Sun City Race Report
October 31st, 2007 by Dan Hugo 
Going into the race last weekend in Sun City I realised the psychological importance of the race, with the Powerade Triple Challenge being a week later in Natal, and that Iain would probably be the main to beat in these two of the biggest multisport races on the South African calender.
I knew also that I was strong, but far from radical form would need to leave a part of myself out on course to defend the first real title I’d won a year prior in Sun City at the inaugural event in the Pilansberg. Iain had beaten me three weeks earlier, at the final of the Jeep Msinsi, and through a media release I’d seen of his in the week’s build-up, I knew he was confident and figured he had it sewn up.
Starting the day with a two lap 1000m swim, one of my strong legs, I pushed out aggressively for the mental warfare to start in my favour. 2:40 was split back to Don-Wouchope as we ran out down a trail to a bushveld thicket for the 9km trail run. The route was twisty, muddy and littered with thorn trees called “hak en steek” (hook and stab) or “wag n bietjie” trees by the locals, and depending on your pain threshold, you could cut corners in exchange for a few scratches. Iain ran phenomenally well to close the gap as I entered transition2.
(The Yellow is the swim lap, and the red Kidney Shape is the paddle lap)
(Heading out on the trail run)
Back down to a leg that favoured me, the 10km K1 paddle on the same dam we’d swam in, only my Vadja with understern and flattish nose was less agile through the weeds than my Orca wetsuit had been swimming. Weeds got stuck under my rudder and on my nose far more than I had anticipated the night before when scouting a lap. I had an alternate option but was chasing a few seconds in a light carbon vacuum moulded boat, which backfired. Fortunes were further elusive in that there wasnt another paddler to work with until I was caught on the last part of the final 4th lap. The paddle was a ‘kidney’ shaped lap, and I could gauge my lead building on Iain, and it sure wasnt what I had hoped for.
Headed out onto the 40km time trial, the cyclist for Harmony who’s paddler had caught me on the final moments of the paddle was just ahead. Its like seeing a winning lottery ticket right there. I gunned the first kilometer or two, feet still on shoes, till I could see his back-wheel appear within my tt-helmet site. Euphoria seemed short changed and the cyclist was strong, but definitely not a time trial specialist. I worked as hard I could, as hard as I thought I could let myslef with 3 stages to go. The T-shaped ride allowed two dogleg’s where I could again gauge the gap, and on the first I realised that it be a hard day out, with Don-Wouchope in a 4man pack.
(My two Specialized bikes waiting to fly)
The road run and mountain bike should have been his two stages, and I’d hoped for a few minutes buffer coming off my Specialized S-Works Transition. I need to note and thank Carl Passio for his Easton Tempest II’s, they were beaut. All was not my way though, and 1:50 was the split off the bikes, into my Puma’s for 10km road run on the path twisting and turnin on the contours of the Gary Player signature golf course.
(Ruth looking after my transitions)
I made the mistake of having one pair of shoes in transition, and hadnt anticipated the mud and water crossings on the train run. Ruth cleaned my shoes on my request and gave them a good wash, not realising the weight disadvantage. I was hurting, and psychologically the discussion with self wasnt happy. Guess there’ll always a part of yourself riddled with doubt, and a part filled with greed for victory.
Iain had a chased my early aggression and was paying for it out on the run as well though. He managed only to claw back a 1:20 of the 1:50, granting me a 30sec head start for the 25km mountain bike ride around the entire Sun City estate. The course was hard, with loose terrain of sand and small rocks, and a definite harder second half. I was feeling stronger and stronger though, and had risen from the road run low.
(The big red lap was the mtb leg, the little yellow was the trail run, and the green a section of road ride)
The other big factor for the day was nutrition, staying topped up through the day. I raced entirely on USN, my first for a longer race, and can now vouch for their endurance range. I had bottles with CytoPower and EnduroSport mixed, as well as CytoGel’s thoughout my day. They kept me afloat, aided by the one mouthful of HiEnergy Bar I could force down. I believe my pre-loading on USN, and taking during, could have been a big factor in trying to finishing strong over the race.
Mentally I was prepared to trail into the final leg of seven obstacles, knowing it was anyone’s game there, but sure preferred settling the days outings on the mountain bike. My Specialized S-Works hardtail with Johnny Kritzinger’s Easton’s on were equal to the road setup, and may just have given the edge I needed, but Iain was spent. Not knowing this I kept pushing and pushing, now more motivational in the scolding of self, until I could glance down a two minute straight up climb with no one in sight. 4:50 into the final transition, and the Totalsports Challenge was mine for the taking.
Seemed the excitement and hype from the duel had made for a brilliant atmosphere at the finish, and I crowd had gathered to watch the obstacle course dramatics. Thankfully mine was less entertaining, and I got through smoothly. It tested every part of your body, being at full stretch swinging across ropes, pulling yourself up a wire, doing monkey bars, and even tested focus with a mind game.
(Pulling myself up on a Booysen’s Chair)
As I progressed through he course I could feel the emotions relaxing, and the relief building. I am not in fine form yet, and was lucky to win my third Totalsports Title. It had been one of my hardest battles as I ran through the finishing straight, taking the lion’s share of the R125 000 prize money offered by Totalsports.
(Photo thanks to GoMulti Magazine - Winning)
Iain lost 11minutes battling cramps and fatigue to finish second by sixteen minutes. This weekend is a new race and a new day, and although I go in far more confident, I wont be making the same mistake he did last week, and will grant him the respect his current form deserves. He’ll be the man to beat again.
(Iain and myself being interviewed by Max Cluer)
Stillwater Sports Management and their team put together a masterful multisport race, with attention to fine detail unrivalled in South Africa. The course was flawless, and setup superb. I look forward to being a part of the next Totalsports Challenge in Kleinmond on the 12th of January.
Sunday was spent in the valley of waves, chasing slides, sipping a cocktail and soaking up some summer sun - the part of the weekend that really mattered.
(The valley of waves at Sun City)
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Place NAME S NO. TIME
===== ========================================= = ==== ========
1 DAN HUGO M 1 04:12:36
2 IAIN DON-WAUCHOPE M 2 04:25:21
3 PHILLIPE VAN DER LEEUW M 6 04:53:16
4 PIERS PIROW M 3 05:00:17
5 ROBERT MCGLOUGHLIN M 26 05:39:44
6 HENDRIK PRETORIUS M 32 05:52:32
7 DAVE SHELLY M 21 06:10:10
8 IAN FALLER M 27 06:10:10
9 ABEL VAN DER MERWE M 31 06:42:51
10 COBUS LIAKOS M 20 06:45:10
11 SIMON LAWRENCE M 29 06:50:20
