For the first time in two years, the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon 56 km and half marathon 21 km races were held in Cape Town over the Easter weekend.
Members of Whalers Athletic Club Hermanus were part of the thousands of runners and their families who converged on the Mother City with great excitement to compete in this race, which had been cancelled along with all other road races due the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, due to restrictions, the two races were held over two days instead of the usual one day.
The eager participants stood on the start line for the 21 km at 06:30.
This route took participants along an undulating scenic route through the suburbs of Cape Town, a rather large climb up Southern Cross Drive and then onto the finish at UCT grounds. The weather was perfectly warm and dry.
The 56 km took the runners from Newlands through Muizenberg up and over Chapmans Peak to Hout Bay, up the steep Constantia Nek, finishing at UCT grounds.
The weather was perfect with a bit of wind and cool sunny conditions, but it got rather warm later on for the late finishers.
Participants congratulated the new sponsor Total Sports and all those involved in the organisation of the event and said “Cape Town should be proud of hosting this wonderful event with visitors arriving from all over the country and overseas.”
Whalers club member Sarah Gordon received her 10th finish permanent number and Gareth Griffiths received his 20th finish permanent number. The club congratulated both.
Whalers Athletic Club Hermanus Race results:
21 km
Emeth Stembele Mafentile (M) 1:33:38, Philip Fyfer (M) 1:40:58, Frank Gillion (M) 1:44:32, David Hepburn-Brown (M) 1:52:42, Marie Vermaak (F) 1:59:38, Andrew Harris 2:07:34, Ezio Tuniz (M) 2:13:27, Davy Louw (M) 2:17:40, Les Hanna (M) 2:18:31, Heidi Kotze (F) 2:31:58, Rina Bloem (F) 2:33:40, At Van Schoor (M) 2:35:04, Elaine Cuffe (F) 2:36:18, Sarien Lochner (F) 2:48:08, Kobus Pisani (M) 2:56:03. 56 km
Darren (Phumlani) Kumbaca (M) 4:43:23, Sarah Gordon (F) 4:56:37, Johann Kotze (M) 5:13:22, Wilhelm Cooper (M) 5:24:17, Christo Vlotman (M) 5:28:36, Nyasha Mhindurwa Janhi (M) 5:29:20, Charles Malan (M) 5:43:33, Gareth Griffiths (M) 5:51:28, Marc Rolfe (M) 5:55:23, Leroy Oosthuyzen (M) 6:05:55, Andre Filander (M) 6:09:20, Arina Fyfer (F) 6:14:08.