Jo Tanner- 1st Vet and 2nd lady overall (photo by Des Scholtz)

Perfect running weather greeted 155 trail runners on Saturday 4th April at the start of the Spar Goukamma Traverse and Family Fun Trail Run, a race that forms part of the annual Slow Festival event programme.

70 runners on the Traverse crossed over the Goukamma River on a pontoon to the start line. Runners were sent off down the sandy Jeep track with dew-laden spider webs before the race narrowed down to a single track that would take the trail runners up the first of four vegetated dunes while snaking through Fynbos and dune thicket. Along the path, the tips of Brunsvigia leaves poked through the sand with their desiccated tumbleweed flower heads lying where the wind last rolled them.

As each dune was summited, the views of undeveloped seascapes and beaches stretched out in front of the runners. Between dunes they had to negotiate ‘Puffadder Pathway’ and ‘Dune Mole Alley’, though, thankfully in the cool morning air, the puffadders had not emerged to sun themselves yet.

Goukamma Traverse- Groenvlei view (photo by Des Scholtz)

The WOW moment was just before the steep descent into the Milkwood Forest, along the edge of Groenvlei to Lake Pleasant.  Here, on the top of the last dune, runners paused to take a photo of the lake with its reflection of blue sky and small clouds with the Outeniquas in the distance, creating a surreal impression of looking down at the sky.

Elfonso Piterse blitzed the run in a winning time of 1.34.29. Winning lady of the Traverse, Sarah Hearn, who ran a time of 2:02:04, raved about the run and commented “SUCH a beautiful and well organised trail race. It was awesome!” True barefoot runner of Cape Town, Michael Thea de Kwaadsteniet, flew over the finish line in 4th place in a time of 1:41:43.

Amanda and Mark Dixon would like to thank Sedgefield Spar, Lake Pleasant Living and Cape Nature for making the event the success that it was. A huge thanks too to our marshals and race sweeps- the Sedgefield Lions- who are such an integral part of this race. Also to Bos tea for their post-race refreshments.

Please see full results posted on our website www.slowfestival.co.za/event_traverse.html and keep a look out for images going onto our facebook page in the Album ‘2015 Goukamma Traverse’.

Result Highlights :

Overall Men-

1. Elfonso Piterse 1:34:29
2. Thilo Fiedler 1:37:44
3. Warren Petersen 1:39:57

Overall Ladies-

1. Sarah Hearn 2:02:04
2. Joanne Tanner 2:06:00
3. Lizelle Keet 2:09:18