Thabang Madiba continued his domination at the 2019 Trappers 4 Peaks Mountain Challenge presented by Bloemfontein Courant by once again claiming top spot for the 3rd year in a row, with another sprint finish. As the current record holder for both the “forward” and “reverse” routes, Thabang finished today in a time of 2hrs55min09sec, followed very closely by previous course winner, Lucky Miya in a time of 2hrs55min10sec and Simon Tshabalala in 3rd place in 2hrs58min48sec.

“4 Peaks has become a tradition for us to do and it was so fantastic to be able to run it all the way to the end with my good friend Lucky. I really don’t like racing him as he is more of a brother to me, but someone has to win it,” says Thabang with a smile.

The ladies race was won by last year’s 2nd place runner, Tara-Lea van Zyl, in a time of 4hrs16min34sec, with Martie Botes in second place in a time of 4hrs19min36sec and Meghan West taking 3rd place in a time of 4hrs32min16sec. “4 Peaks in my opinion is the toughest mountain races in South Africa, despite it only being 24km, and with it being so dry the last few months it made the going even more brutal this year,” says Tara-Lea.

“I had a great race with a bit of tumbling and bundu-bashing, and managed to finish with my best result to date of 12th overall and first lady. The heat today definitely played a bit role in the slower times today, but it still is one of the best races South Africa has to offer.”
Dubbed as the toughest 24km trail race in South Africa with a vertical accent of over 1800m, the race takes place on the picturesque Moolmanshoek Private Game Reserve.

The terrain is definitely not for the faint of heart and good preparation is a must. Four very distinctive peaks make up the race as one circle around the Moolmanshoek valley. The route is not marked, but is very easy to traverse with marshals and very clear signage at key places. There are some very steep sections along the route that need to be navigated with the two toughest places being behind Jakobsberg and Visierskerf. 4 Peaks is a completely unsupported race, meaning that all athletes will need to carry everything they will need for the race on their person.

For more information on the race and to find out how you can enter next year’s event, please visit http://4peaks.co.za/. Follow the race live on Facebook on @4PeaksMountainChallenge

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Notes to the editor:

Leading Positions

1. Thabang Madiba 2hrs55min09sec
2. Simon Tshabalala 2hrs55min10sec
3. Sampie Makoekoe 2hrs58min48sec

Top ladies

1. Tara-Lea van Zyl 4hrs16min34sec
2. Martie Botes 4hrs19min36sec
3. Meghan West 4hrs32min16sec

For the rest of the category wins please visit https://app.sportraxs.com/en/event/4-peaks

4 Peaks Early Bird entries open 15 March 2019
At 8am on Friday 15 March, early bird entries for the iconic Trappers Bloemfontein 4 Peaks Mountain Challenge presented by Bloemfontein Courant, will be open for a limited 24hrs at vastly reduced rates. “Due to demand we have decided to open entries early for this year’s race and to allow entrants to customise their race to suit their budget,” says race organiser and director, Adrian Saffy from Pure Adventures.
Apart from the traditional 24km route – which is known as the toughest 24km mountain race in the country – race organisers have also added a 10km panoramic route, which will follow the base of the mountain range as a great option for those not yet ready to tackle the mountains. “What makes this route so unique is the abundant game life that runners will be able to see,” says Saffy. “As with the 24km route, the 10km will also have limited entries to allow runners to experience the true magic of the event and preserve the pristine nature of the mountains.”
A 20km and 40km mountain bike race have been added to the Sunday events – ensuring something for the whole family to do, as well as being great for those who enjoy multi-sport events over a weekend.
The events will take participants through the picturesque Moolmanshoek Private Game Reserve on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September 2019.
To get your early bird entries makes sure you go online at 8am on Friday 15 March 2019 to take advantage of the reduced rates http://4peaks.co.za/.
ENDS

Enter, what has been dubbed the toughest 24km mountain run in South Africa with a vertical accent of over 1800m, the 2018 Trappers Bloemfontein 4 Peaks Mountain Challenge presented by Bloemfontein Courant.

The race takes place on Saturday the 22nd of September 2018 in the picturesque Moolmanshoek Private Game Reserve. The self-navigation, self-supported race follows a circular route around the iconic Witteberg Mountain Range and promises to challenge you in ways you never thought mountain running could.

For more information on the race, to enter and to find out what additional activities will be available on the weekend, please visit http://4peaks.co.za/

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The 4 Peaks is arguably the toughest 24km in South Africa with a vertical accent of over 1800m.The route is unique as it takes you in a circle around the Main Lodge, which is the hub of activities during the weekend. This event is a Family affair and the location allows us to cater for all, with a kiddie’s treasure hunt to game drives and Horseback riding for those that are not participating in the race. This is a self-supported and self-navigational race and as the route is circular it makes it a good entry level event for those that are looking for something more challenging than running on the trail. The 24 Km should not fool you into a false sense of security as this is Extreme Mountain running and is the equivalent to an ultra-marathon.

This is a great weekend for the entire family and the event is always evolving to create more fun and entertainment for the entire family and is a must for your race calendar.