The scene is set for an exciting race at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Peace Trail Run with some of South Africa’s top trail runners doing battle with not only each other but also facing up-and-coming trail athletes who are chomping at the bit to impress.
Wildrunner, in partnership with Endurocad and Vital Health Foods, offered 20 development athletes the opportunity to take part in the event as sponsored athletes and the talent that signed up is sure to give the race favourites a run for their money.
To qualify for a development entry, athletes had to be between the ages of 15 and 23 and, should they perform well, they will be put forward as candidates for the Endurocad Programme and potentially qualify for the South African trail team. Some of the male development runners to look out for are current Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ champion, Raydon Balie, André Afrika and Timothy Chambers. They will be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Thabang Madiba, African Skyrunning champion, and other elite runners Mapapane Mahlangu and Jacques Mouton.
Female development runners, Shuandre-Lee Farmer and Megan Leslie will be giving their all in the ladies 22km race as they chase the female South African trail running and ProNutro AfricanX champion, Megan Mackenzie and the evergreen Katya Soggot. Event manager, James Bösenberg, said: “Both Megan and Katya have been having a very successful 2015 and with the form they’re in, it will be difficult for any other ladies to keep up with them. However, Shuandre-Lee and Megan are two exciting new talents and we can’t wait to see how they match up again these established athletes.”
The Sanlam Peace Trail Runs will take place on Saturday, 19 September in the run-up to the main event on Sunday. Both races are sold out and will start and finish in Green Point, taking in stunning city and ocean views from the slopes of Signal Hill and Lion’s Head.
