A series of unfortunate injuries to leading trail runners this year means that new champions will be crowned at the 22nd running of the 2018 K-Way SkyRun taking place in Lady Grey on Saturday 17 November. K-Way athlete and defending champion Lucky Miya, who will not be able to fight for his crown in the 100km race, due to injuries during the year, will be welcoming in the 2018 champion before heading out on the inaugural 38km night run at this year’s event. “We are sad not to have our defending champs back to try reclaim their crowns, but it means that we have an exciting race on our hands for who will take the title this year,” says race organiser Mike de Haast from Pure Adventures.

Leading contenders in the men’s race this year include K-Way athlete AJ Calitz, who has yet to add a SkyRun win to his list of achievements, along with Stewart Chaperon, who was crowned South African Ultra Trail Running Champion after his recent win at the Addo Elephant Trail. Also in the mix are SkyRun stalwarts, Hylton Dunn and Mr. SkyRun himself, Bruce Arnett, who has taken the title 13 times. The bug has bitten Nepalese mountain runner, Sange Sherpa, who will be back for his second year to race SkyRun after coming 2nd to Lucky Miya in 2017.

There is a joke amongst mountain and trail runners that SkyRun has been bewitched by a foreigner curse, in the last 21 years of running this race, despite some of the very top names coming out to do it, it has never been won by a male foreigner, with overall first place always going to a local South African runner. Can Sange break the curse this year? And will this be the year that the elite men are able to break the Sub12 time barrier? Ryan Sandes was the first to run a sub14 in 2012, and this time has since only been achieved by a select few number of athletes, with none having yet gone under the 12 hour mark!

In the ladies field, SPOT athlete Naomi Brand, who has been making a solid name for herself on the trail running scene is a firm favourite for first place, with SkyRun regulars Su Don-Wauchope and Tracy Zunkel hot on her heals. In 2016 former SkyRun champion and K-Way athlete, Nicolette Griffioen, set a record sub 16 hour time of 15hrs16min. “No woman in the history of the race has been able to break the sub 14 hour time achieved by male competitors,” says Mike, “but we know how strong these ladies are and we know that endurance and toughness are where they excel, so we are hoping for great things this year!” Unfortunately Nicolette has been amongst the list of injured athletes this year and will be running the 100km route with her mom as part of her fitness rehabilitation. K-Way athlete Cleo Albertus, will be looking for first place on the 38km route after her recent win at the 3 Peaks Challenge.

K-Way SkyRun will be taking place on the 17th of November 2018 in the small town of Lady Grey In the Eastern Cape. The race encompasses 3 distances – 100km, 65km and a new 38km route. All 3 races are unique in that they are truly self-supported and self-navigational races, where athletes tackle the remote terrain of the Witteberg Mountain range with a map, compass or GPS unit and a backpack containing all their food, water and compulsory equipment that will enable them to survive in this harsh environment, while operating at an average height of between 2200-2500 meters above sea level.

Live tracking for the race will be offered through Sportraxs and all social media channels will be kept updated throughout the race to let supporters know how their competitors are doing.

Website – skyrun.co.za
Facebook – SkyRun
#Hellofarun
#SkyRun
#AuthenticallyAfrican
#gearupgetout
ENDS

For 22 years, K-Way SkyRun have been putting up a “hell of a run” for avid local and international endurance runners. In a bid to introduce even more people to this spectacular race, race organisers, Pure Adventures, have added a new 38km route to the entry mix. Known as the toughest race in Africa, they aren’t letting an “easy” route slip in, the shorter route will stay true to the SkyRun ethos by being an unmarked, self-navigated and self-supported route. “The route is tough, but we have given competitors a cut off of 13hours to complete the distance, which should be doable for most prepared athletes,” says race organiser Mike de Haast from Pure Adventures.

What makes this route different, is that unlike the 100km and 65km routes it will start at the picturesque Wartrail Country Club, and will only begin once the winner of the 100km route has crossed over the finished line. “The SkyRun 38km is an event where athletes have the ability to enjoy and test the nature of a SkyRun event, slowly moving up to possibly completing the infamous 100km event” states De Haast. “It is a great stepping stone for those wanting to experience the thrills of mountain running.”

“We are thrilled to add a 38km route to the fold, it will allow keen trail runners to test the waters before signing up for the treacherous 65km and iconic 100km route, what a great race to test the waters for the iconic SkyRun 100km,” says Caitlin Doney, Public Relations Coordinator for K-Way. She continues “We urge those that have always had SkyRun on their bucket list, to gear up and get out, taking the opportunity of being amongst the first runners to ever run the inaugural SkyRun 38km.”

Entries are limited to only 100 participants. Make sure you get yours in to take part in the brand new SkyRun 38Km, tailored for athletes looking to enjoy not only the beauty of Wartrail country but also develop their training and endurance whilst being immersed in one of South Africa’s most beautiful playgrounds. The races will be taking place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November 2017.

Website – skyrun.co.za
Facebook – SkyRun
#Hellofarun
#SkyRun
#Gearupgetout
ENDS

They say South Africans are the toughest of the lot, and if that is true then the 2018 SkyRun will undoubtedly be tougher than ever before, as it has it partnered with South Africa’s most technical outdoor gear brand, becoming proudly known as the K-Way SkyRun!

“Our team at K-Way are thrilled with our partnership with SkyRun!” Beams Caitlin Doney, Public Relations Coordinator for K-Way. “We believe there is perfect synergy with K-Way being a proudly South African brand, partnering with an authentically South African race. Athletes have to endure extreme elements and it’s going to be tough – but we are confident that our gear will make the journey easier.”

In previous year’s many of the K-Way athletes have dominated the podium positions at SkyRun, with Lucky Miya taking the crown in 2017 and running phenomenon Nicolette Griffioen maintaining a top 10 overall position until the 65km mark where she had to pull out due to health problems. “Lucky will be back to defend his title this year as will Nicolette and we are hoping for #1 podium positions for both of them,” says Caitlin. “After last year’s health scares, AJ Calitz, will also be back to prove he still has what it takes and we know he would love to be on the podium with Lucky!”

“We are honoured to have a brand like K-Way along on for our SkyRun journey,” says event organiser, Mike de Haast from Pure Adventures. “SkyRun is a super technical event and we have complete faith that the K-Way brand will be able to stand up to all of the tests and challenges that the SkyRun elements have to throw at it.”

To add to the excitement, this year’s K-Way SkyRun will now also be featuring a 38km night mountain run that will be the perfect entry level event for anyone who has a 100km SkyRun race on their bucket list. “We are limiting entries to 100 competitors and are very confident that we will be “running” a waiting list for this route as we do for our other routes over the SkyRun weekend,” says Mike de Haast. “But don’t be fooled by the distance, entrants will have 12 hours to complete the 38km, and will be running on the parts of the same route as our 100km runners.”

The races will be taking place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November 2017.

Website – skyrun.co.za
Facebook – SkyRun
#Hellofarun
#SkyRun
#Gearupgetout

EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA - The 21st edition of the SkyRun SA, powered by Salomon, through the remote Witteberg Mountain Range in the Eastern Cape lived up to its tag of ‘A hell of a run.’

Athletes braved winds, biting cold, and waist-high snow-covered mountains with very tricky terrain and severe up and down mountain climbs to complete what is considered the toughest Trail Run in South Africa. The event has three distances, the SkyRun Marathon - a 42km marked route with a 7-hour time cap; the SkyRun 65km and the SkyRun 100km are both self-support and self-navigation races across remote terrain at an average altitude of between 2200m and 2500m above sea level. Top South African trail runner and 2016 SkyRun winner, Christiaan Greyling (Jeep Team SA/ Salomon/ Garmin), along with 192 other competitors took on the extreme challenge of completing the 100km trail from Lady Grey to the Wartrail Country Club. From the start, the race route climbs dramatically reaching an altitude of 2419m at the first check-point, just 12km into the race.

The route continues to climb, culminating in a rough, steep climb to its highest point, Avoca peak, at 2756m. From then on, runners traverse ‘Dragonback’, a 3m wide ridge line, before a technical descent into the valley. At 55km into the race, runners reach the compulsory stop, Balloch Cave. Here, athletes complete a medical and are given the all-clear to continue the race. The route again ascends, gaining over 500m in just 3km over Balloch Wall. Runners must then navigate their entrance to Bridal Pass to reach the ridge line before doubling back for the final 13km of the race. Pushing himself to the limit, Greyling held on to take a third-place finish in 14:33:59 behind first-place finisher South African Sky Running legend, Lucky Miya, in 12:58:38, and Nepalese runner, Sange Sherpa, in second with a time of 13:56:20. 

Says Greyling following his podium finish, “There is always a curveball at SkyRun. Last year it was the heat and dehydration, and this year it was the cold and snow.  I’m finishing 2017 on a happy note. I’m grateful I could hang in onto third place after the snow-cave detour. Our bodies are amazing, but have limits, and I've tested mine. I am thankful to have finished this race without injury after a BIG year. Although it was not my BEST day, I was motivated to keep going by each runner who was going to be out there for hours longer than I was. A big thank you to an incredible world-class organisation, the farmers, supporters and seconds, and AJ Calitz for the 65km of camaraderie.” 

Results – SkyRun 100Men

1. Lucky Miya - 12:58:38
2. Sange Sherpa - 13:56:20
3. Christiaan Greyling - 14:33:59
4. Stewart Chaperon - 14:45:00
5. Hylton Dunn - 14:48:12
6. Gabriel Kriel - 16:57:32 

Women

1. Tracey Campbell - 19:26:58
2. Misty Weyers - 20:52:20
3. Kate Swarbreck - 21:54:49
4. Sophia Ndlovu - 22:58:09
5. Karen Behrens - 24:24:04
6. Wendy Arnott - 26:40:26

###  EDITORS NOTES

Written and Distributed by Hot Salsa Media on behalf of Jeep Team SAAll enquiries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 084 486 2136 Thank you.  

Photo Credit: Bruce Viaene, Craig Kolesky

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