The Witness Maritzburg City Marathon
Nearly 7 000 participants took part in the various events associated with the The Witness Maritzburg City Marathon over the weekend with Mahlomola Sekhonyana and Zinhle Shabalala taking home the main honours with victories in the men’s and women’s 42km marathon events.
Sekhonyana beat over 3 000 runners in the standard marathon event when he finished in a time of 2:27:58, nearly seven minutes outside the record set by Tsepang Ramonene in 2015, but 36 seconds ahead of second-placed Nkosinathi Duma, with Jane Mhlakwana claiming the final step of the podium with a time of 2:31:06.
The women’s race was won by Zinhle Shabalala with a time of 3:14:59, a minute ahead of Jessica Maitland-Stuart who arrived late for the race and gave her rivals an advantage from the start. Robyn Mare was third in 3:17:19.
3 065 runners entered the 42km event with 2 340 opting to take part in the half-marathon distance and over 1 400 in the 10km, 17km trail run and 7km trail run.
Discovery Surfers Challenge
The annual challenge between paddlers and runners ended with victory for those on foot at the Discovery Surfers Challenge in East London.
The annual event between Kwelera Mouth and Nahoon Beach Surfers Shack was started in 1975 after some friendly banter between road runners and surfers, and now includes ski paddlers.
This year the runners triumphed with Buleani Mgubo completing the 17,5km beach run in a time of 1:09:48, beating the first ski paddlers, Matt Fenn and nine-time Dusi winner Andy Birkett, by just over three minutes. Birkett and Fenn’s time of 1:13:01 meant they beat the second runner home, Nkosinathi Nzingo, by 23 seconds with the first single ski, paddled by Matthew Fenn, claiming third overall just two seconds behind the leading double and thus forcing Nzingo into fourth overall.
The top women runner was Jessica Pollock whose time of 1:22:00 meant she beat the top female ski paddler, Zara Wood, by a mere 25 seconds.
Photos: Andre Oosthuizen (Discovery)
X-TERRA Grabouw
See full X-TERRA Grabouw report here.
Weekend results
The Witness Maritzburg City Marathon
(Full results)
Men
1 Mahlomola Sekhonyana 2:27:58
2 Nkosinathi Duma 2:28:34
3 Jane Mhlakwana 2:31:06
4 Zuma Mlondi 2:32:54
5 Temo Rampuku 2:34:12
6 Elijah Kanyenda 2:34:24
7 Perfect Dlamini 2:34:29
8 Nomore Mandivengerei 2:35:24
9 Delani Mkhize 2:35:24
10 Oupa Maseko 2:35:39
Women
1 Zinhle Shabalala 3:14:59
2 Jessica Maitland-Stuart 3:15:58
3 Robyn Mare 3:17:19
4 Jeannie Dreyer 3:18:28
5 Helen Buley 3:18:46
6 Jayde Ferreira 3:19:12
7 Kerry-Ann Walton 3:21:10
8 Lisa Collett 3:23:29
9 Tarryn Botha 3:24:30
10 Nonsikelelo Mbambo 3:25:09
Discovery Surfers Challenge
(Full results)
Runners
Men
1 Buleani Mgubo 1:09:48
2 Nkosinathi Nzingo 1:13:24
3 Simphiwe Mojiki 1:14:06
4 Andile Stuli 1:16:59
5 Edumisa Mtali 1:17:28
6 Masibulele Tshibo 1:17:42
7 Makaya Masumpa 1:18:53
8 Kayleem Coetzee 1:19:30
9 Cuan Coetzee 1:20:49
10 Darryl Koekemoer 1:21:25
Women
1 Jessica Pollock 1:22:00
2 Myrette Brink 1:24:49
3 Sam Bieske 1:27:31
4 Andrea Ranger 1:29:39
5 Rebekah Anderson 1:35:23
6 Franza Landman 1:35:51
7 Kim Rosslee 1:37:02
8 Caroline Toich 1:38:05
9 Charlene Collins 1:42:59
10 Candice Serfontein 1:43:31
Paddlers
Men
1 Matt Fenn & Andrew Birkett 1:13:01
2 Matthew Fenn 1:13:03
3 Joshua Fenn 1:16:37
4 Bevan Manson 1:18:22
5 Andrew Carter & Brendon Thompson 1:19:24
6 Jason Van Der Walt 1:21:55
7 Chris Batting 1:21:56
8 Hennie Roos 1:22:03
Women
1 Zara Wood 1:22:25
2 Jade Wilson 1:31:46
3 Kathryn Allderman 1:36:26
4 Janet Sinclair 1:37:03
5 Lynne Reeves 1:39:05
6 Peta Blaine 2:32:53