A marathon a day through Australia’s Simpson Desert. This 6-day desert race will be David Barnard’s ninth, and the sixth leg of his quest to complete one on all seven continents. For this project, Barnard aims to raise funds for the Hippo Roller, promote its work, and contribute to increased public understanding of water-related issues around the world. 

JOHANNESBURG, June 8, 2017  

David Barnard has been participating in multi-stage desert foot races in remote parts of the world since 2010. From the Kalahari, Namib and Sahara Deserts in Africa, to the Gobi Desert in China, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Grand Canyon in the United States, and the most extreme of them all, The Last Desert Race in 2014 in Antarctica, David is on a quest to complete one of these extreme desert races on all seven continents.

“My next desert race is the 250km Big Red Run from 24-29 June 2017 in the Simpson Desert in Australia. It will be my ninth multi-stage desert race, and the sixth leg of my quest to complete one of these races on all seven continents,” said Barnard.“

I enter these events both for the physical challenge associated with running self-supported through the deserts of the world, as well as to raise money and awareness for organisations at the forefront of responding to many of the key development challenges facing Africa,” he said.

For this project, Barnard aims to raise funds for the Hippo Roller, promote its work, and contribute to increased public understanding of water-related issues around the world.

Running for Water

Water is a precious resource, a source of life and the basis of all human activities, from drinking to washing to cultivating land and producing food necessary for sustenance. It is also a scarce resource, and its presence and availability is often taken for granted. South Africa is currently recovering from the worst drought in living memory.

Though the UN Sustainable Development Goals (launched in 2015) include a target to ensure everyone has access to safe water by 2030, making water a key issue in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty, there remain more than 600 million people worldwide, many of them living in rural Africa, who are still without a safe water supply close to home.

As a result, they spend countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and carrying heavy buckets. 

Simple ideas. Changing lives.

Barnard said, “Fortunately, a unique South African invention makes it extremely easy to collect, move and store water in rural conditions – up to 5x more water than a single bucket, by simply rolling it along the ground.”

The Hippo Roller is a simple solution to millions of people living in areas without adequate access to water. Specifically designed to last many years in tough rural terrain, it enables them to transport up to 90 litres to their homes and gardens, making more water and time available for education, household tasks and food production.

Youthzones, our future

It costs $125 to manufacture and distribute a Hippo Roller, and Barnard’s aim is to raise $6,250 (see: http://givewater.hipporoller.org/david-barnard) – the cost of manufacturing, and distributing 50 hippo rollers to needy communities in South Africa.

Whilst Imvubu Projects will take care of the manufacturing of the Hippo Rollers, it is the work done by Youthzones within communities, helping distribute the Hippo Rollers amongst the most needy, which really drives home the impact that access to clean, safe water can have.

Said Youthzones’ Schalk van Heerden, “We are delighted to continue our relationship with social enterprise, Hippo Roller. Working with Hippo Rollers has been a huge benefit to the Youthzones network as now water can be collected easily, without multiple trips to wells, in turn giving people energy and productivity!”

Said Barnard, “The impact of the Hippo Roller is real. It is immediate. And it changes the lives of millions of people. The world’s future and our lives depend on having enough clean, safe water. We need extraordinary commitment to ensure clean water for all.”

“Please join me on this journey and let’s make a difference in the lives on those that could benefit from better access to water with the Hippo Roller,” he said.

/ends

--

About David Barnard

Professionally David has more than 25 years’ executive and senior management experience in initiating and leading development programmes across Africa, with extensive expertise encompassing international development, advocacy, fundraising, corporate citizenship, civil society strengthening, policy, ICT4D and governance. He is passionate about applying information and communication technologies in support of social, economic and political development processes.In addition, David is an extreme ultra-marathon athlete, dedicating his participation in multi-stage desert races to organisations working in response to key development issues in Africa.

To interview David Barnard about the Big Red Run and his Hippo Roller campaign:

David Barnard

Mobile: +27 (82) 870 8968

Skype: dbarnard23

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_barnard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Desert2DesertRunning4SocialCausesAndCampaigns/

Desert 2 Desert blog: https://desert2desert4socialcauses.wordpress.com/

Fundraising: http://givewater.hipporoller.org/david-barnard

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbarnardza/

David will be available for pre-race interviews until the close of business on 19 June 2017.

He will be available for post-race interviews from 4 July 2017.

It is envisaged that distribution of the Hippo Rollers will take place on Mandela Day, 18 July 2017.

About Hippo Roller (Imvubu Projects)

Imvubu Projects, which operates as a social enterprise (rather than as a non-profit entity), has been trading as Hippo Roller since 1997. It outsources manufacturing of the Hippo Roller to keep overheads to a minimum, and focuses its resources on securing corporate social investment, crowd-funding and individual donations, in order to donate Hippo Rollers to needy.

To date, Imvubu has distributed more than 50,000 Hippo Rollers to at least 25 countries, impacting the lives of millions of people.Imvubu partners with local NGOs and community leaders familiar with identified communities and best positioned to identify individual beneficiaries with empathy and insight.

Hippo Roller contact:

Grant Gibbs

Mobile: +27 (82) 447 1848

Skype: grantgibbs

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hipporoller

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantgibbshipporoller/

https://www.hipporoller.org/

About Youthzones

Youthzones was started in 2009 as a 2010 World Cup Legacy project under the leadership of Roelf Meyer, with the LOC, Minister of Sport and Recreation and the Foundation for a Safe South Africa (FSSA) collaborating to touch the lives of young people by using football and skills development as a vehicle for transformation. A sports and educational development project, Youthzones works with the poorest-of-the-poor in 43 of South Africa's most-in-need communities.

A flagship project of FSSA, Youthzones today supports more than 330 football and netball teams, across all nine provinces in South Africa, as well as in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.Youthzones is about the youth doing it for themselves - giving them a chance to once again believe in themselves and to pursue their dreams.

Youthzones contact:

Schalk van Heerden

Mobile: +27 (82) 815 1224

Telephone: +27 (11) 485 2146

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/youthzones_za

http://www.youthzones.com/ 

Remember when you were a kid and you used to run around outside with your friends running, climbing, jumping and just plain having fun? Well the Hollard Jozi Urban Run Adventure, taking place on the 27th May 2017 at Marks Park, is the ultimate adult version of that.  Urban is the new trail and the Hollard JURA turns Johannesburg into one big obstacle course for you, your friends and family to enjoy. If that’s not enough to get you all laced up and ready to go, there are over R50 000 worth of prizes up for grabs for both the fresh-off-the-couch potatoes to the more athletically inclined. 

For those feeling competitive and looking to add to their “new running shoes” fund. We have a total of R24 000 waiting at the finish for the top three men and women for all three distances – from full 18km adventure to 6km fun run.   

For those running with their family, BFF or boyfriend, feel free to dress to express. The Best Dressed Family, Best Dressed Ladies or Best Dressed Mixed Team stand a chance to win up to R3500 each with the total of R19 500 just one crazy wig away. 

For those who want to break free from the ties; suits and pencil skirts and do some good while they’re at it. The Best Dressed Corporate Team stands a chance to win R5000, a commemorative Trophy and R5 000 to the charity of their choice.  If you feel, like we do, that sweat just adds that extra glow. Then strike a pose, upload your selfie to the Hollard JURA Facebook page and stand a chance to win your slice of R6 000 for the Best Selfie of the Day.  

For those who want to document their Hollard JURA experience on, whether it’s Chariots of Fire style or a even a little more Forest Gump why not enter it into the Best Runners Video category. Just Upload it to our Facebook page and you could stand a chance to win R7 500 and a brand spanking new GOPRO - Hero 5. What are you waiting for - Run Forest, Run!  For those who just want to enter for the experience…

Think awesome, yet optional obstacles from water slides to reed tunnels, hay bales to rock climbs and much more. Choose a distance from 6km fun run, to 12km or 18km adventure and celebrate with a cold one and some festivity at the Hollard Adventure Weekend Race Day Village at Marks Park. The Hollard Adventure Weekend Race Day Village features a mini obstacle course for kiddies, an SAB beer garden and “Gig Rig”, Joburg’s top food stalls and much more. Follow all the latest news and announcements via social media by following us on Facebook. 

Entries are open. Entry fees are R249 ex VAT for the 6km Fun Run, R299 ex VAT for the 12km Adventure and R330 for the 18km Adventure ex VAT. Runners, fitness fanatics, and adventurous spirits unite! Visit www.joziadventure.co.za for entries and more information. 

On September 25, 2016, David Barnard will take on the Grand to Grand Ultra in honor of the END Fund and the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa. By participating in this extreme multi-stage race, David has committed himself to raising awareness and funds to help the over 1.6 billion people worldwide whose lives are affected by NTDs.  

The Grand to Grand Ultra is a six-stage, 273 km race held in vicinity of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon, in the United States. David, a well-known South African tech and development activist and Africa Policy Advisory Board member of the ONE Campaign, is no stranger to extreme multi-stage races of this nature. He has already completed races in the Kalahari, Namib, Sahara, Gobi and Atacama deserts, as well as Antarctica. This will be his first race in North America and the fifth leg of his quest to complete a desert race on all seven continents.  

“Running the Grand to Grand Ultra is more than just trying to finish another desert race. My participation in these races provides me with an opportunity to support causes and campaigns dedicated to development issues in Africa and making a difference in society,” David said. “For this adventure, my aim is to raise funds for the END Fund, promote its work, and contribute to increased public understanding of NTDs and their devastating impact, especially in Africa.”  

Many parts of the world still reel from the health and socio-economic impacts that are caused by these diseases of neglect. Five of the most common NTDs, and ones the END Fund focuses on, include trachoma, river blindness, schistosomiasis, intestinal worms, and lymphatic filariasis. While they may not cause immediate deaths like more globally known diseases such as malaria or HIV, they leave long-lasting devastation like disabilities, stunt education and economic growth, and create other health problems that can lead to death.  

As David embarks on his seven-day race at the end of this month, all funds raised will go towards END Fund initiatives in Africa.  

# Links:

David’s fundraising page: http://goo.gl/FopK9u

David’s blog: https://desert2desert4socialcauses.wordpress.com/

END Fund: http://www.end.org/

Grand to Grand Ultra: http://www.g2gultra.com/home

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About the END Fund  

The END Fund, founded in 2012, is a private philanthropic initiative to end the five most common NTDs. It advocates for innovative, integrated and cost-effective NTD programmes; facilitates strong partnerships with the private sector; and supports 20 national control programmes on the African continent.  

The END Fund has raised over $50 million to treat people at risk of NTDs. In sub-Saharan Africa, the organisation has supported partners to distribute over $300 million worth of treatment to nearly 59 million people at risk of NTDs and train more than 247,000 health workers and officials in NTD prevention, control and treatment strategies.  

The END Fund is poised to scale this work with additional investment.  

About the Five Most Common NTDs in sub-Saharan Africa  

Lymphatic filariasis (LF or elephantiasis) is a parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes that affects the lymph nodes and often causes enlargement of body parts, such as the limbs and genitals.  

Onchocerciasis (river blindness) is a parasitic worm infection, transmitted through the bites of infected black flies, that causes massive damage to skin and eyes.  

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is a parasitic disease carried by fresh water snails that can cause major damage to the urinary and digestive tracts.  

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH or intestinal worms) are intestinal infections caused by parasitic worms. They are most common in children and can cause serious physical, nutritional and cognitive impairments. Intestinal worms are the most common NTD worldwide.  

Trachoma is a contagious bacterial eye infection that can lead to inflammation and the development of scar tissue on the eyes. It is the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness.  

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# For interviews with David Barnard about the Grand to Grand Ultra and his support for the END Fund:  

David Barnard

Mobile: +27 82 870 8968

Skype: dbarnard23

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_barnard  

# For more information about the END Fund:  

Yayne Hailu

External Relations

External Relations Associate

The END Fund

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

http://www.end.org/

Are you part of the growing sweater’s revolution in South Africa? If you don’t know what this means then you are not sweating nearly as much as everyone else these days. Have you noticed there are more South Africans jogging and running in the mornings and late afternoons everywhere you go? We currently have an increasing community of sweaters in every suburb simply because it’s cool to be fit and health conscious nowadays. It is trending to an extent that the life expectancy for both male and female South Africans is now 62 years of age, which is an increase of eight and half years since 2015.  

This is good news if you take into consideration the “fat problem” South Africans face. Did you know South African children are the third most obese youth in the world? While research shows that nearly two thirds of our population is overweight. Surprisingly the gender’s responsible for these stats are women. 70% of women are overweight. Basically around 4 in every 10 women are classified as clinically obese in this country. Healthwise we are talking about women with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30.  

We can only celebrate the increasing number of sweaters we see on a daily basis taking their health a lot more serious. We also celebrate every South African with a fitness plan in place like a gym membership or simply being part of a running/walking club. There is also an increasing number of community based sport teams. It is no longer rare to find a group of women playing soccer or netball on a Saturday morning at local sports and recreational facilities. Furthermore, a number of the youth population consider fun runs and/or walks as trendy social events.  

We lead sedentary lifestyles filled with stress, lack of sleep and bad nutrition. Thanks to this we are faced with alarming obesity stats. Let’s take a typical work day for example, everyone is travelling to and from work daily and spend close to four hours sitting. From this commuters could lose about 40 days a year (that’s more than a month) stuck in traffic. A corporate individual possibly spends around 80% of their working hours sitting in front of a computer.  

Come lunchtime most corporate individuals pop into cars then drive-off to their favourite fast food franchise and to make it back to work on time, they choose to use the drive-through option instead of physically walking into the store. This is about 30 minutes to an hour of more sitting. The food choice here is a bigger concern.

It goes without saying that fast food is unhealthy and don’t be fooled by those pre-packed microwavable meals that’s so popular for lunchtime either. A home cooked meal or homemade sandwich is always the healthier option, so always remember the saying “the whiter the bread the quicker you’re dead” hopefully this will help you choose brown or rye over white bread although they might be unpopular choices, they’re still the healthiest options available.           

Gabriel Eksteen, Registered Dietitian at the HSF believes “ultimately the onus is on the individual to lose weight. Once an individual decides to lose weight, they need to develop a strategy to reach their goal. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to losing weight effectively, but sustainable weight loss involves making changes to your diet and your physical activity that you can sustain long-term.”  

The key is to make physical activity more pleasurable that it easily becomes part of your daily routine. One pretty amazing way of achieving this is by the use of activity trackers like Fitbit South Africa. They encourage you to keep moving. Tracking your steps, distance, calories burned and active minutes. Send you reminders to move and automatically recognise when you start exercising. They are incredibly motivating. A personal trainer you can take everywhere. Monitor your progress on the Fitbit App. Plus, it’s a great fashion accessory that makes a health statement.

SANDTON, JOHANNESBURG, 11 MAY 2016 - Today, 11th of May 2016, Comrades Marathon major sponsor, Nedbank, hosted their elite Nedbank Club runners from around the country at Nedbank’s Head Office in Johannesburg for an official Nedbank Running Club media launch and Comrades marathon send-off. 

This is the first time that Nedbank has hosted its top Comrades Marathon gold medal contenders in the same place at the same time prior to this major race. This momentous occasion allowed media the rare opportunity to interview these elite athletes prior to the Comrades Marathon.

The send-off began at 7am with a 5km fun run/walk around the Nedbank Head Office in Sandton, involving Nedbank Running Club elite runners, their coaches and managers, plus Nedbank staff and executive management, and the media. This was followed by a Nedbank-sponsored breakfast during which Nedbank CEO, Mike Brown, gave a heartfelt speech wishing all runners good luck for their 2016 Comrades Marathon endeavour.

Pro runners flown up for this event included Nedbank Running Club’s Claude Moshiywa, who was the first South African winner of the Comrades Marathon’s ‘Up Run’ in 21 years when he claimed victory at the 88th marathon in 2013. Moshiywa placed 3rd at the 2011 marathon and 7th at the 2015 marathon. 

Also present was Charne Bosman (4th Women – 2016 Two Oceans Marathon, 5th Women – 2015 Two Oceans Marathon, 2nd Women 2015 Comrades Marathon); Ludwick Mamabolo (6th – 2016 Two Oceans Marathon, 2nd - 2014 Comrades Marathon, 4th – 2013 Comrades Marathon); Siphiwe Ndlela (10th – 2016 Two Oceans Marathon, 17th – 2015 Comrades Marathon); Eric Ngubane (19th in 2009 Comrades Marathon), and Renier Grobler (18th in 2015 Comrades Marathon) - will also be at the event.

“This rare but fantastic official media launch and CEO send-off, for and by the Nedbank Running Club, was aimed at giving elite Nedbank-sponsored athletes, Nedbank employees, and the media, the rare opportunity to interact in a fun and informal atmosphere. The send-off was about celebrating the growth of the Nedbank Running Club and how it continues to add immense value to thousands of social and Nedbank Dream Team elite runners across the country. 

This momentous occasion in Nedbank history also offered our CEO, and our formidable runners, the heart-warming opportunity to say hello and thank you to one another, which was an amazing experience for all of them,” said Tobie Badenhorst, Head of Sponsorship and Cause Marketing at Nedbank.  

Nedbank CEO, Mike Brown, took the opportunity to announce that Nedbank has signed a further three-year sponsorship deal with the Nedbank Running Club, which will extend the bank’s support for the club to 2019. Launched in 2008, the Nedbank Running Club’s core focus has been to bring running enthusiasts together in a social but competitive environment, also identifying and guiding talented individuals to their full potential in the sport. Under the expert management of Nick Bester (past Comrades Marathon winner), the Nedbank Running Club has 13 branches in 12 cities around South Africa, and has grown from a base of 1 200 runners in 2008, to 3 800 runners in 2015.

Testament to its success, Nedbank’s representation at the 90th Comrades Marathon in 2015 saw more than 1000 Nedbank Club runners enter the event, with nine of the 20 gold medals going to Nedbank Club members. 

“Nedbank remains a dedicated supporter, and sponsor, of South African runners. Running provides opportunities for all South Africans across cultural, racial and financial barriers. Running is truly a sport for all. We look forward to once again seeing the Nedbank colours fill the streets in the 2016 Comrades Marathon,” said Badenhorst.

At the media launch, Mike Brown also unveiled Nedbank’s 2016 Comrades Marathon CSI initiative to support the #GoSandile campaign.

Said Badenhorst, “Four years ago, 17-year-old Sandile Mbili from Diepsloot in Johannesburg lost his legs due to a bacterial infection. The amputation confined Sandile to a wheelchair. This affected his life tremendously, especially getting to and from school as most taxis would refuse to pick him up. With the help of two non-profit organisations – One School at a Time and the Jumping Kids Foundation – Sandile has been fitted with prosthetic legs.”

To motivate Sandile to walk again using his prosthetic legs, the Jumping Kids Foundation launched a Twitter campaign called #GoSandile, which encourages everyone to tweet motivational messages to him, using the #GoSandile hashtag. These tweets are printed out and given to Sandile at each of his physiotherapy sessions, encouraging him to take another step to success. 

“Nedbank truly believes in this positive campaign to encourage and motivate Sandile to run again, and have challenged Sandile to do something incredible – they have challenged him to run the Nedbank Green Mile, which is 1.6km, at the 2016 Comrades Marathon,” said Badenhorst,

Badenhorst says that this distance will be physically and mentally challenging for Sandile, but what will motivate him tremendously is that he won’t be running for fun, he’ll be running to raise funds for other child paraplegics in a similar situation to himself. 

To help Sandile help other runners like himself – simply send a tweet of encouragement to @PhambiliSandile with the hashtags #GoSandile #NedbankGreenMile.  

With all the tweets received, Nedbank will create a 1.6km Twitter track at the 2016 Comrades Marathon Nedbank Green Mile for Sandile to run over. For every Tweet that Sandile receives and is used for the track, a donation will be made to the Jumping Kids Foundation to help more paraplegic children get prosthetic legs.

Said Sandile, “I am so excited. I like helping people. I can see the difference that these legs have brought to my life and if I can help people by just running, I’ll never stop.”

Editors’ Notes

Nedbank is an official major sponsor of the 2016 Comrades Marathon.

The first Comrades Marathon took place on 24th May 1921, Empire Day, starting outside the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg with 34 runners. It has continued since then every year with the exception of the war years 1941-1945, with the direction alternating each year between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the so called up & down runs.

The Nedbank Green Mile is the only official spectator point along the marathon route, offering Comrades supporters a perfect vantage point to view all the race action. It is located along Old Main Road in Kloof and is just 26km from the finish line in Kingsmead, Durban.

Entry into the Nedbank Green Mile Spectator Zone is free and festivities start at 8am.

This year the 89-km marathon starts in Pietermaritzburg and ends in Durban on 29 May 2016.

KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN, 5 MAY 2016 – To experience ordinary people conquering the extraordinary, be at the award-winning Comrades Marathon Nedbank Green Mile SPECATOR ZONE in Old Main Road, Kloof, on Sunday, 29 May 2016 from 8am to 3pm.

On the day, a 1.2km stretch of road in Kloof will be converted into an energetic mile-long ‘green & gold’ themed spectator and runner zone, orchestrated by Nedbank, to ensure runners, families and friends feel fully immersed in the awe-inspiring, humbling, life-changing Comrades Marathon along the Comrades Marathon route. Dress to theme and join in with the fun and festivities.

The Comrades Marathon is South Africa’s most inclusive sports event, involving a sports discipline that has no cultural, racial or financial barriers and attracting around 350,000 spectators, 3-million global TV viewers and 4 500 volunteers every year, not to mention the real heroes – the approximately 20 000 runners who take on the ‘Ultimate Human Race’.

For millions of South Africans, showing their support for the Comrades Marathon has become an important, unmissable and iconic tradition. Families, friends and colleagues make plans to support competitors, getting up at the crack of dawn, packing picnic baskets, deck chairs and umbrellas, and donning their supporter outfits, to stake out at the Nedbank Green Mile official spectator zone, where they provide encouragement to runners as they take on this immense challenge, whilst being entertained by movement and sound.

“The only place to catch all the 2016 Comrades action is at the only official spectator point along the route, the Nedbank Green Mile. The Nedbank Green Mile has been designed to celebrate the essence of what it means to take part in the Comrades Marathon - courage, selflessness, humbling, dedication and perseverance. In 2016, the Nedbank Green Mile is themed ‘Green and Gold’, and will see Kloof’s Old Main Road transformed into a rejuvenating, eco-friendly, celebratory, community-orientated space alive in green and gold. It is the real story of triumph over adversity,” says Tobie Badenhorst, Head of Sponsorship and Cause Marketing at Nedbank.

The 2016 Nedbank Green Mile will be bringing in a host of KwaZulu-Natal-based entertainment acts, including DJs, bands, professional dancers, drummies, cheerleaders, and local sports personalities and more. They’ll be performing from 8am to 3pm on race day, entertaining supporters throughout the spectator-friendly zone, and most importantly, encouraging runners as they embark on the final 26km stretch home to the finish at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.

For children, the secure Kids Entertainment Zone is open from 8am and will feature fun-filled activities and entertainment acts like jumping castles, magicians, clowns, stilt walkers, balloon artists, puppet shows and face painting and sand art.

Throughout the day, spectators can watch all the Comrades Marathon action live via big screen TVs in the Nedbank Green Mile zone, with live commentary, picnic spots and grand stands located right alongside the route.

On site, there will also be food and drinks stands to replenish hungry and thirsty spectators. All food and drinks in the Nedbank Green Mile are sold by local schools, churches and charities, with all profits retained by these organisations.

In line with Nedbank’s commitment to greening the environment, all food and beverage packaging along the Nedbank Green Mile will be recycled.

“A major feature of the Nedbank Green Mile is its goal to involve and uplift the community. This is why all entertainment acts, support crews, food and beverage vendors are sourced from KwaZulu-Natal. This year, the Nedbank Green Mile will also be supporting two local children’s charities, the Star Fish Foundation and The Sports Trust,” says Badenhorst.

The Nedbank Green Mile is open from 8am to 3pm on Sunday, 29 May 2016. Entry is free and easy access can be gained from the M13 Hillcrest - Pinetown alternative highway travelling east towards Durban at the Pioneer off ramp. Follow the sign boards or follow www.facebook.com/nedbanksport/ or www.twitter.com/nedbanksport on Twitter for more information.

Use the hashtag #NedbankGreenMile to join the conversation.

Editors’ Notes

Nedbank is an official major sponsor of the 2016 Comrades Marathon.

The first Comrades Marathon took place on 24th May 1921, Empire Day, starting outside the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg with 34 runners. It has continued since then every year with the exception of the war years 1941-1945, with the direction alternating each year between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the so called up & down runs.

The Nedbank Green Mile is the only official spectator point along the marathon route, offering Comrades supporters a perfect vantage point to view all the race action. It is located along Old Main Road in Kloof and is just 26km from the finish line in Kingsmead, Durban.

Entry into the Nedbank Green Mile Spectator Zone is free and festivities start at 8am.

This year the 89-km marathon starts in Pietermaritzburg and ends in Durban on 29 May 2016.

KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN, 5 MAY 2016 – To experience ordinary people conquering the extraordinary, be at the award-winning Comrades Marathon Nedbank Green Mile SPECATOR ZONE in Old Main Road, Kloof, on Sunday, 29 May 2016 from 8am to 3pm.

On the day, a 1.2km stretch of road in Kloof will be converted into an energetic mile-long ‘green & gold’ themed spectator and runner zone, orchestrated by Nedbank, to ensure runners, families and friends feel fully immersed in the awe-inspiring, humbling, life-changing Comrades Marathon along the Comrades Marathon route. Dress to theme and join in with the fun and festivities. 

GAUTENG, JOHANNESBURG, 12 APRIL 2016 – Thomas van Tonder (Jeep Team) continued his unrelenting domination over The Beast OCR Challenge, winning Race 4 of the series on Saturday, 9 April, at The Wedge in Muldersdrift, Gauteng. 

Van Tonder, competing in the toughest race of the day, the Elite Savage Beast (15km trail run and 55 obstacles), has, so far, won all four of the Beast Obstacle Course Racing events.

Van Tonder set a blistering pace from the start and crossed the finish line in a time of 1h29, over six minutes ahead of second-placed Marius Smith (OCT South) in 1h36:01 with Bradley Claase (Team Battlerush) 3rd in 1h37:45 and Jay Jay Deysel (Jeep Team) 4th in 1h41:49.

The cold early morning conditions added to the pain the elites endured throughout the course that was considered the toughest so far. The race had the highest number of obstacles (55) of any OCR event in South Africa, many of which were highly-technical, upper-body strength challenges.

The first obstacle was a steep slope into a cold stretch of water, closely followed by the ‘Chandelier’, a 20m long obstacle of chained hanging tyres over water. The cold, slippery metal chains proved treacherous for many.

The decider on the day was the final obstacle, # 55, which hit many tired athletes hard after a gruelling 54 obstacles over 15km of trail running. The obstacle was an extreme test of upper body strength and grip, combining monkey bars, body twisters and weavers, gum pole shuffles, inverted cargo nets and cliff-hangers strung out over 20 metres. 

Only seven elites (6 male and 1 female) were able to complete this obstacle, one of which was Savage Beast female winner, Michelle Meyer, who was also the only official female finisher.

Said Jeep Team OCR star, Thomas van Tonder, “This was a tough race with the obstacles definitely presenting the biggest challenge. In the chilly morning, heading straight into the water made it difficult for us to warm up and get into a running rhythm. I feel blessed to take the win, extending my record of sole victor of all four Beast races so far. It’s now become a personal challenge to see how long I can hold onto the title. From the last Beast race, my time has also improved by four minutes.”

THE SAVAGE BEAST # 4 RESULTS:

MALE:

1. Thomas van Tonder – 1h29
2. Marius Smith – 1h36:01
3. Bradley Claase – 1h37:45
4. Jay Jay Deysel  - 1h41:49
5. Michael Joubert – 2h07:38      

FEMALE:

1. Michelle Meyer – 3h22:11 (11th overall male and female)

OTHER JEEP TEAM RESULTS

OCR

Jeep Team’s female OCR athlete, Carina Marx, was on fire this weekend on the other side of the country, finishing 3rd Elite Woman at Race #1 of the Impi Challenge, which took place in Stellenbosch from 9 – 10 April 2016. 

Hanneke Dannhauser won the women’s event, with Dominique D'Olivera, in 2nd.

The Impi Elite course consisted of an 18km trail run and approximately 26 obstacles, with female athletes required to complete the same extreme obstacles as the men.

Said Carina Marx, “The first event of the Impi Challenge was tough due to the extreme Stellenbosch terrain. At the start, the strong runners – Hanneke [Dannhauser] and Trish [Bahlmann] – raced ahead, leaving Dominique [D'Olivera] and I battling it out. Dominique then made a break from me and overtook Trish 5kms into the race. Towards the end, we faced a very tough obstacle - a 50kg salt bag that we had to pick up and carry on our shoulders over a distance. Here my strength-advantage came into play. The others battled to lift the bag, which gave me the break I needed to move ahead of Trish and finish 3rd on the podium.” 

This year, the IMPI Challenge is a qualifying event for the OCR World Championships, which take place later this year. The only other series that doubles as a qualifier is the Jeep Warrior Series.

Marx’s 3rd place finish in the Impi Challenge combined with her 2nd place finish in Jeep Warrior #2- Emerald Casino mean she is well on her way to qualifying for the OCR World Champs.

THE IMPI CHALLENGE ELITE # 1 RESULTS:

MALE:

1. Claude Eksteen – 1h40
2. AJ Calitz – 1h41:27
3. Chad Gordon – 1h50:16

FEMALE:

1. Hanneke Dannhauser – 2h14:21
2. Dominique D'Olivera – 2h22:38
3. Carina Marx – 2h31:02

For all the Impi Challenge results, go to https://www.entryninja.com

#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..