THE MENS RACE

Ideal running conditions greeted the contestants when they arrived at the start. This was a relief in view of the cold and wind that, the night before, indicated inclement weather for race-day.

Climbing Cowie’s Hill – 17 kilometres from the start – two runners had broken away from the pack. Fanie Matshipa (1h 01m 17s) and Frans Chauke (1h 02m 48s) were followed in quick succession by Fusi Nhlapo (1h 10m 28s), Brian Zondi (1h 04m 30s), and Magnus Michelsson (1h 04m 48s). Four minutes later the big names stormed through in a huge group.

Matshipa retained the lead, passing Drummond, at halfway, in 2h 39m 31s with an 18-second advantage over Chauke. These two built a substantial lead of eight minutes over third placed Leboko Noto, and ten minutes over the main group.

On the tough section to Cato Ridge, Matshipa fell out of contention as the flying Chauke swept past at a speed that raised questions whether the Up Record would survive the day. He went through Cato Ridge in 3h 41m 12s, with Noto next in 3h 44m 18s. A very reduced pack trailed by in 3h 47m.

Over the gentle, undulating climb to Umlaas Road, the real race commenced. Initiated by a Brian Zondi surge, with only Oleg Kharitonv and Jaroslaw Janicki responding, the three went past the highest point together in 4h 25m 08s.

Kharitonov (5h 07m 52s) was leading at the crest of Polly Shortts, and when Zondi (5h 08m 55s) and Janicki (5h 10m 13s) followed, it apperared that the top three places had been decided.

However, that was not to be. Janicki faded (to eventually finish 6^th) and Kotov put in one of his signature finishing bursts to storm through while others wilted.

Kharitonov sailed, untroubled up Polly’s and held a comfortable two-minute lead as he crossed the finish line in Alexandra Park.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

The foreign presence was hammered home with devastating effect. The first five Gold Medals went to visiting runners; four Russians and Germany’s Maria Bak, in fourth place. South Africans finished in positions 6 to 10. A definitive pounding and… Olesya Nurgalieva didn’t run.

By the top of Cowie’s Hill, the four leading contenders had already made their intentions known. Elena Nurgalieva, Marina Bychkova and Tatyana Zhirkova all went through in 1h 14m 55s, with Maria Bak (1h 15m 46s) and Marina Myshlyanova (1h 16m 57s) following. Other than swapping positions intermittently among themselves, they retained the top places through to the finish.

Passing through Drummond in 3h 06m 24s, the position was Nurgalieva, Zhirkova and Bychkova with just strides separating them. Myshlyanova was fourth in 3h 10m 52s and Bak, fifth (3h 14m 19s). The leading trio’s time at the halfway mark was fast, but not exceptional.

Nurgalieva and Zhirkova went ahead, lifting the pace considerally, during the run to Cato Ridge, passing through together in 4h 08m 57s. If the pace was maintained, the existing Up Record would be in jeopardy. Then followed Bychkova (4h 49m 23s), Myshlyanova (4h 20m 10s) and Bak (4h 22m 26s).

When the quintet went past the checkpoint at Umlaas Road, the top five places had been finally decided; the only changes being the time gaps between them but, significantly, a new record was imminent.

Bychkova hung on valiantly but eventually, she could not deny Nurgalieva another win and a new Best Time of 6h 09m 24s.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE MENS RACE

Chilly, but not extreme cold, early morning weather greeted more than 11 000 runners for what turned out to be a scorching performance on the road.

Once the field had set off from the Pietermaritzburg City Hall, the pace up front was blistering, and it would have been understandable if vast patches of melted tar were found pooled on the road, behind the flying feet of Russian, Leonid Shvetsov.

Leonid, it was rumoured, was participating, not merely to win, but with the express aim of breaking the Down Record. In the end, he not only did that, he annihilated it; removing 3m 18s from the 21-year-old record held by Bruce Fordyce.

From the gun, Shvetsov set the pace and dictated the terms for the morning’s proceedings. Some top names went with him as the procession left the city on the ascent up Polly Shortts… Grigory Murzin, Leboko Noto, Sipho Ngomane, Fusi Nhlapo, Mncedisi Mkhize, Oleg Kharitonov and other lesser, but still very able lights, were prominent.

The pace, however, was such that the lead group became less and less populated as the kilometres, literally, flew past.

As Shevetsov ran into Hillcrest, Ngubane and Noto were the sole survivors of the savage pace. With Winston Park approaching, Shetsov found himself alone at the sharp end of the race, and for every one of the final thirty kilometres, he averaged 3m 30s; a pace that saw him enter Kingsmead Stadium almost ten minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

Of the chasers, Mkhize almost lasted the best and seemed to have the Silver Medal in his grasp but, disappointingly, a charging Murzin caught, and passed, him on the climb to Tollgate.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

It will be another Russian stampede, the media predicted.

It didn’t turn out that way, in pure athletic terms, because, as Durban came nearer, it developed into a slow, tactical and, seemingly, pre-arranged affair. Russian runners filled five of the top six positions. Farwa Mentoor, South Africa’s best performer over the previous ten years, again prevented a total clean sweep by the foreigners. In any other period, Mentoor would have been a superb, and deserved, multi-winner and a wonderful champion.

It would be correct to assume that the Nurgalieva twins, Elena and Olesya, had the race well under control long before the start. Also in the line-up, was perennial Gold Medallist, Marina Bychkova, as well as a number of other Russians who would not be here if they were not top performers. Three-time winner, Maria Bak of Germany was also among the starters and she would go on to earn her tenth Gold Medal.

From the outset, it was a procession. The Nurgalievas simply ran and ran without a challenge from any of the other contenders. When Olesya entered Kingsmead Stadium, she had a mere 29-second advantage over Elena but, together, they finished eleven minutes ahead of Marina Biktigirova who came through to capture third position.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE MENS RACE

Is there anyone who can stop Shvetsov?

That was the question asked by everyone in the days leading up to race-day. After his breathtaking Down Record in 2007, Leonid Shvetsov was, from the day his entry arrived in the Comrades office, assumed to be the victor.

Local hopes rested on the shoulders of Mncedisi Mkhize, Johan Oosthuizen, Willie Mtolo, Claude Moshiywa, and Andrew Kelehe. All were outstanding performers and multiple Gold Medallists, but did they have that special something, that would unsettle Shvetsov?

The field left Durban in perfect, balmy weather which later migrated to ideal running conditions. Shvetsov utilised them to the full.

Local hopes were raised when the first ten runners at Cowie’s Hill were all South Africans. Shvetsov was nowhere to be seen. A good omen, perhaps,

Professor Mollen (his name; not a title) led the field up Field’s Hill. Close on his heels was Prodigal Khumalo. Over the gentle undulations leading into Hillcrest, Shvetsov, with Vladimir Kotov not too far behind, eased his way into the top ten.

Botha’s Hill proved to be the limit of Mollen’s run. First Khumalo went past and, moments later near Kearsney College, when Charles Tijane and Shvetsov caught him, he dropped to a walk and, subsequently, out of contention. Khumalo hung on grimly but on the descent into Drummond, Tijane overtook him and led through the midway point, followed by Khumalo, Shvetsov and Mabule Raphotle.

Always the backbreaker, Inchanga proved so for Tijane. He was forced to walk the final few steps. He held on until Harrison where Shvetsov and Raphotle both went past. Exiting Harrison, Shvetsov surged. Raphotle responded but it was short-lived.

Now in the lead, and assured of victory, Shvetsov set off for the finish with little but the Up Record in mind. While he strode unimpeded towards Pietermaritzburg, changes were taking place in his wake.

A resurgent Jaroslaw Janicki and Stephen Muzhingi were working their way through the top positions. Despite powerful finishes by both, Shvetsov was out of reach. He stopped the watches in Alexandra Park in 5h 24m 47s, a scintilating new Best Time; nearly fourteen minutes ahead of Janicki, with Muzhingi a further minute adrift.

RESULT

* First Sub-5:25 Up Run

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

The winner was almost a forgone conclusion. It would be a Russian visitor. The only, minor, doubt was which of the Nurgalieva twins, Olesya – the defending Up champion – or Elena, would have her name engraved on the trophy later in the day. A Russian shut-out of the top positions was further forecast.

The twins, as is their perennial strategy, went straight to the front and were leading, as Westville approached, when disaster struck. Elena tripped, stumbled and fell, gashing her left knee as she went down. Olesya slowed to wait for her sister while a makeshift dressing was applied without too much time being lost.

The Nurgalievas still held the lead on Cowie’s Hill where Tatyana Zhirkova was only strides behind. Of the South Africans, Farwa Mentoor, Grace De Oliveira and Riana van Niekerk were well placed.

Running into Hillcrest, the dressing came off Elena’s knee and she seemed somewhat distressed. Zhirkova surged with Botha’s Hill in view, joining the twins at the head of the field. Then Elena fell again. She looked in serious trouble as Zhirkova assumed the lead.

Zhirkova led through Drummond with the sisters trailing by a few strides. The lead changed frequently between them up Inchanga, through Harrison, Cato Ridge and Camperdown where the three were still together. Exiting Camperdown, the Nurgalievas surged: and it was decisive.

As they moved towards Pietermaritzburg, despite falling twice, Elena appeared the stronger. On the big climbs up to the capital city, their victory was assured. Zhirkova was never challenged for third place and two other Russians, Marina Myshlyanova and Marina Bychkova took fourth and fifth positions.

Riana van Niekerk was the first South African home in 6h 43m 31s.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE MENS RACE

When Leonid Shvetsov lined up with 13 000 others on race-day he was the hottest favourite since Arhtur Newton in the late 20s. So he should have been. In the previous two years, he had established new Best Times for both the Up and Down Run that appeared to be years ahead of the abilities of the current generation.

It would be a mammoth task… or need a well conceived, and executed, plan to topple him.

Teammates, Collen Makaza and Samuel Pazanga, led the Durban-bound stream of runners out of the city at a cracking pace, reaching Camperdown in under 1h 30m. Regarded, ostensibly, as TV glory-seekers, they were part of a carefully contrived strategy to shield teammate, Stephen Muzhingi, while drawing Shvetsov into an early, energy-sapping chase, long before the final stage of the race arrived.

Makaza maintained his punishing pace and arrived at Drummond in an astonishing 2h 35m, more than nine minutes ahead of the main group in which Shvetsov was running near the front. Concealed in the group was Muzhingi who was fully aware of the action ahead and playing a very patient role, waiting for the moment when he would be unleashed.

On the descent of Inchanga, Zimbabwean, Marko Mambo set off after Makaza, taking Shvetsov with him, at a speed that was designed to take the sting out of the Russian’s renowned finishing kick.

Meanwhile, Charles Tijane, who had been in the main pack all morning, caught, and passed, Makaza going down Field’s Hill but he was already tiring as Shvetsov appeared poised to strike for the kill through Pinetown. Tijane slowed to a walk immediately before Cowie’s Hill and Shvetsov stormed into the lead, eighteen kilometers from Kingsmead.

For the spectators, it was all over. The king was in pole position… with an open playing field before him.

The first phase of the plan had been set. Muzhingi trailed Shvetsov by a mere seventy seconds when he crested Cowie’s. He was given the message… and fired the afterburners. Shvetsov, feeling the effects of his extreme chase down Inchanga, twenty-five kilometers back, was, at this stage, showing signs that indicated all was not well as Muzhingi cut his lead by more than fifty metres every kilometer. When he challenged Shvetsov on the climb to 45^th Cutting, eight kilometers from home, the Russian had no reply. The margin of ten minutes at the end indicates the degree of damage done before halfway. A brave Tijane failed by seventy-one seconds to catch the struggling Shvetsov in the run-in.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

Another Russian clean-sweep was predicted and that is precisely what happened. The top three positions ended the same as in 2008 with the exception that the Nurgalieva twins decided to swap places.

The Women’s race had, in the past few years, become very predictable with a familiar group regularly claiming the major honours.

The Nurgalieva sisters, adopting their standard strategy, went to the front from the gun and stayed there.

Passing the Camperdown checkpoint, they were among a huge group, mainly men, with a lead of twenty places – but only three seconds – over Tatyana Zhirkova.

Running untroubled, they alternately collected all the available hotspot prizes on offer and by the time they entered Durban, Olesya had a narrow lead over Elena. She maintained the lead and finished at Kingsmead Stadium in the relatively slow time of 6h 12m 12s. Elena finished a minute later with Zhirkova a further two minutes back.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)