Tuesday 23 May 2017

Namibia: The 3rd annual Brandberg Rhino Run and Ride

#UgabRiverRhinoCamp #BrandbergRhinoRunRide #BrandbergMountain #DaurebIsibCamp

The 3rd annual Brandberg Rhino Run and Ride will take place in Uis on Sunday, 11 June 2017. The event is organised by Nico and Riana Scholtz under their family brand 'Touch and Go'. Funds are raised through this event for the Namibian non-profit organisation, Save the Rhino Trust. The main sponsors are KPMG and RMB Namibia. Bruce Fordyce, long distance running legend and 9 times winner of the Comrades Marathon will attend the event and perform as guest speaker.

Activities on the Sunday will include an approximate 26 km trail run, approximate 13 km trail run and an approximate 7 km fun run/walk, as well as an approximate 31 km mountain bike ride. The mountain bike event will start at 6 am, shortly followed by the running events. The start and finish will be at the Daureb Isib Campsite in Uis. Prize giving takes place at 10 am and will be preceded by a short kiddies run for children under the age of 10.

As a prequel to the running and cycling events on Sunday, the Brandberg FKT Challenge will take place on the Friday, 9 June. The Challenge will entail athletes to compete to improve on the Fastest Know Time (FKT) of 8hrs6min, set by American Fred Zalokar in 2015, up and down Brandberg Mountain. A select group of 10 very fit and able athletes will take place in this event. Tobie Verwey, the Namibian trail athlete who finished in 10th place at the recent 4 Deserts Sahara multistage ultra marathon will be among the hopefuls for the NAD10 000 reward for a new FKT.

All events will take place on trails and tracks within the Tsiseb conservancy with the Brandberg, a National Heritage site, as focal point. The courses are unfenced, unspoilt and sensitive to human impact. The organisers enforce a strict policy racing ‘green’, to prevent impact on the environment while still enjoying the benefits of the natural outdoors. Runners and riders will carry their own water and snacks, and are required to take out what they take in. No off-road driving will be permitted and spectators will only be allowed to support on national roads. For the sake of conserving the sensitive aspects of the Brandberg, only 10 participants will be allowed to take part in the Brandberg FKT Challenge.

Cash prizes will be awarded to athletes, male and female, able to best improve on previous years' records for the same events.

Records held are:

·        Brandberg FKT approximate 25km, 4000m altitude gain and loss, Fred Zalokar 8hrs6min
·        13km Albertinus Goeieman 55m24s
·        13km Bernice van der Westhuizen 1h10min
·        26km Erich Goeieman 1h36min
·        26km Risa Dryer 2h21min
·        31km Luke Munting 1h15min32s
·        31km Lelani Swart 1h31min

This is the first year the event will take place on a Sunday. With most athletes travelling from the coast and far inland, this should allow them to attend the event without having to take the Friday off from work.

Race number pickup will be on the Saturday afternoon at the Daureb Isib Campsite in Uis. On the Saturday evening there will be an informal social braai at the same venue. An auction of luxury accommodation and adventure packages, as well as valuable collector’s items such as autographed books and photo prints will take place during dinner. Catering will be done by the Cactus and Coffee restaurant and will amount to NAD100 per person. Patrons are to bring their own cutlery, drinks, a camp chair or picnic blanket and a head torch.

Race attendance is by pre-registration only and closes on 4 June 2017.

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