Bobby was a pro triathlete from Ireland who used to train out in the Bosch with us, and is currently managing the Specialized Factory Mountain Bike Team. He’s a close friend of Conrad’s as well, and below is a combination of the two’s wit and views on Stoltz phenomenal third World Xterra title.
This is a small collection of clips taken by Ruth during the race, and is potentially the start of being able to show you the energy, sound, emotion and the all round best reflection of the races I’ll be doing. We are still battling with the editing front, but will get there and keep you more entertained in the next few weeks.
(The swim start, me in the Orca suit leading out the swim on the left)
(Finishing the 3rd leg, the 10km paddle on Loveday Zondi’s wave)
(Transition from 40km road bike to 10km road run)
(Walking the wire during first obstacle of 7 on the 7th and final leg of the Challenge)
(Traversing the swinging ropes, the hardest challenge on the obstcles)
(Finishing the Totalsports Challenge in Sun City 2007)
(Finishing the Totalsports Challenge in Sun City)
I look forward to writing a detailed report on the days drama, the highs and lows, of which there are a few in a 5hour race, even hoping to show you the feel of this brilliant challenge in youtube clips over the next few days. But this will just be a short summary, as the Sun City entertainment centre calls, and tomorrow I’ll be diving down slides and sipping cocktails in the valley of waves.
Swam the 1km pretty well, leading round the first lap, and settling onto some feet for the second. My race was always going to be a fight against Ian Don Wouchope’s fine form at the moment, and so all my splits were to him, and after the swim, I had a surprising 2’40.
Felt I was moving well through the bushveld thicket on the 9km trail run, but Ian had remarkably closed the gap as we ran into the transition to the 1km K1 leg. Starting together, it took an interval or two to break free, soon passing the lead team, to lead overall. Loveday Zondi, previously third at Dusi and racing for Harmony Gold, pulled me back on the last of four laps. I perhaps paid the price for my greed on the paddle, opting for a super fast and rigid Vadja, but with an understern, which was dragging some wead. But such is the gamble.
I was lucky to get onto the wheel of Loveday’s road ride team mate Nick Bester, a legendary South African endurance athlete. Wasnt quite the tt specialist I was hoping to be with on the road, and had to work real hard on the 40km ride. I was feeling good for the early part, but increasingly fragile toward the end. Ian was more lucky and rode in a group of 5, close behind. Twas 2:40 off the road bike, with three legs left.
I was expecting to be caught on the road run, which was prob closer to 8km than 10km, but Ian was feeling the early aggression too, and could only get to 30sec behind heading into the 25km mountain bike.
It was to be the decider, and Ian had spent his reserves, thankfully. I was getting stronger as the mtb wound its way round the entire Sun City complex. It was a harder ride than I’d expected, and really had to dig deep, building a 4’50 lead off into the obstacle course, of which I’ll definitely show some video clips.
It was a real test, checking every part of the body for twitching muscles. Ian folded, and might have finished 16min behind, but the race was a lot closer than that.
More relieved than anything else. Havent been on the top step of a podium for a while…
Thanks for the interest and support. More tomorrow.
