PRETORIA EAST, HAZELDEAN VALLEY, 23nd August 2016 – This past weekend, the 20th and 21st of August, saw Round 5 of the Jeep Warrior Series kick off on a cold fresh morning, fast becoming a hot and gruelling race for the approximately 4 000 athletes competing at Hazeldean Valley’s Cowhouse Market venue in Pretoria East. Jeep Team’s fit-and-fast Black Ops Elite athletes, Thomas van Tonder, Carina Marx, JJ Deysel and Joshua Masundi, knew it was going to be brutal when eyeing up the usual suspects on the start line. All of South Africa’s top OCR athletes were present, looking buff and tough. It was going to be war to the end.

The Black Ops Elite course presented 30 obstacles over a 20km trail, each challenging either your mental or physical limits in the longest Warrior Black Ops Elite race to date. The terrain was fairly flat giving hardened runners the edge between obstacles. After fighting it out for over 90 minutes, Jeep Team OCR star and Jeep Warrior series leader, Thomas van Tonder, succumbed to second place in a time of 01h40, a few minutes behind eventual race winner, 39-year-old Claude Eksteen (Ex-World Triathlete), who returned to the series and claimed top spot in 01h37. Louis Smit came 3rd in 01h43. Jeep Team’s JJ Deysel and Joshua Masudi took seventh and eleventh places respectively.

The Jeep Warrior brand radiates quality and equality as you are judged only on your mettle to compete and finish. All genders race together over the same course, giving a fresh take on women helping men, and vice versa, over and out of mud pits and the like. Jeep Team’s top female OCR athlete, Corina Marx, put in an impressive fight against the top women OCR athletes in the country. Marx eventually finished 3rd in 02h33, climbing two positions from Jeep Warrior Race 4 in Ballito, where she placed fifth thanks to a hamstring injury. The highly efficient Hanneke Dannhauser took top spot in 02h19 with super-strong Trish Bahlmann in second in a time of 02h27.

Jeep Warrior’s Carina Marx, said “It was truly a runner's race. Our stamina and endurance were really pushed to the limits. This is an incredible series and I’m proud to compete alongside top athletes like Hanneke (Dannhauser) and Trish (Bahlmann). Dannhauser was an absolute machine today. No one was going to catch her.” Marx is currently lying 4th in the overall series standings behind Bahlmann, Dannhauser and D’Oliveira. Coming into the Jeep Team fold around 6 months ago with lots of potential but short on experience and relevant fitness levels, Marx has shown incredible improvements, and will go much further once she accepts the warrior within, and lets it out, taking no prisoners.

The Jeep Team will be competing in the next Jeep Warrior Race 6, which takes place from 24 - 25 September 2016 at Kwanyoni Lodge in Nelspruit.

RESULTS

BLACK OPS ELITE - MEN

1. Claude Eksteen - 01:37:18
2. Thomas van Tonder - 01:40:18
3. Louis Smit - 01:43:18
4. Trevor Lagerwey - 01:47:02
5. Bradley Claase - 01:50:13

BLACK OPS ELITE - WOMEN

1. HANNEKE DANNHAUSER - 02:19:25
2. TRISH BAHLMANN - 02:27:44
3. CARINA MARX - 02:33:15
4. MICHELLE MEYER - 02:46:33

COMMANDO ELITE - MEN

1. ANRICH ZIMMERMANN - 00:52:18
2. BRANDON HULLEY - 00:54:20
3. GARETH MARQUISS - 00:57:13
4. DARREN MARQUISS - 01:00:53
5. ADAM REID - 01:07:44

COMMANDO ELITE - WOMEN

1. SAMANTHA GILCHRIST - 01:20:36
2. NIKKI CAROMBA - 01:22:44
3. CINDY WILLS - 01:29:33
4. MARISKA UYS - 01:41:48
5. ANNEMARIE SCHOLTZ - 01:49:33

ROOKIE ELITE - MEN

1. TORIN TORRENTE - 00:43:20
2. ZANDER LOUW - 00:43:40
3. JOSHUA DE JAGER - 00:44:15

ROOKIE ELITES - WOMEN

• LAUREN DAWS - 00:50:42
• KIRSTY VAN DER MERWE - 01:03:43
• DANIELA WILKIE-WATSON - 01:08:40

Editor’s Notes
All photo credits: ZC Marketing Consulting

ABOUT THE JEEP WARRIOR SERIES
The Jeep Warrior Race is South Africa’s largest obstacle course race series that spans eight events across four provinces. The series burst onto the scene in 2013 and immediately spearheaded the meteoric rise of obstacle racing in South Africa. It quickly grew to up to 9000 participants per event and remains at the forefront of the growth spurt in the new sport of obstacle racing with its larger than life obstacles and innovative courses to challenge South Africans. What makes Jeep Warrior Race so popular, is that anyone can participate - all you need is a pair of old running shoes and a great sense for adventure.

To find out more, go to the Jeep Warrior website - www.warrior.co.za.

To keep up with the action, like Jeep Warrior’s Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thewarriorrace - or follow the event on Twitter - https://twitter.com/thewarriorrace.

• Jeep #Warrior6 - Nelspruit – Kwanyoni Lodge 24 Sept – 25 Sept
• Jeep #Warrior7 - Meerendal, Western Cape 22 Oct -23 Oct
• Jeep #Warrior8 - Pretoria - Legend MX 19 Nov – 20 Nov

Issued by Hot Salsa Media on behalf of Jeep Team SA.
For more information, interviews or high resolution images, feel free to contact Viv Quann: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

15 August 2016, PRETORIA – This weekend, get to Pretoria East for Round 5 of South Africa’s biggest obstacle course race, the Jeep Warrior Series, which is taking place at the historic Hazeldean Valley Farm in Pretoria East from 20-21^st August 2016. This will be the first year that the historic Pretoria East Farm is hosting a Jeep Warrior OCR. Hazeldean Valley was once the home of South Africa’s biggest Ayrshire herd and today, the old farm buildings - dating back to the 1940s - provide the perfect farmyard atmosphere to host the spectator-friendly Jeep Warrior Race on the banks of the Pienaars River, East of Pretoria with bushveld scenery ideal for the gruelling challenge.

Says Jonathan Hart, Advendurance event organiser and Jeep Warrior Series Course Designer, “Warriors taking part in Race 5 in Pretoria East this weekend will be able to enjoy the start of the summer season. The team has been working flat out over the last few weeks to build an exhilarating course, which will be unveiled to athletes on race day. Hazeldean Valley is an inspiring venue for spectators and athletes, offering a farmyard atmosphere on the doorstep of the city. There’s lots of bushveld and the historic venue is on the banks of the Pienaars River, offering a diverse obstacle course for competitors. Bring on the weekend!” Participants can look forward to a day of climbing, crawling, hanging and jumping as they attempt to tackle some of the course favourites, designed to challenge the Black Ops athletes. Competition in the pro-level Black Ops Elite race is fierce heading into Race 5.

Black Ops Elite presents the toughest of courses, set over 15 - 20 km with 30 obstacles, and matching world OCR standards. Currently, Jeep Team’s Thomas van Tonder tops the men’s Black Ops Elite Leaderboard, with 14 873 points, after winning Race 1, placing 2^nd in Race 2, finishing 5^th in Race 3 and 1^st in race 4. With 13 844 points, Michael Joubert is 2^nd Male, followed by Greg Avierinos with 13 714 points. Says Van Tonder, “Looking forward to a packed elite field this weekend with a whole lot of glory and the keys to the Renegade back up for grabs. I am looking to put in a strong showing on Sunday in order to keep my lead on the Warrior series standings, and build up the conference for OCR World Championship 9 weeks from now. I am expecting a flat and very high intensity race and an exciting new venue.” In the Women’s Black Ops Elite standings, Trish Bahlmann heads the leaderboard with 13 651 points. Bahlmann won Race 1, finished 3^rd in Race 2, placed 4^th in Race 3 and 2^nd in Race4. With 12 220 points, Dominique D’Oliveira is 2^nd overall, followed by Hanneke Dannhauser in 3^rd with 12 000 points. Jeep Team’s Carina Marx is in 4^th with 9 958 points.

An alternative to the Black Ops course is Warrior Commando, covering 10 – 14km with 15 obstacles. This course is the ideal team-building experience for couples, friends and work colleagues. Warrior Rookie is the perfect introduction to OCR, offering 15 fun obstacles over 5-8 km. Not only will you be coming to the greatest, coolest race in Africa, but you will also be able to get up close and personal with the latest and greatest from the best vehicle brand on the planet, Jeep. Join the Jeep Team at the exhibition area to see, feel and experience Freedom. Reebok, the official series’ partner, are international pioneers of professional OCR gear, having designed the world’s first OCR specific shoes – the All-Terrain Series. The new official Jeep Warrior gear will be on sale at Hazeldean Valley, as well as online and in store.

There’s still time to enter Jeep Warrior Hazeldean. To do so, head online to www.warrior.co.za. To keep up with the action, like Jeep Warrior’s Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thewarriorrace - or follow the event on Twitter - https://twitter.com/thewarriorrace.

Use the hashtag #BeBrave to join the Jeep Warrior social media conversation. Jeep Warrior Series Race 5 Hazeldean details: Venue: The Cowhouse Market, Ridge Rd & Oukraal Boulevard, Hazeldean, Pretoria, 7530 Date: 20-21 August 2016 Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/QHMNnvJf8T72 GPS Coordinates: 25°46’25.8″S 28°24’00.4″E Participants: 7000 Cash Facilities: No. Please bring cash along with you. Parking: 3000 cars Entries: Enter online at www.warrior.co.za Late Entries: Late entries will only be available for Sunday on the day. Spectator entry fee: R30 (kids under 10 years of age don’t pay an entrance fee)

Race Day Registration: Register at least 1.5 hrs before the start of your batch.

EDITOR’S NOTES A BRIEF HISTORY OF OCR
Today’s obstacle course racing has evolved from military-style bootcamp training courses that were used to prepare recruits for combat. One of the world’s oldest competitive OCR events is the notorious Tough Guy Challenge, which takes place every year in Staffordshire, England. Started in 1987, the race claims to be “the world's most demanding one-day survival ordeal”. Held in in the middle of the British winter, Tough Guy’s 15km course is designed to resemble a World War One battleground, with 25 obstacles featuring steep hill climbs and cliffs, freezing water pools and muddy ditches, fire pits, rope bridges, nets and barbed wire fences. In 2010, OCR truly became an accessible sport to everyone, not just the super fit. This was in part due to the launch of the Spartan and Tough Mudder obstacle races in the USA that catered to a range of fitness abilities. Both races soon gained mass support and sponsorship, with over a million Americans registering for and participating in OCR in 2011. In 2014, the first OCR World Championships took place in Ohio USA. It was won by the UK's Jonathan Albon, who went on to successfully defend his crown in 2015.

ABOUT THE JEEP WARRIOR SERIES
The Jeep Warrior Race is South Africa’s oldest and largest obstacle course race that spans eight events across four provinces. The series burst onto the scene in 2013 and immediately spearheaded the meteoric rise of obstacle racing in South Africa. It quickly grew to up to 9000 participants per event and remains at the forefront of the growth spurt in the new sport of obstacle racing with its larger than life obstacles and innovative courses to challenge South Africans. What makes Jeep Warrior Race so popular, is that anyone can participate - all you need is a pair of old running shoes and a great sense for adventure. To find out more, go to the Jeep Warrior website - www.warrior.co.za.

To keep up with the action, like Jeep Warrior’s Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thewarriorrace - or follow the event on Twitter - https://twitter.com/thewarriorrace.

• Jeep #Warrior5 - Hazeldean Valley, Pretoria, Gauteng - 20 Aug – 21 Aug
• Jeep #Warrior6 - Nelspruit – Kwanyoni Lodge - 24 Sept – 25 Sept Jeep
• #Warrior7 - Meerendal, Western Cape - 22 Oct -23 Oct Jeep
• #Warrior8 - Legend MX, Pretoria - 19 Nov – 20 Nov

Issued by: Hot Salsa Media on behalf of Jeep Team.
For more information, contact Viv Quann at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.