HISTORY
RACE RESULTS
Date | Friday, 16 June |
Weather | Mild with scattered cloud throughout the day. |
Temperature – Min/ Max: |
|
PMB | 8/21 |
DBN | 13/23 |
Start Venue/Time | Durban City Hall, West Street / 5:30 |
Finish Venue | Alexandra Park Oval |
Time Limit | 12 Hours |
Official Distance | 86.700 km |
Winner’s Average Speed: |
|
Men | 15.512 km/hr (3m 52s /km) |
Women | 14.083 km/hr (4m 16s /km) |
Entries | 12066 |
Starters | 10857 |
Finishers – Total | 9848 |
Men | 8239 |
Women | 1609 |
Medals – Gold | 20 |
Silver | 505 |
Bill Rowan | 1979 |
Bronze | 4727 |
Vic Clapham | 2617 |
% Finishers / Starters | 90.8 |
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 6th) 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
1st | Oleg Kharitonov | Russia | 5h 35m 19s |
2nd | Brian Zondi | South Africa | 5h 37m 32s |
3rd | Vladimir Kotov | Belarus | 5h 40m 56s |
4th | Grigory Murzin | Russia | 5h 41m 26s |
5th | Fusi Nhlapo | South Africa | 5h 41m 43s |
6th | Jaroslaw Janicki | Poland | 5h 42m 06s |
7th | Andrew Kelehe | South Africa | 5h 44m 20s |
8th | Mncedisi Mkhize | South Africa | 5h 44m 28s |
9th | Frans Chauke | South Africa | 5h 46m 01s |
10th | Leboka Noto | Lesotho | 5h 47m 29s |
VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)
1st | Vladimir Kotov (48) | Belarus | 5h 40m 56s |
2nd | Andrew Kalehe (41) | South Africa | 5h 44m 20s |
3rd | Christopher Mabengeza (40) | South Africa | 6h 00m 06s |
MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)
1st | Peter Camenzind (55) | Switzerland |
6h 18m 37s |
2nd | Aubrey Watson (54) | South Africa | 6h 41m 39s |
3rd | Cornet Matomane (54) | South Africa | 6h 44m 22s |
GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)
1st | Johannes Mosehla (64) | South Africa | 8h 19m 43s |
2nd | Calie Beneke (70) | South Africa | 8h 25m 44s |
3rd | Francois Hofmeyr (64) | South Africa | 8h 37m 40s |
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
1st | Elena Nurgalieva | Russia |
6h 09m 24s New Best Time Up |
2nd | Marina Bychkova | Russia | 6h 12m 58s |
3rd | Tatyana Zhirkova | Russia | 6h 27m 21s |
4th | Maria Bak | Germany | 6h 31m 07s |
5th | Marina Myshlyanova | Russia | 6h 38m 51s |
6th | Farwa Mentoor | South Africa | 6h 41m 32s |
7th | Yolande Maclean | South Africa | 6h 47m 03s |
8th | Riana van Niekerk | South Africa | 7h 04m 37s |
9th | Madeleen Otto | South Africa | 7h 17m 08s |
10th | Grace De Oliveira | South Africa | 7h 24m 11s |
VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)
1st | Maria Bak (47) | Germany | 6h 31m 07s |
2nd | Marina Myshlyanova (40) | Russia | 6h 38m 51s |
3rd | Grace De Oliveira (44) | South Africa | 7h 24m 11s |
MASTERS (AGE 50 - 59)
1st | Rae Bisschoff (53) | South Africa |
7h 34m 25s New Best Time Up |
2nd | Styntjie Prins (52) | South Africa | 7h 50m 07s |
3rd | Linda Potgieter (53) | South Africa | 8h 07m 40s |
GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)
1st | Thea Kruger (62) | South Africa |
9h 27m 29s New Best Time Up |
2nd | Hazel Quilliam (61) | South Africa | 9h 40m 48s |
3rd | Jenny Allebone (62) | South Africa | 9h 59m 51s |