DURBAN, 28 JUNE 2016 – The King of surfski, Hank McGregor (Jeep Team), continues his reign of back-to-back victories, this time winning the FNB Durban Downwind Surfski title in Durban on Sunday, 26 June 2016. This is the first time McGregor has won this title since race inception in 2014. 

The third edition of the annual race, which doubled as a World Surfski Series title event, took place in flat ocean conditions, testing paddlers’ endurance and stamina as they raced 26km from La Mercy Beach to Addington Beach. 

McGregor set the pace from the start claiming the FNB Durban Downwind title in 1h44m50. 

Last year’s winner, Matthew Bouman, placed 2nd in 1h45m54, followed by Mark Anderson in 3rd (1h48m54), Gene Prato 4th (1h49m27) and Jeep Team’s Barry Lewin in 5th (1h50m40).

Said McGregor, “I’m stoked to take the win this time around. I narrowly lost it two years ago so it’s nice to win the Durban Downwind for the first time. I was in hospital on Friday so it was a hit and miss whether I was going to race but I’m glad I was able to get out there. Conditions were pretty tough. There was hardly any assistance really so it was a hard slog for 26kms. I managed to get out in front early and then kept the guys behind me for the rest of the race. There weren’t too many tactics involved really.”

It’s been a busy month for paddling legend, McGregor, with back-to-back victories across surfski and canoe marathon paddling disciplines. On 29 May 2016, he claimed his third Maui Jim Molokai Surfski Challenge title in Hawaii. This 53km surfski ultra marathon is considered the world’s toughest surfski event. 

Just days after this victory, and still recovering from jet lag, McGregor won the world’s oldest surfski event, the Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates Surfski Race, which took place in Durban on 5 June. 

He then swapped his surfski for a canoe to claim the K1 2016 South African Canoe Marathon Championship, which took place in Cape Town on 11 June. This result means he has qualified for the 2016 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships, happening in Brandenburg, Germany, in September.

Now he’s on his way to Mauritius for the 2016 Mauritius Ocean Classic World Surfski Series race, taking place on 2 July 2016. Jeep Team team mate, Barry Lewin will also be competing in the Mauritius Ocean Classic.

2016 FNB DURBAN DOWNWIND RESULTS

1. Hank McGregor 1:44.50
2. Matt Bouman 1:45.54
3. Mark Anderson (AUS) 1:48.54
4. Gene Prato 1:49.27
5. Barry Lewin 1:50.40
6. Luke Nisbet 1:50.52
7. Bailey de Fondaumiere (U18) 1:52.35
8. Jason Ekstrand 1:53.06
9. Steve Woods 1:53.43
10. Wade Krieger 1:54.10

Other Jeep Team results

MTB

On Saturday, 25 June 2016, Jeep Team’s MTB athlete, Thinus Redelinghuys, competed in Race#4 of the 2016 USN MTB Cup Series.

The 50km race took place at the Big Red barn, near Irene, Gauteng. Redelinghuys managed an impressive podium finish, placing 2nd overall.

#JeepTeamSA 

Editors’ Notes

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

STELLENBOSCH, 24 MAY 2016 – Michael Lord (Jeep Team) successfully defended his duathlon title to claim his second consecutive Standard Bank Banhoek Duo victory on Saturday, 21 May 2016 in the Western Cape. Lord won the long Duo Leopard Challenge, a 20km MTB and 10km Trail Run through the picturesque Banhoek Conservancy, just outside of Stellenbosch, in 1h23m34, just ahead of Azukile Simayile in 2^nd (1h23m50), with Matthew Daneel 3^rd in 1h26m58.

Said Lord, “This is one of my favourite races, set in one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa – the Banhoek Valley. The course is spectacular and challenging, winding through vineyards and forests, with steep climbs and amazing views of Banhoek Mountain. I just love it! It’s great to win again after my victory in 2015.” Bridget Fouche won the women’s event in 1h56m32, followed by Carla Beyers in 2^nd (2h01m15) and Deleen-Marie Steyn 3^rd (2h08m58). The local community established the Banhoek Conservancy in 2013 to protect the stunning environment, which now forms part of the Hottentots-Hollands Nature Reserve. The conservancy generates an income by providing well-designed, permanently marked, off-road tracks for trail running and MTB. All profits generated from events, including the annual Standard Bank Banhoek Duo, are used to maintain the tracks and facilities, preserve the flora and fauna, and remove alien vegetation from the area.

2016 STANDARD BANK BANHOEK DUO LEOPARD CHALLENGE RESULTS: MEN:

1. Michael Lord - 01:23:34
2. Azukile Simayile - 01:23:50
3. Matthew Daneel - 01:26:58
4. Pieter Manuel - 01:31:58
5. Francois Burger - 01:40:10

WOMEN:

1. Bridget Fouche - 01:56:32
2. Carla Beyers - 02:01:15
3. Deleen-Marie Steyn - 02:08:58
4. Su-Mari Jooste - 02:15:14
5. Sandy Russell - 02:19:53

Other Jeep Team results Obstacle Course Racing Jeep Team’s OCR athletes, Thomas van Tonder, Carina Marx and Joshua Masudi, competed in Race#2 of the IMPI Challenge (Gauteng), which took place at Laurentia Farm in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, on Saturday, 21 May. Racing in IMPI Elite, which consisted of 26 to 28 obstacles over a muddy 20km trail run, Van Tonder placed 2^nd Male in 1h45, Marx placed 3^rd Female in 2h20, and Masudi finished 6^th Male in 1h58. Claude Eksteen won the men’s race in 1h43, with Carla Van Huyssteen winning the women’s event in 2h03. The Jeep Team athletes agreed that the obstacles weren’t that taxing, making it more of a technical trail run rather than a challenge obstacle course race, but that it was a great build-up race to several upcoming tough obstacle course races such as the Hollard Jura, the KZN Impi and The Beast.

IMPI CHALLENGE #2 GAUTENG RESULTS:

Men

1. Claude Eksteen - 01:43:17
2. Thomas van Tonder - 01:45:07 (Jeep team)
3. Bradley Claase - 01:46:08
4. Joshua Masudi - 01:58:25 (Jeep Team)

Women

1. Carla Van Huyssteen - 02:03:01
2. Nicolette Griffioen - 02:14:26
3. Carina Marx - 02:20:40 (Jeep Team)

#JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes
For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PIETERMARITZBURG, 19 APRIL 2016 – KwaZulu-Natal’s young, multisport superstar and 2020 Olympic hopeful, Mikaela Jonsson (Jeep Team), has been selected to represent South Africa in three World events this year. Jonsson (18) will be racing in the Junior Elite category.

On 24^th April, Jonsson will be competing in the 2016 Discovery ITU World Triathlon Cape Town. She has also been selected to compete at both the ITU Duathlon World Championships in Aviles, Spain on 4th June 2016, and in Xterra World Championship off-road triathlon in Hawaii in October 2016 as part of Team South Africa.

The South African leg of the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series is taking place in Cape Town on 24 April. This is Race #3 of 9 international events that make up the series. This year, the ITU World Triathlon Series is an opportunity for athletes to earn Olympic qualification points. Jonsson will be competing in the Individual Sprint event - 500m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run.

Said Jonsson, “In 2016, I’m focusing purely on my sport after finishing Matric last year. I want to see how far I can go. To be selected for the South African team in these events is a massive achievement and in line with my goal to compete internationally this year. I’ve been training really hard these last few months and it’s starting to pay off.”

This weekend Jonsson proved she is in top form after her 2^nd female overall placing in the Sprint Race at Race#2 of the TinMan Triathlon Series, which took place at Suncoast Beach in Durban on Sunday, 17 April. Jonsson completed the 600m swim, 18km cycle and 5km run in 1h13m just behind Tegan Gore, who won the women’s event in 1h11m. Daniella Amgo placed 3^rd in 1h20m.

Said Jonsson, “I hadn’t tapered off for this race as I need to peak for the Discovery ITU World Triathlon next weekend. So I went in with tired legs. Saying this, it was a very close race. Tegan finished the swim and cycling legs just seconds ahead of me, but then managed to extend her lead in the final running stretch. TinMan was excellent preparation ahead of my big race this weekend.”

Editors’ Notes

PHOTO CAPTION: Mikaela Jonsson in Durban at Race#2 of the TinMan Triathlon Series, 17 April 2016.

PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Sawyer

DURBAN, 17 MAY 2016 – After winning the fifth and final race of the 2016 Bay Union Surfski Series this past weekend, Hank McGregor (Jeep Team) is on his way to Hawaii to compete in the Maui Jim Molokai Challenge, the world’s oldest and toughest downwind surfski race that is set in one of the roughest ocean channels in the world.

This year, this 53km surfski ultra marathon, which takes place on Sunday, 29 May, also doubles up as a World Surfski Series event, attracting the best and toughest surfski paddlers from around the world.

Now in its 40^th year, the Maui Jim Molokai Challenge is legendary for testing paddlers’ extreme skill, endurance and knowledge of ocean surfing.

The course is set in the Kaiwi Channel, between the Hawaiian islands of Molokai and Oahu. Here, a paddler’s ability is pushed to the limits against the unpredictable, fast changing, and extreme weather conditions experienced in the channel.

It’s no surprise that this race has been a favourite amongst South Africa’s thrill-seeking paddlers for many years, with Durban’s legendary paddler, Oscar Chalupsky, holding the record for the most wins (12 in total) over the race’s history. Chalupsky claimed the Men’s title a record 7 consecutive times (from 1983 – 1989), and then again in 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2012. Chalupsky will again be racing in 2016.

In 2009, McGregor won the Maui Jim Molokai Challenge for the first time, followed by a second victory in 2014 when the race doubled as the Surfski World Championship.

In 2015, he was a dominant force throughout the 53km race, leading the field until the final two kilometres when Australians Cory Hill and Clint Robinson managed to take an inside line that saw them leapfrog into 1^st and 2^nd respectively. McGregor finished 3^rd.

Said McGregor, “After my frustrating finish last year, I’m really looking forward to take on this year’s Maui Jim Molokai Challenge. Bring it on!”

Other South Africans on the start line of the 2016 event include Sean Rice (4^th at the 2015 race), Lee Furby and Herman Chalupsky (Oscar’s brother who tied 1^st place with him in 1995).

In preparation for the Molokai Challenge, McGregor partnered with Lee Furby to conquer the fifth and final race of the 2016 Bay Union Surfski Series, which took place in Durban on Sunday, 15 May.

McGregor and Furby won the Doubles-only race in 1h02m05, just a few second ahead of second-placed Matthew Bouman and Louis Hattingh in 2^nd in 1h02m15. Gene Prato and Bailey de Fondaumiere finished 3^rd in 1h04m15.

It was a close race with Bouman / Hattingh racing neck-and-neck with McGregor / Furby until the final 1.5km, when McGregor / Furby managed to get the upper hand in a thrilling sprint finish.

Said McGregor, “The Bay Union Doubles Race was only a fifteen kilometre race and we’ve got to race 53km over in Hawaii, but it’s great to leave South Africa with a win, and to have enjoyed a solid race with a great friend like Lee, was awesome! 

#JeepTeamSA 

Have a look at the following platforms to keep up to date with Jeep Team SA:

Website: www.jeepteam.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeepteamsa
Instagram: JeapTeamSA
Twitter: @jeepteamsa 

Editors’ Notes

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN, MAY 2016 - KwaZulu-Natal’s sunny Durban is a surfski paradise famous worldwide for its golden beaches, big waves and exhilarating downwind racing conditions. The city is home to some of the world’s greatest surfski paddlers, and hosts the world’s largest surfski series, breaking world records for paddler numbers. It is the number one city in the world to live in if you’re passionate about the sport.

“Durban is the best place in the world to paddle. We have warm water year round and no real winter to speak of. For novice paddlers, the Durban Bay is a sanctuary to kick off learning the sport, and for the hard-core extreme paddler, Durban also provides some of the best downwind surf one can find. It’s this amazing environment that has aided the growth of the sport,” explains Barry Lewin, a Jeep Team-sponsored athlete, who is also one of South Africa’s top surfski paddlers, and organiser for Durban’s Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series and the Bay Union Surfski Series.

Describing how it all began, Lewin said the sport first took off in Durban in 2001 when the Winter Surfski Series, run by Billy Harker, hit the scene. Before this, surfski was considered more of a fun hobby than a professional sport.

Says Lewin, “Under Harker’s management, people started taking surfski seriously, with paddler numbers doubling from 100 to 200 in the first year of the series. In 2003, 525 paddlers took part in the series, and saw Durban break the Guinness World Record for the biggest entry for a domestic surfski event.”

Durban-born Lewin is an accomplished river marathon and surfski paddler, with a number of local and international titles to his name. Notable achievements include winning the Liffey Descent in Ireland on his first attempt back in 2007, as well as breaking the 25-year-old K1 record a year later at Australia’s Avon Descent. But it is back home in Durban where his passion and dedication to the development of surfski has really grown the sport in recent years.

Lewin has been instrumental in developing Durban’s young talent, having founded South Africa’s first surfski development programme for underprivileged youth, as well as launching Durban’s first surfski school in 2006. The development programme, now managed by Lewin’s dad, Mark Lewin, has produced a number of the country’s top paddlers, including Sthembiso Mbatha, who represented South Africa at the 2011 Surfski World Cup, and is now a coach at the school.

Says Lewin, “It all started with a small surfski school in Durban to teach people how to paddle in the sea. The joy of sharing my passion for the ocean and sport is extremely rewarding. The school is the perfect way to try out the sport. Coaches include myself as well as some of Durban’s top paddlers, including Wade Krieger and Sthembiso Mbatha. Schools travel from across KwaZulu-Natal to take part in our clinics.”

Lewin’s success with the Surfski School led to him taking over management in 2010 of Durban’s premier summer surfski event – the Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series. Under his leadership, the series attracted major sponsorship from Varsity College in 2010, and then from banking giant, FNB in 2015.  Since then, the series has grown into the world’s biggest surfski event, attracting record entries every year.

 “The Varsity College FNB Marine Surfski Series is special because it is also an event aimed at developing young surfski talent in Durban. Every year, the final race in the 10-part series doubles as the Varsity College FNB South African Schools Surfski Championships. This places Durban on the map globally as the premier hotspot for up-and-coming surfski talent.

Other major surfski events now taking place in Durban include the winter Bay Union Surfski Series (April – May 2016), which is also organised by Lewin; the Durban Downwind from 25 – 26 June 2016, which also doubles as a World Surfski Series event; and the Wall and Back Surfski Series (October – December 2016). Surf’s Up Durban!

#JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Joubert and Dannhauser take Black Ops Elite Men’s and Women’s titles

JOHANNESBURG, 05 MAY 2016 – Over 6 500 Jeep Warrior participants faced extreme challenges at Race#3 of the 2016 Jeep Warrior Series, which took place on the 23^rd and 24^th April 2016 at Hobby Park in Krugersdorp.

Athletes who raced in Black Ops Elite (30 obstacles over 16km distance) on Sunday, were in agreement that the course was exceptionally tough, mentally and physically, as only 26 elites of 70 starters finished the race.

The toughest obstacle, ‘Breaking Point’, lived up to its name, and proved to be the game changer in the Elite Men’s race.

Breaking Point demands an extreme test of upper body strength that requires athletes to get through a 15m sequence of ropes, rings, chains and monkey bars without falling. Right at the end of Breaking Point, athletes need to move themselves over a few metres using only their fingertips, in a stretch known as the Cliff Hanger. It’s at this point that many fall.

New obstacles in the elite events included Extreme Monkey (a series of pivoting ladders) and a heavy barrel-carrying obstacle.

In the men’s Black Ops Elite, Race#1 winner Thomas van Tonder (Jeep Team) and Race#2 winner Claude Eksteen (Adventure Obstacle Training) started off convincingly, managing to get in front at the first bottleneck onto the first single track.

Two kilometres into the race, well-known runner, Eksteen, surged ahead through the flat running section, leaving Van Tonder in second, with Bradley Claase (Battlerush) and Michael Joubert (Nevarest Team) chasing a few seconds behind.

These Black Ops Elite leaders stayed in this order for three quarters of the race until Breaking Point.

Eksteen reached Breaking Point first, but was unable to get through on his first attempt. Van Tonder was next to attempt the obstacle, but he too fell prey to this extreme test of upper body strength, falling from the final cliff hanger section.

This gave Michael Joubert the opportunity he needed to surge ahead, getting through Breaking Point on first attempt and through to the finish line to claim the men’s title in 1h37m30, with Claase 2^nd in 1h40m22 and Greg Avierinos (Nevarest Team) 3^rd in 1h42m58. Jeep Team’s Jay Jay Deysel placed 4^th in 1h45m59, with Van Tonder finishing 5^th in 2h00m10.

Said Joubert, “It was a great race. I started a bit slow, trying to keep my pace and my energy. Bradley [Claase] and I raced alongside each other for most of the race and that was great. Breaking Point was really tough this time around after so much up and downhill running on the course. I kept an easy pace from the start, and this luckily gave me the edge, giving me enough energy to get through Breaking Point first time round.”

The Black Ops Elite women compete on exactly the same course as the men elite. In fact, throughout all the Jeep Warrior events men and women compete on all the same courses. It stands to reason why the Jeep vehicle brand loves the Warrior brand so much – it’s all about equality and strength.

Race#2 winner, Hanneke Dannhauser (USN), dominated the women’s elite race, securing the lead at the start and going on to conquer Breaking Point on her first attempt. No small feat. She claimed the women’s crown in 2h00m12, followed by Jeep Team’s Carina Marx in 2^nd (2h08m35) and Dominique D'Oliveira 3^rd in 2h12m02.

Testament to the strength of these warrior women – the top 3 women elites were placed in the Top 10 overall male and female. Dannhauser placed 6^th overall, Marx placed 9^th and D'Oliveira placed 10^th.

Said Dannhauser, “It was a close race. Carina and Dominique were chasing me the whole time. I kept looking over my shoulder and they were right behind me. Awesome that all three of us got through Breaking Point on first attempt and made the top 10 overall! The course was a great challenge, but I definitely didn’t enjoy all the uphills. I loved the Hobby Park venue because of the beautiful setting with lots of trees. It was also really spectator-friendly, which made for a great festive atmosphere.”

Said Van Tonder, “It was a superb day for racing - clear skies and ‪‎game faces all round. The route had a lot of steep hills with spots of very technical running. At the start the course went straight into single track. Luckily I was one of the first to get through to the front of the pack. Only about 2kms into the race did the course flatten out. As expected, it was here that Claude [Eksteen] cranked up the pace, securing the lead.

I think my biggest mistake of the day was not using my legs enough on the rope climb obstacle just before Breaking Point. The ropes took the extra bit of grip-strength that I needed for Breaking Point. I made it all the way to the cliff hanger part at the end, and then my old nemesis got some pay-back and I fell. The results tell the story of how that ended.”

The next Jeep Warrior Race is taking place from 16 – 17 July 2016 in KwaZulu-Natal at the Sugar Rush Estate in Ballito. To find out more and to enter online, go to http://www.warrior.co.za/events/2016-jeep-warrior4/.

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 keep up with the conversation. 

JEEP WARRIOR #3- HOBBY PARK KRUGERSDORP – RESULTS

BLACK OPS ELITE (± 16KM TRAIL RUNNING with ± 30 OBSTACLES)

MEN

1. Michael Joubert - 1:37:30
2. Bradley Claase - 1:40:22
3. Greg Avierinos - 1:42:58
4. Jay Jay Deysel - 1:45:59
5. Thomas van Tonder - 2:00:10
6. Hanneke Dannhauser - 2:00:12
7. Marius Smith - 2:02:34
8. Michael Hills - 2:08:17
9. Carina Marx  - 2:08:35
10. Dominique D’Oliveira  - 2:12:02

COMMANDO ELITE (± 10KMS TRAIL RUNNING with ± 22 OBSTACLES)

MEN

1. Anrich Zimmermann – 00:55:42
2. Calen Hastie – 00:58:39
3. Brandon Hulley – 00:58:59

WOMEN

1. Kirsty Rault – 1:16:14
2. Sabrina Daolio – 1:16:15
3. Sam Ryder – 01:18:29

ROOKIE ELITE (± 5KMS TRAIL RUNNING with ± 15 OBSTACLES)

MEN

1. Ricardo Rebelo – 00:36:23
2. Joshua De Jager – 00:36:38
3. Adrian Roussel – 00:38:06

WOMEN

1. Kirsten Avierinos – 00:45:45
2. Chante Habib – 00:49:05
3. Leonie van Zyl – 00:50:16

For all the Saturday event results, go to https://www.saseeding.org/participants/event-results/jeep-warrior-race-3-saturday-2016-04-23

For all the Sunday event results, go to https://www.saseeding.org/participants/event-results/jeep-warrior-race-3-sunday-2016-04-24

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 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.