Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race Begins Tomorrow!

The Absa Cape Epic mountain bike race gets underway tomorrow in South Africa, with top riders from around the globe preparing to face off against one another in an eight day event that crosses more than 685km (426 miles) of African backcountry along the Western Cape. Racers will compete as teams of two, entering in the mens, womens, mixed (coed), and masters categories.

The race officially begins with a time trial prologue tomorrow that will have the riders battling it out to the top of Table Mountain, the iconic and dramatic, backdrop to Cape Town that is more than 3560 feet in height. Teams will be staggered in 30 second intervals as they head out on to the course hoping to reach the top in the fastest time.

On Saturday the race will have its first full stage, with six more to follow, that will put the riders out on true mountain bike trails. Over the course of the week they'll climb over 14,660 meters (48,097 feet) as they cover stages that range in length from 60km (37 miles) to 114km (70 miles). Judging from stage profiles on the course page, I'd say that the shorter stages make up for the difference in length with more challenging climbs.

All told there are over 600 teams signed up for this great event. It's going to be quite an endurance challenge for everyone involved, and they'll be racing through some of the best scenery anywhere in Africa as well. What a great place to ride, and South Africa has really become one of the top spots in the world for adventure sports events.

Thanks to Lisa over at AR.co.za for sending this my way. Both Lisa and I would like to let everyone know that we're looking for a sugar daddy and a sugar momma respectively to fund our entries into all these great events. ;)

And as a side note, this post marks my 3000th entry into the Adventure Blog. I think I need to get a life. :)

New Trail Run Pits Man vs. Nature, Perhaps Literally!

A new endurance trail race is gearing up to take place later this year in the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The 50km (31 mile) race will cover some very remote, demanding terrain, as top adventure athletes challenge each other across the course. But that may be the least of their worries, as they'll be running through territory that is inhabited by dangerous game animals, including Black Rhino, Cape Buffalo, and Cape Cobra!

The inaugural Baviaanskloof Trail Run is scheduled to get underway on Saturday, Sept. 12 of this year. Each of the runners expected to be self sufficient while out on the course, and very little support will be provided. The race promises to be an event like any other, with beautiful landscapes, demanding trails, and the potential to pass a wide variety of wildlife on the course.

The Baviaanskloof National Reserve is a World Heritage Site that is well known for the diverse wildlife that exists inside its boundaries, which are accented by colorful cliffs and rock formations. In addition to the animals mentioned above, racers can expect to encounter Baboon, Bushbuck, Tortoise, Kudu, Bush Pig, Caracal, Mountain Zebra, and even possibly Leopards.

The event is now taking entries, with the majority of them being on a "first-come, first-served" basis, although there will be some sponsor exemptions to allow for event organizers to invite special guests. The entry form can be found here, just in case you would like to participate yourself. They'll continue to take entries up until the end of June.

Looks like a great event, and it really plays well to the old joke "I don't have to out run the rhino, I just need to outrun one of the other racers"! :)

Thanks to Darrell Raubenheimer for sending this my way! Much appreciated Darrell.

Swazi Xtreme Adventure Race Underway

Does South Africa have some kind of monopoly on cool races? Yesterday we had word of a cool new extreme trail race, and today marks the beginning of the 9th annual Royal Experience Swazi Xtreme Adventure Race.

Now, to be fair, Swaziland is an independent kingdom within South Africa. They have their own currency and everything. The remote and rugged terrain that covers much of the region is perfect for testing adventure athletes, and the Swazi Xtreme will do just that.

The race comes in two flavors, Pro and Sport. The Pro event runs non-stop, day and night, with teams going as much as 60 hours straight, while the Sport version offers three distinct stages, with a start and finish line each day. Both versions of the race feature teams of 2 or 4, which can be either coed or same gender. Those teams will be hiking, mountain biking, paddling, and bouldering their way across some of the most demanding terrain in the region.

To follow the event as it unfolds, a blog has been set up and updates are already beginning to make their way in. Race organizer Darron Raw has already begun filling us in on the details, with insights into the first stages of the race. Read his updates at the Swazi Xtreme Blog.

Thanks to Lisa from AR.co.za for giving me the heads up on the race.

Absa Cape Epic: Stage 3 Done!

The Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike race is through three stages, and seems to be living up to its reputation as one of the most challenging events of its kind any where in the world. In this case, the race is held in South Africa, with competitors racing through some of the most beautiful, but technically demanding terrain in that country.

After three stages, the two man team of Songo.info, consisting of Swiss rider Christoph Sauser and local boy Burry Stander of South Africa. They hold a nearly seven minute lead over second place team, Bulls, made up of Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm, both of Germany. Bart Brentjens from the Netherlands and Chris Jongewaard from Australia, who together make up Team Trek-Brentjens, are in third place, another 4+ minutes back. In the Ladies division, Sharon Laws of the U.K. and South Africa's Hanlie Booyens hold the overall lead, while team Absa Masters, consisting of Doug Brown of South Africa and Bärti Bucher from Switzerland are in charge in the Master's division. Finally, Adidas Big Tree, with Nico Pfitzenmaier from South Africa and Alison Sydor of Canada, are leading the coed Mixed division.

Stage Four consists of a long 111km (69 mile) route through some very rocky terrain that will test the nerves of the riders and shake their confidence early on. The stage is marked with demanding climbs, followed by crazy drops, that will eventually put them into a dense forest, as the trail narrows to twisty single track that will surely be a challenge for the wary teams.

The "Queen of Pain", Rebecca Rusch is on hand for the race and competing in the Mixed category, along with Matthew Weatherley-White, as part of Team Specialized / Red Bull. She's also blogging the whole experience, which you can read here. She has several posts up talking about her arrival in South Africa, riding the Prologue, and the first few stages. It's an excellent read with some good insights on what's going on in the race.