Oakpics Totalsports Challenge Photo’s

If you were at the event, visit the Oakpics site to view and order some of yourself. Thanks to Hannes Oosthuizen for these:

(Blowing – five hours in)

(Michelle Lombardi starting lap2 of the surfski leg)

(Jeannie Bomford winning the individual ladies race)

(Starting on the Arabella Lagoon)

(Right line? Think it was more just point and shoot by this stage.)

Media Release
HUGO SPOILS AUSSIE’S CHANCES OF VICTORY AT TOTALSPORTS CHALLENGE

Top South African multi-sport athlete Dan Hugo (23) was in peak form on Saturday, 10 January 2009, when he successfully defended his title for the third time at the 8th annual Totalsports Challenge, presented by New Balance and Powerade in Kleinmond.

Hugo expected to have tough competition from Australian multi-sport champion Jarad Kohlar (26), whose impressive track record for 2008 includes:  2nd at the Mark Webber Challenge, 1st Solo Male Gloucester Mountain Man (Australia), 1st Mars Challenge (Aus) and 3rd XTERRA (Aus).  Kohlar, however, proved to be no match for the defending champion, who managed to complete the race with an impressive 27minute and 47second lead over Kohlar.  According to Hugo, he only felt comfortable once he had seen Kohlar on the beach run.  “I started to slow down after the turning point on the run as this was the first time that I realised the magnitude of the gap that I had managed to maintain between Kohlar and myself.  The support that I received on the day from fellow athletes as well as spectators was truly amazing and special to me.  The race felt more like a contest between South Africa and Australia!  For me this has been the most exciting and challenging Totalsports Challenge yet and I really hope that Jarad will encourage more Australians to compete next year,” says Hugo, who completed the individual men’s race in 06hours09mins55secs.  Jarad Kohlar obtained a 2nd place position when he crossed the line in 06hours37mins42secs, while Jeremey Valegra finished 3rd with a time of 06hours52mins07secs.

First place in the individual women’s category went to top multi-sport athlete Jeannie Bomford.  According to Bomford, she was really happy to compete after having to sit out in 2008 due to a car accident prior to the event.  “I was really nervous as I had not put in as much training time as I should have, due to the festive season.  I had a lovely race and was once again surprised at how smoothly everything went on the day.  I was really pleased to see how many athletes had entered the individual Totalsports Challenge.  The event is really growing,” says Bomford, who crossed the finish line in 07hours19mins09secs.  Michelle Lombardi obtained a 2nd place position when she crossed the finish line in 07hours23mins42secs, while Hanlie Booyens finished 3rd with a time of 07hours44mins46secs.

Team African X Trail obtained a 1st place in the men’s pairs category of the Totalsports Challenge, while team M & M came 1st in the women’s pairs category with team Apple and Pear finishing 1st in the mixed pairs category.  Team Totalsports Trips grabbed the top spot in the men’s 3-member team category of the Totalsports Challenge, while team Rude Awakenings came 1st in the women’s 3-member team category and team The Awesome Threesome took honours in the mixed 3-member team category.

The Totalsports All Stars (consisting of Dawid Mocke on the surf ski, Heerden Herman on the swim, David George on the road bike, Ben Brimble on the road run, Graham Solamon on the canoe, Christoph Sauser on the mountain-bike and Conrad Stoltz on the beach run) won the men’s 7-member team category of the Totalsports Challenge, while the Totalsports A Team

overcame strong competition to finish 1st in the women’s 7-member team.  Team Contego came 1st in the mixed 7-member team category.

Nico Pfitzenmaier of Germany completed the Totalsports Terra Firma Challenge in 03hours49mins15secs to secure the 1st place position in the individual men’s category.  Jan Schutte came in 2nd, while Pieter Wehmeyer finished 3rd.  Team Hammer Nutrition obtained a 1st place position in the pairs category of the Terra Firma Challenge, while Team Social came in 1st in the 4-member team category.

Entrants in the Totalsports Challenge presented by New Balance and Powerade had to complete a gruelling 12km surfski, 1.5km swim, 50km road bike (from Gordon’s Bay to Kleinmond), 13km road run, 13km K1 canoe, 25km mountain bike and finally a 9km beach run.  Athletes that weren’t keen on getting wet took on the Totalsports Terra Firma Challenge presented by New Balance and Powerade, which consisted of only four of the seven stages of the Totalsports Challenge, excluding the swim, surfski and K1 canoeing legs.

For further information visit www.totalsports.co.za or www.newbalance.co.za or contact or Top Events on (021) 511 – 7130.

Issued by Peridot Communications.