Race Report: Xterra Knysna, South Africa

July 17th, 2008 by Dan Hugo

Xterra Knysna

1st

1:39:50, 2min17 ahead of Jan Schutte

All photo’s by Hannes Oosthuizen (oakpics.com).

(Leading through stunning South Coast vegetation)

I’ll try and leave this with more of a photo reporting than text, in the hope you read a more credible account a few posts ago via official media release…

(Starting out off Pezula’s Field of Dreams for the 3km run)

The highlight of the day for sure was catching up with friends and strangers who’ve followed and supported the past few months abroad. Very encouraging and motivating. I was hesitant to show face on fragile legs, but once there, was most relieved I had. This is the Xterra community I’m home in, and one that’s growing in the right direction.

(During the first 3km run with Jan Schutte)

380 athletes in total for a mid week race says enough. I couldnt help but have critical eyes after seeing different organisational styles over the past few weeks. Xterra South Africa, together with its host of sponsors and supports are doing world class events at the highest level. And thats not a biased proudly South African view, but an objective take on final detail and an ability to make an event a memory and more than just a physical challenge.

(Approaching one of too many mud baths)

Rain had drenched much of the Western Cape over the past two weeks, with big flooding in some parts. Annually we get 6 inches a year on the farm on average, well, we got 4 in the ten days before Xterra Knysna. So the forest floor was soaked and pushing out moisture from under every rock. So much so that 5km of the bike leg had to be cut the night prior, with impenetrable knee deep mud making for a rescue and evacuation nightmare, and therefore unsafe to race across.

I was racing with my Garmin (would do all the neat google earth layover if I had more bandwidth) and could see we were heading back to the field of dreams prematurely. Not with complaint though. I was near blown and after getting some daylight on Nico Pfitzenmaier and Jan Schutte on the 4km rocky ascent, I’d been against the ropes.

(The end of a mud-shortened bike course of 20km)

Somehow I settled in over the 10km trail run, and felt okay. Anything was to feel better than the Auron run though, so perhaps all is just relative. Pezula is actually an ultra luxurious golf housing estate, with breathtaking views across the Indian Ocean from high up against rock cliff’s. Doing a race will be the closest I ever get to making it through the security gate. So running here is a majestic as can be.