI knew Bianca was on a different
\nlevel,\u201d Lijan Burge confessed. \u201cShe went off so fast and I just had to focus on my own race.\u201d
\nIt looked as if Tarboton might be able to challenge her own course record and in so doing
\nsupplement her prize money with a R100\u00a0000 bonus from the presenting sponsors EasyEquities and
\nrace owners Faces. \u201cIt was a good day, the conditions were really tough and I think I underestimated
\nthem,\u201d Tarboton noted upon sealing her second Otter African Trail Run crown. \u201cIt was a bit slower. I
\nfelt really strong and the rain was actually very nice, it helped me stay cool. All-in-all I\u2019m stoked. I
\nthought maybe I had a record in me, but it wasn\u2019t the day for it.\u201d
\nDespite being slower than she may have liked, Tarboton still came within less than 7 minutes of her
\ncourse record. She ran much of the day on her own, playing an impressive seventeenth overall.
\nTarboton\u2019s margin of victory was 27 minutes to Burger, who herself enjoyed a good day out.
\n\u201cI felt much better this year,\u201d Burger added. \u201cI think it\u2019s pretty common for people to post a better
\ntime second time around at the Otter. Course knowledge certainly helps here. There are definitely
\nareas I can make up time in still, including the river crossings. I timed Bloukrans really wrong, as I got
\nout a wave hit me to the rocks. I\u2019m happy with my run. I stuck to my plan and I\u2019m happy to have
\nimproved my time, which was my goal coming into the race.\u201d
\nBurger\u2019s happiness was surpassed by that of Ruth Cozien. Holding back tears the third-place finisher
\nand first veteran woman home said: \u201cThis is way beyond my expectations. I came in hoping for a top
\nten finish. Today was awesome. It was everything it was supposed to be. It was beautiful. It was
\ntough\u2026\u201d
\nThe only athlete who came near to Cozien\u2019s praise for the race was German trail star Marcel H\u00f6che.
\nHaving visited in South Africa twice before this trip Macy Pacy, as he is affectionately known is
\nclearly deeply fond of the country and the racing here. \u201cIt was so beautiful!\u201d H\u00f6che emphasised. \u201cIt
\nwas amazing. Everyone out there who hasn\u2019t done Otter, do yourself a favour, run this race! It\u2019s so
\namazing. The ocean, the trails, it\u2019s basically one hundred percent trails. It\u2019s beautiful, but it\u2019s tough
\nand technical. If you like that kind of thing, come race it. If you don\u2019t just come for the view. It\u2019s
\nsimply amazing!\u201d<\/p>\n
photo: Johardt van Heerden launched himself off the finish line boardwalk, adding a minute to his time but not affecting his third-place finish. Photo by John Tanner.<\/em><\/p>\n 2023 Otter African Trail Run 7. Ryan Sandes (Veteran | 04:33:29)
\nMen\u2019s Race:
\n1. Robbie Simpson (04:12:36)
\n2. Kane Reilly (04:14:34)
\n3. Johardt van Heerden (04:18:50)
\n4. Marcel H\u00f6che (04:27:26)
\n5. Christiaan Greyling (04:33:00)
\n6. Robbie Rorich (04:33:12)<\/p>\n
\n8. Angus Teeton (04:41:51)
\n9. Oli Morris (04:43:03)
\n10. Simon Purdon (04:44:10)
\nWomen\u2019s Race:
\n1. Bianca Tarboton (04:52:01)
\n2. Lijan Burger (05:25:19)
\n3. Ruth Cozien (Veteran | 05:31:58)
\n4. Rebecca Watney (05:46:18)
\n5. Annalise Scholtz (Veteran | 05:55:34)
\n6. Marina Egorov (06:06:36)
\n7. Jenny Reynolds (06:16:00)
\n8. Sveta Becker (06:21:56)
\n9. Mila Geldenhuys (06:27:38)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"