The third edition of the Bushmen’s Trail Run started off with the skies pouring down. This did not deter the enthusiasm of participants who slowly made their way to the stunning Wagendrift Dam in Estcourt. The event has steadily grown over its three year history with a record number of entrants this year.
The first day saw runners traverse through breath-taking trails of the bushveld, the courses were not going to be easy as muddy paths were sure to be found. The three distances on offer – 20km, 10km and 5km were tackled by an array of runners. Day 2 brought pleasant conditions to runners, with the earliest start by the 30km participants. Again, the journey was not going to be without its challenges and runners returned with muddied selves – proof of the rains that passed.
The top three males and females of the various distances for day 1 and day 2 at Bushmen’s Trail Run 2019:
Day 1
5 km
10 km
Men
Ladies
Men
Ladies
- Lindokuhle Gcwensa 24:20
- Sfundo Mthethwa 24:22
- Mxolisi Mdladla 26:07
- Sisanda Sikhakhane 27:11
- Lusanda Luthuli 27:47
- Lusanda Gumede 29:55
- Qiniso Nala 37:28
- Tray Wade 39:40
- Bheki Mkhize 39:52
- Steph Wortmann 51:59
- Lauren Day 53:34
- Cindy Marquiss 56:14
20 km
Men
Ladies
- Lonwabo Magwa 1:32:34
- Travers Pellew 1:33:12
- Shane Jacklin 1:38:07
- Shea Karssing 2:04:20
- Paula Heuff 2:09:26
- Kirsty Allen 2:11:18
Day 2
5 km
10 km
Men
Ladies
Men
Ladies
- Kyle Voights 30:02
- Gavin Payne 32:12
- Aiden Oliver 37:13
- Steph Wortmann 28:02
- Erika Barnes 39:15
- Marike van Niekerk 40:01
- Shuan Griffin 52:23
- Michael Lumb 56:13
- Grant Waters 57:38
- Victoria Coetzee 1:03:25
- Lindsay Du Plessis 1:04:53
- Natacha Smith 1:09:10
20 km
30 km
Men
Ladies
Men
Ladies
- Warrick Mac Nicol 1:35:33
- Lester Day 2:01:53
- Jaco Strachan 2:03:03
- Bibi Bassa 2:00:51
- Lauren Day 2:03:38
- Julia Coppinger 2:24:06
- Werner Claasen 2:35:59
- Joshua Chambers 2:41:22
- James Kelly 2:43:28
- Meryl Cooper 2:47:21
- Melanie van Rooyan 3:08:45
- Shea Karssing 3:32:45
The Bushman's Trail
50 km
Men
Ladies
- James Kelly 4:23:22
- Steven Yates 4:27:47
- David Wilson 4:34:09
- Shea Karssing 5:37:06
- Paula Heuff 5:42:54
- Kirsty Allen 5:58:37
Live music by Alex Licen and Matt Gardiner kept the crowd entertained, while dam-side pilates by Christine helped runners stretch out before tackling day 2. With plenty of hearty food options and craft beverages, the race village continued to fill up through to the evening.
The Bushman’s Trail Run is a proud Collaboration between KZN Trail Running and Estcourt Athletics Club, whose combined efforts together with the support of local companies such as Eskort – Life’s Delicious, have made this event a success year on year. The magic of these trails and the relaxed atmosphere continues to draw participants and spectators to Estcourt for a weekend of authentic trails and family fun.
Full results of this weekend’s events are available here: https://kzntrailrunning.co.za/results-page-2019/
Photograph Credits: Gareth Roberts Photography, 369 Communications.