DO IT NOW Magazine #34

ADVENTURE | SPORT | LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

VOL 6•2 2014 #34

NITRO CIRCUS LIVE

ROLLS INTO TOWN

DIARY OF A ROUGH RIDER GREATEST CANOE RACE ON EARTH A SWISS SUMMER

HEALTHY EATING CHOICES PLUS

NIGHT OF THE LONG RIDE

COMPETITIONS P. 5 FACEBOOK & TWITTER WWW.DOITNOW.CO.ZA

On the Cover - Nitro Circus Live 2014.

Photo by - Meghan Mccabe.

DO IT NOW Team CEO / FOUNDER Francois Flamengo

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

MANAGING DIRECTOR Elri Flamengo | elri@doitnow.co.za CREATIVE DIRECTOR Peet Nieuwenhuizen | peet@doitnow.co.za SALES DIRECTOR Morné Labuschagne | sales@doitnow.co.za | +27 (0)71 292 9953 COPY EDITOR & GENERAL MANAGER Tracy Knox | tracy@doitnow.co.za | competitions@doitnow.co.za

Alan Hobson Nature

Greg Gearing Motorbiking

Chris Hitchcock Bicycling

Francois Flamengo Various

Hannele Steyn MTB / Nutrition

Andrea Kellerman Sport Psychologist

Sheldon Reddy Motoring

Sam Bradley Travel

Neil Ross Recipes

WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER Marieke Viljoen | web@doitnow.co.za MEDIA PRODUCTION Warwick Soar | warwick@doitnow.co.za SOCIAL MEDIA & JUNIOR DESIGNER Sarah Kobal | sarah@doitnow.co.za | media@doitnow.co.za FINANCIAL, OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR & EVENTS Liezel de Lange | invoices@doitnow.co.za | events@doitnow.co.za OPERATIONS Nick Makhubelu | nick@doitnow.co.za GENERAL ENQUIRIES info@doitnow.co.za PUBLISHER DO IT NOW CC APP AVAILABLE ON iTunes & Android PDF READER AVAILABLE FROM ISSUU HEAD OFFICE

Northlands Corner, Block C, Office S7 - 2nd Floor, Cnr Witkoppen & New Market Roads, Hoogland, Randburg, 2169 Website: www.doitnow.co.za/contact-us Facebook: www.facebook.com/DOITNOWMagazine Twitter: https://twitter.com/DOITNOWMag Google+: https://plus.google.com/100951335126362031676/posts Youtube: www.youtube.com/doitnowmedia1

DISCLAIMER

While every effort is made by the DIN Team to ensure that the content of the DO IT NOW website and magazine is accurate, DO IT NOW Magazine (PTY) Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear, or for any consequence of utilising the information contained herein. Statements by contributors and media submissions are not always representative of DO IT NOW Magazine (PTY) Ltd opinion. Copyright 2009 DO IT NOW Magazine (Pty) Ltd. No part of this website and magazine may be reproduced in any form or stored on a retrieval system without the prior permission of DO IT NOW Magazine (PTY) Ltd. DO IT NOW Magazine (PTY) Ltd supports and encourages responsible practices with regards to all Adventure, Sport and Lifestyle activities. We also believe in the conservation and protection of our environment.

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DIGITAL ADVERTISING

OPPORTUNITIES For more information on advertising opportunities and customised campaigns, please email sales@doitnow.co.za or call Morné Labuschagne on +27 (0) 71 292 9953.

CALENDAR APRIL 2014 S

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dinFO Here are some great activities and events to look out for in April.

Running // Ingeli Sky Marathon, Ingeli Forest Lodge (KZN): 5 April Running // Clarens Festival Of Dirt Trail Run, Clarens (FS): 5 April Lifestyle // UB40 Concert, Emmarentia Dam (Jhb): 5 April Running // Lourensford Traverse Trail Run, Lourensford Wine Estate (WC): 5 April Obstacle Sports // IMPI Challenge Adventure Obstacle Trail Run, Hartbeespoort (WC): 5 April Obstacle Sports // Warrior #3, Smuts House, Irene (GP): 5-6 April Multi Sports // IRONMAN SA 2014, Hobie Beach, Port Elizabeth (EC): 6 April Multi Sports // Urban Series 2014 (GP): 6 April 2014 Bicycling // Mzanzi Tour 2014, Bloemfontein (FS): 8-12 April Bicycling // Delta Dash 6 Hour MTB Endurance Race 2014, Johannesburg (GP): 12 April Climbing // Montagu Rock Rally, Montagu (WC ): 12-13 April Motoring // Classic Car Events, Stars of Sandstone Steam Festival, Ficksburg (FS): 12-21 April Swimming // Dolphin Mile Surf Swim Series, uShaka Pier, Durban (KZN): 13 April Running // Merrell Night Run Series 1 Trail Run, Groot Constantia (WC): 16 April Running // Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, Cape Town (WC): 18-19 April Running // Merrell Night Run Series 2 Trail Run, Groot Constantia (WC): 23 April

FIND OUT MORE For a more comprehensive list of events and activities taking place for the remainder of 2014, refer to the Calendar on www.doitnow. co.za/events

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Index

Vol 6•2 2014 #34 | www.doitnow.co.za

// Team & Contributors: p. 2 DO IT NOW Magazine’s team and regular contributors. // Calendar: p. 3 Calendar featuring Adventure, Sport & Lifestyle events.

Enter & Win: p. 5 // Enter our website competition and stand to win great prizes. // inFOCUS Competition: p. 5 Enter our quarterly photographic competition and stand to win R750.

Articles CLIMBING 7

A philanthropic North Pole adventure

BICYCLING 17 25

39 51

Night of the long ride Racing from the perspective of an adventurer MTN National MTB Series Race 1 Zero to hero The X - an Eastern Cape odyssey

MOTORBIKING

65 Diary of a rough rider

MULTI SPORTS

73 Nitro Circus Live rolls into town 85 Sunshine Coast Triathlon shines

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STREET SPORTS

95 Mountainboarding takes off in South Africa

WATER SPORTS

105 113 129 139 157

Quiksilver - Takes One to Know One surfing series Midmar Mile 2014 - a photo essay Kayaking in Ecuador The greatest canoe race on Earth Sink or swim?

MARTIAL ARTS

164 Overcoming leg injuries

TRAVEL

175 A Swiss summer

NATURE

185 Addicted to nymphing

HEALTH & FITNESS

191 Healthy eating choices 197 Runner's characteristics

ENTERTAINMENT

206 Summer on a plate 209 Movies, games and book reviews KEY:

ADVENTURE

SPORT

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LIFESTYLE

INVOLVED

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The winner will be drawn from all the entries received. The competition closes at midnight on Monday, 31 March 2014. One entry per person. DO IT NOW's competition rules apply.

ST-LIMA SAFETY TRACKER

& FIRST 6 MONTHS SERVICE OFFERING WORTH R2,500-00

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Whether you're walking, running, cycling or in your car and you find yourself in a panic situation, help is just a touch of a button away, 24-hours a day, and seven days a week! The PANIC SOS button is one of the main features of the device allowing you to alert the Safe-T Solutions 24-hour operations centre of a panic situation should one arise, whilst sending them your exact geographic location. The ST-LIMA device can be used anywhere in South Africa where there is an available GSM network.

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Photo by: Altus Kotze

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inFOCUS COMPETITION 1ST QUARTER 2014 Stand a chance to win R750 by entering the quarterly inFOCUS photo competition. Email your best adventure, sport or lifestyle image to competitions@doitnow.co.za, because to win it you’ve got to be in it. Good luck and we look forward to seeing the world through your eyes. The closing date for the first quarter competition is 25 March 2014.

When emailing your images to us please include the following information: • Name of photographer • Name of photograph • Camera type • Camera settings • Place where the photograph was taken • Which category you are submitting your photo under - Adventure, Sport or Lifestyle

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Competition rules can be viewed on www.doitnow.co.za/competitions

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BlackDiamondEquipment.com

Intoducing the BDV Jacket

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CLIMBING

Words: Honorata Saar | Photos: Newland Expeditions

A philanthropic

North Pole adventure Have you ever dreamed of going to the North Pole?

Are you looking for a once-in-alifetime experience that will also make a difference in the world?

Searching 4 Santa, a not-for-profit charity project, will be taking four aids orphans from Children of the Dawn, in Africa, to the North Pole in April 2015, and there are four spaces available to join the team. Each person who joins will sponsor one of the teenagers selected, resulting in an extraordinary personal adventure that will also make a significant difference on another.

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Inspired by Sibusiso Vilane, the famous African adventurer and first African to summit Mt Everest, this ambitious adventure is all about educating the four teenagers and providing them with unique skills. Once a ‘Dawn’ child has finished school, they leave the protection of the charity and have to face the real world on their own. This trip will provide them with a skill that will make them more employable when they leave, in areas such as photography, videography, environmental issues and adventure travel.

Other key objectives include raising money for Children of

the Dawn, highlighting the plight of HIV aids in our country and uniting communities, thus proving that anything is possible - even for an orphaned child.

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The North Pole has special significance in that it is ‘fantastical’, unique and hard to get to - there is no further place for an African! Although we are most certainly making things harder for ourselves, it is necessary as this is the only way we will raise the amount of awareness we feel the cause deserves. We need to do something that has never been done before.

April 2015 is the proposed date for the trip because this is when the ice conditions are best. However, even in good conditions getting to pole will be no easy feat.

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The amount required to facilitate this trip is large, to some, exorbitant even. So the option to be one of the four adventurers will therefore be put up for bidding.

Bidding opens on 10 February 2014 and will close on 31 May 2014.

In April 2014, the selection of the four youths begins and will be done by the staff of Children of the Dawn, who will help will help to facilitate a selection process whereby the children who are in matric this year (and are looking strong to pass) can apply to be one of the four candidates. They will then have to motivate their selection, and each will no doubt have a compelling story to tell.

Once the youths and adventurers have been selected, they will undergo their first cold adaptation and ski training camp this winter in Lesotho, with ongoing training scheduled until the end of March 2015. The group will then depart for Norway and do one final week of ski training, environmental education and survival training. From there, they will head to Barneo, a Russian research camp, where they will take a helicopter flight to the starting point of the three-day polar ice ski expedition to the North Pole.

Other than being quite brutal, the expedition can come with its own complications, so the team will have to be well prepared for any eventuality. Thereafter, it’s three days back to the pick up point, a helicopter ride to Barneo, a flight to Norway, and then home as heroes!

So if you are looking for an adventure of a lifetime, make your bid now and be a part of a team that is going to make a difference! The journey is a long one and it has just begun.

About Children of the Dawn

Children of the Dawn is a registered South African Public Benefit Organisation supporting over 800 rural orphaned and vulnerable children. Through programmes addressing basic needs, as well as guidance and mentoring, they strive to raise a generation of saved children into balanced, healthy and active citizens.

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Sifundo - one of the teenagers from Children of the Dawn.

Photo by: Children of the Dawn

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2 THERE ARE NO PENGUINS

5 things about the North Pole 1 THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NORTH POLES You may think there is only one North Pole on our planet, however the most well-known and recognised are the Magnetic North Pole, Geographic North Pole, and some people also refer to the lesser well-known ones such as True North, the Pole of Inaccessibility, Pole of Cold, etc.

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One animal you won't see in the North Pole is the penguin, but you may also see other Arctic dwellers like orca, humpback and Beluga whales, the Arctic fox, and Svalbard reindeer.

3 IT IS NOT A CONTINENT, NOR THE COLDEST PLACE IN THE WORLD Unlike the North Pole, the South Pole sits on top of a thick sheet of ice, which in turn sits on top of a piece of land Antarctica. At more than 9,000 feet above sea level, Antarctica is also the world's tallest continent. The North Pole, on the other hand, is made up of a thin Arctic ice sheet that sits barely a foot above sea level, a fact that allows the landscape to absorb heat from the surrounding Arctic Ocean. Even with temperatures at a high of just -33 degrees F, the North Pole is not the coldest place on Earth. The South Pole, however, has temperatures averaging -60 degrees Celsius in winter.

Are you keen to be one of the four adventurers going to the North Pole? Then submit your bid via email to info@searching4santa.org If you are a corporate company and would like to get involved, please contact us. You can even incentivise your staff with this amazing opportunity.

Visit www.searching4santa.org for more information, or follow their journey on Facebook www.facebook. com/searching4santa and on Twitter @Search4Santa If you would like to donate money to Children of the Dawn, to ensure the rest of the children who cannot take part continue to be looked after, visit www.childrenofthedawn.org.za.

5 IT CONTINUES TO STAY AT THE CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL CONTROVERSY 4 THERE IS CONTROVERSY OVER WHO GOT THERE FIRST In September 1909, Frederick A. Cook, a medical doctor from New York, announced that he and two Inuit companions had reached the North Pole on 21 April 1908. He claimed that bad weather conditions and drifting ice had prohibited his southward return and he and his companions were forced to winter in an ice cave. A week later, Robert E. Peary, a civil engineer and commander in the U.S. Navy, announced that he had reached the North Pole, accompanied by his long-time companion Matthew Henson, and he denounced Cook as a fraud. In any case, Peary had some very powerful sponsors, including the New York Times and the National Geographic Society.

The United States Geological Survey calculates that the Arctic has about 13 percent of the world's undiscovered conventional oil and about 30 percent of undiscovered natural gas. Complicating matters is the fact that multiple countries lay claim to the Arctic Circle, namely Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark (via Greenland) and the United States (via Alaska). Each country is allowed to explore potential oil reserves within 200 miles of its coastlines, but in 2007, Russia used a mini-submarine to plant the country's flag on the floor of the Arctic Ocean in an attempt to claim the region and its natural resources. This move was rejected by the U.N. and the countries continue to work toward a solution. • source: www.budgettravel.com

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BICYCLING

Words & Photos: Chris Hitchcock

I ONCE ENTERED A 24-HOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE. AT THE TIME I DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER. Granted, I had only started cycling about six weeks prior to the event, after a 20-year lay-off from any physical activity before that. And I suffered, oh how I suffered. I was totally unfit and unprepared, and most importantly I lacked that essential ingredient of any endurance cyclist. A battle hardened, saddle ready bum.

NIGHT OF THE

LONG RIDE www.doitnow.co.za • 17

NIGHT OF THE

LONG RIDE

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NIGHT OF THE

LONG RIDE www.doitnow.co.za • 21

THIS YEAR'S RACE SAW THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW WINNER IN PIETER ERWEE, WHO FINALLY UNSEATED MULTIPLE CHAMPION AND 24 HOURS' EXPERT DANE WALSH. Erwee

completed 33 laps of the 10 km course. That’s 330 km of non-stop riding. How is that even possible?

He beat second-place rider Lance Stephenson by 4 laps, an eternity in endurance racing. Ray van Breda was third and 19 minutes further back.

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In the Ladies race, Tracey Lentin and Melinda Griffiths fought it out in a ding-dong battle, with Lentin taking it in the end by 1 lap. Five laps further back, Helena Ferreira claimed third on the podium.

Proving that the race isn’t, as you would expect, the exclusive preserve of the young and foolhardy, fourth-placed rider Philip Erasmus is 66 years old and only missed the podium by 3 laps. He beat Andrew Dietrich, who at 44 is an absolute whippersnapper, by one lap. So it is obvious that using age as an excuse for not exercising is not going to wash with these boys.

Speaking of the young, there were a good few youngsters racing in teams. Parel Vallei High School had four teams entered under the watchful eye of teacher and top endurance mountain biker Hanri Dalton. Hanri is coming back from an injury picked up while training for last year’s Absa Cape Epic, and she was out there circulating with her young charges offering advice, coaching and encouragement. Why weren’t teachers that cool when I was at school?

So if the words foolhardy, a little crazy and fun appeal to you, make sure next year's 24 Hours is on your calendar. • For more information and full results, visit www.dirtopia.co.za

OVERALL RESULTS 1 Pieter Erwee

2 Lance Stephenson

3 Ray van Breda

LADIES 1 Tracey Lentin

2 Melinda Griffiths

3 Helena Ferreira

LAPS 33

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LAPS 21

20

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BICYCLING

Words: Keegan Longueira ǀ Photos: Zoon Cronje

MTN NATIONAL MTB SERIES RACE 1

RACING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN ADVENTURER THE FIRST RACE OF THE MTN NATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE SERIES DRIVEN BY NISSAN, HELD IN DULLSTROOM ON 8 FEBRUARY 2014, WAS UPON ME AND SO WAS A SPELL OF FLU.

It isn’t exactly ideal to wake up coughing and your nose running, while rushing around grabbing last-minute items at four in the morning, in the dark, for a race you know is not going to be easy.

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THE DRIVE WAS QUICK AND IT SEEMED THAT THE WEATHER GOD HAD BLESSED US WITH CLEAR SKIES. BUT NO SOONER HAD THE THOUGHT ENTERED MY MIND WHEN THE 'MORDOR' OF MPUMALANGA APPEARED IN THE DISTANCE. DULLSTROOM AND BELFAST ARE INFAMOUS FOR HAVING STRANGE AND HARSH WEATHER PATTERNS THAT ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT FROM ANYWHERE ELSE IN MPUMALANGA.

After registering for the race, I prepped my bike and ran through a quick checklist. I remember the race announcer mentioning that there had been quite a bit of rain in Dullstroom and it could be wet out there. Horrific images of the first Barberton 2013 race, where I spent my day trying to recover from chain suck, flashed through my mind. Luckily, this time I was prepared and smiled as I shoved my lubricant into my back pouch. I was ready to take on this challenge, which was part of my preparation for the harshest of cycle conditions while on solo bicycle expeditions in Africa.

Five, four, three, two, one and we were off.

Despite my initial idea of not pushing too hard, due to not feeling well, I found myself racing to the front of the super elite batch E, cornering hard and sprinting down towards the first climb of the day. “You idiot,” I thought to myself, as my heart rate rocketed up to 182 BPM. I calmed my mind as my legs raced through the first climb. I recall telling my girlfriend the night before about how in an adventure preparing for the worst always, without fail, saves your life. Mentally, we always need to be prepared so that it is easy to deal with when it happens. As a result, I wasn’t surprised when, after the first climb, the fast, rocky downhill and short, open road that was slippery, thick with mud, and sometimes unrideable single track did not scare me at all.

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BETWEEN THE 20 KM AND 30 KM MARK THE THICK, SLIPPERY MUD MIXED WITH UNDERLYING ROCKS THREW A COUPLE OF SOLDIERS OFF AS THEY NAVIGATED THE BATTLEFIELD, TRYING TO AVOID THE MINES (ROCKS). I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THAT

I RODE OVER SOME GUY'S ARM WHEN TRYING TO AVOID THE CARNAGE IN FRONT OF ME. If he is reading

this, I am truly sorry and hope you are not hurt. Passing tired cyclists camped along the route I was amazed at how well I was handling the tracks, which I am sure the course designer of the Warrior Race had a hand in because there were plenty of 'Mud Monsters' on our way to the finish.

I rocketed down the last rocky downhill to water point two, not concerned with even attempting to touch my breaks as the joints in my fingers were throbbing from pain from all the jolting. I shook my hands out at the pit stop, filled up with some Powerade, lubed my chain and then hopped back on my steed, ready to tackle a very welcome flat and slightly downhill section along the train tracks.

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IT WAS AT THIS POINT OF THE RACE WHERE I HAD A CHANCE TO CATCH MY BREATH AND TAKE IN THE SURROUNDINGS. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE I WAS IN. I MARVELLED AT HOW

SOFT THE GRASSY FIELDS LOOKED AND JUST REVELLED IN THE SPLENDOUR OF THE CLOUDS GENTLY CARESSING THE HIGH PEAKS. I flowed effortlessly downhill to the 40 km mark

and was informed by a fellow rider that a steep climb awaited us!

I wasn’t afraid of any incline, "I had seen it all," I thought. As soon as I hit the climb, I felt the muscles in my legs shoot in all different directions, trying to find a way out of working up the climb. Then the cramps began and when the pain became unbearable, I hopped off to give my two pistons a long stretch then got back on my bike, changed into an easy gear and spun up the loose and rocky climb.

At one stage I found myself sitting behind a Toyota Prada, so I put the hammer down and sped past some riders. At this point I should mention that I know this is illegal and I will gladly accept my disqualification from 132nd place.

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At water point three there was a moment that changed my day, inspired me and made me smile so much. It might not have been a massive thing for anyone else, but as an adventure cyclist this is what I live for. “I’m sorry sir, we have run out of water,” said the shy looking lady. I stared at her, my mouth dry and my tongue stuck to my palate. I was shocked at first, but then chuckled to myself as I saw the progression from disbelief to anger to fed up in the other riders' attitudes. Sure, it was a terrible feeling being absolutely exhausted and unable to quench your thirst. I imagined all the times I had run out of water on expeditions, sometimes with 80 km still to go, and how it was such a test of perseverance and character.

I realised then that if you've made a decision to have an incredible day, this really wasn’t big enough to spoil it. But all was not lost, as 2-litre water bottles were brought in from various sources. It was a great sight to see the competitors only taking 300 ml to save some for the next rider, as well as guys sharing their own juice and water with the other riders.

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YOU SEE IN LIFE, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE ABSOLUTE CONTROL OVER IS THE WAY WE REACT TO SITUATIONS.

IT’S THE SERIES OF DECISIONS THAT FOLLOW A BAD EXPERIENCE AND DETERMINE OUR TRUE CHARACTER. WE MAY THINK THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE POSSIBLE WAY TO REACT WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, BUT IN THE END WE HAVE THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE, WE DECIDE OUR OWN FATE.

I pushed on from the water point whistling one of my favorite songs, "Let it be" by the Beatles, as we levelled off onto the highest point of the race. The sign board that said 'Thin Air' really messed with my mind, as my body went into full defensive mode, pretending to be altitude sick. I had a headache and was struggling to breathe, but all the while wondering if these feelings were real. We descended and began

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the final climb of the day through the township of Dullstroom. This was a spectacular touch to the race, as it gave riders a glimpse of the poverty but also the happiness of the people that lived there. They lined the streets, waved, gave us high fives and made us feel like absolute heroes. I felt a lump in my throat as two boys, no older than seven years old, ran alongside me for some time, smiling from ear to ear.

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ANOTHER FAST AND BUMPY DESCENT AWAITED AND DURING THAT DESCENT WE CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE FINISH LINE BEFORE HEADING INTO THE FINAL 7 KM OF THE DAY. THE SINGLE TRACK WAS

MAGNIFICENT! IT WAS SLIPPERY, WET AND FAST, AND I REALLY FELT LIKE VIN DIESEL AS I DRIFTED AROUND CORNERS, BUNNY HOPPED OVER SLIPPERY ROUTES AND POWERED UP THE CLIMBS. I WAS SAD TO LEAVE THE SINGLE TRACK BUT KNEW THE FINISH WAS CLOSE, QUITE A RELIEF AS I WAS BEGINNING TO GET A LITTLE HUNGRY. I couldn’t stop smiling as I approached the finish line. I had been part of a great race and as long as I live, I will remember that on 8 February 2014, I had taken part in a tough, enduring and grand mountain bike race, in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Done and dusted! The race promised adventure and it delivered, and was great preparation for the adventures that await me in Africa. •

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BICYCLING

Words & Photos: Chris Hitchcock

Zero hero TO

I’ve written about criterium cycle racing before, in a story about the Lights By Linea night racing in Stellenbosch late last year, and I openly admit that I’m driven to watch and cover events that are different.

‘Edge events’ is what we call the category they fit into, most likely because they are on the edge of sanity and keep us on the edge of our seats.

It’s no surprise then that when I heard of a criterium organised by the same people, but this time at the Stellenbosch Airfield, I was immediately drawn to watch and photograph the third race in the 2014 Hero Challenge.

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Zero hero TO

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The Hero Challenge is a series of criterium races that are followed by a series of long distance one-day races, which form a winter series, and ends the season off with another group of criterium events in the spring of 2014.

Races start with the issuing of coloured jerseys, a la the Tour de France, with yellow for the overall series leader. Green is bestowed upon the leader of the sprint classification and white to the fastest overall young rider. Podium poppies in matching dresses do the honours.

Besides Lights By Linea, the primary sponsor, KIA Motors Diep River has come on board as the official vehicle supplier, whilst Trek Bicycles and Craft Clothing have signed up to be part of a series of racing that will elevate road racing in the Western Cape. Cycling South Africa fully endorses the series and what it will do for the high-performance side of the sport.

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Zero hero TO

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Held on Saturday, 22 February, the racing included events for the Youth (U12, U14, U16) in Category 3; Vets, Masters and Women in Category 2; and Elite Men in Category 1. Provision was also made for para-cyclists, who raced with the Category 2 riders. This is a first in South Africa, whereby the para-cyclists compete head-to-head with their able-bodied counterparts, and attracted a number of top-calibre para-athletes.

Ernst van Dyk, the road race gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and road race silver medallist at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, lined up with Stuart McCreadie, who represented South Africa at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, and Craig Ridgard, who will represent South Africa at the upcoming 2014 UCI racing season in Italy this May. Roxy Burns, ranked number one for track by the UCI for 2013, was the top Women’s para contender.

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Zero hero TO

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Stellenbosch Airfield is a fully working airfield and home to a lot of the aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopters, which forms the backbone of the Western Cape Government’s Working on Fire (WoF) Programme. This initiative was launched in response to the increasing number of veld fires across South Africa over the past several years, of which the Western Cape Province was identified as the country's most vulnerable region. The programme is designed around the principle of sending the maximum amount of aircraft and ground teams to a fire in its early stages. By gaining control within the first hour of the fire, the possibility of a major incident is minimised. So if a major fire was to break out in the Western Cape while a race was underway, the cycling would have to stop and the aircraft would get right of way.

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True to form, and Murphy's Law, just 10 minutes after the opening Category 2 race, proceedings had to be stopped to allow space and time for three aircraft to take off and attend to a fire. While that’s not

the kind of curved ball that any race organiser wants to deal with at an event, everything was very well planned and the planes took off with no drama. The race got underway again just 20 minutes later. Kudos to Lights By Linea and ACSA for some proper planning.

In Category 1, the race was dominated by the series' leader and yellow-jersey holder Stefan Ihlenfeldt, who held off teammate Hanco Kachelhofer for a photo finish. Young rider Stefan de Bod further enhanced his reputation as an up-and-coming rider to take third.

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Multiple SA Champion Maroesjka Matthee did the expected by winning the Women's race, with Carmen Buchacher in second and Bianca Holtzkampf-Mayer third.

For the last round of the Criterium Championship, on 2 March, the riders will move to the Century City complex for a street circuit around the residential area. The track promises lots of corners and technical riding with a section of cobblestones thrown in for good measure. It’s super spectator friendly, so rock up from 14h00 to check out the action. •

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Race results

22 FEBRUARY 2014 CATEGORY 1: ELITE

1. Stefan Ihlenfeldt (Lights By Linea) 2. Hanco Kachelhoffer (Lights By Linea) 3. Stefan de Bod 4. Philip Buys (Scott) 5. Ruderick Heuer (Flandria)

CATEGORY 2: VETS 1. Russel Palm 2. Paul Cooper 3. Faizel Thomas

CATEGORY 2: OPEN 1. Ruddock Geddan 2. Ahmed Khatieb 3. Richard Paxton

CATEGORY 2: LADIES 1. Maroesjka Matthee 2. Carmen Buchacher 3. Bianca Holtzkampf-Mayer

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@FoxSouthAfrica facebook.com/FoxHeadSouthAfrica @FoxSouthAfrica

SEE THE VIDEO & FULL STORY AT FOXHEAD.COM/WELIVE #FOXWELIVE

BICYCLING

Words & Photos: Ugene Nel

THE X IS A BRAND NEW FIVE-DAY MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENT TO GRACE THE MTB CALENDAR IN 2014, AND PROMISES NON-STOP ADVENTURE FROM START TO FINISH. The X came about back in September 2013 when I hopped on an overnight bus from Cape Town to Upington. The next morning, when everyone else got off the bus and went about their business, I assembled my bike and started riding. I rode through the remote area of the Great Karoo and across historical places such as Verneukpan, finishing my journey in Matjiesfontein some 600 km and four days later.

THE

AN EASTERN CAPE ODYSSEY

The solitude and freshness along The X route is simply sublime!

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DURING THE DECEMBER 2013 SUMMER BREAK, I DECIDED TO DO SOME MORE SCOUTING, THIS TIME RIDING IN A CIRCULAR ROUTE AROUND THE AREA, WHICH IS ALSO WHERE I WAS BORN AND GREW UP.

The journey to the Great Fish River was an adventure in itself, with awesome exploratory riding and stops in places like Matjiesfontein (outside Calitzdorp, Klein Karoo), Saasveld, the Outeniqua Mountains, and Witteberg Hoek in the Langkloof. I was then joined by my friend, Rob Flashman, and for the next 10 days we explored some of the most remote and hardly used trails, paths, and quiet farm and public dirt roads the region had to offer. And as we rode, The X, an Eastern Cape odyssey, was born, and this is what riders can look forward to.

THE

AN EASTERN CAPE ODYSSEY

The shutters in front of the windows and doors of these old houses are very effective to keep the interior cool on hot days.

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Fortunately, there are enough boreholes and reservoirs along certain sections of The X route to fill up.

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THE ROUTE DAY 1 - TUESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER (115 KM)

The ride will start in the town of Grahamstown and after a short ride past Rhodes University, it will follow the old steam train route to Alicedale via Highlands. The 55 km journey to Alicedale follows a ridgeline for most of the way. Shortly after the railway siding at Highlands,

Leaving The Hub in Somerset East to tackle the awesome Boschberg MTB trails before continuing to the historic frontier town of Bedford via Stolzkloof trail.

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the trail enters a private game reserve. About 10 km before reaching Alicedale, the trail runs alongside the Nuwejaarsdam (New Year's Dam), so beware of the hippos here. The ride is sublime, with gorgeous vistas and plenty of amazing fauna, flora and antelope. There will also be frequent encounters with the comical warthogs, as they scarper along with their little tails aloft like radio antennas. The altitude loss to Alicedale is 1,200 m, with a gain of 800 m.

LUNCH WILL BE SERVED IN THE OLD SCHOOL BUILDING (WHERE I SPENT MY FIRST FIVE YEARS IN SCHOOL), WHICH IS NOW THE BUSHMAN’S SANDS LODGE. THEREAFTER, THE REMAINING 60 KM ROUTE FOLLOWS THE BUSHMAN’S RIVER UPSTREAM FOR A WHILE.

Even though this section is open to the public, very few folk know about its existence and places such as Doringkom (Thornbowl), Boesmans Poort (Bushman’s Gorge) and Swartwaterspoort (Blackwaters Gorge) will feature. Here, the Eastern Cape bush is wild and unique, making it a very special place indeed! After passing the Sheldon siding, riders will follow an old rail route, alongside the actual railway line, to the overnight stop at the old hamlet of Middleton.

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The view from Patryshoogte (Partridge Heights ) outside Somerset East - looking toward the Great Fish River and Bedford.

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DAY 2 - WEDNESDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER (60 KM) DAY TWO IS A MUCH SHORTER RIDE, SO RIDERS WILL ENJOY A SCRUMPTIOUS FARM BREAKFAST BEFORE SETTING OFF FOR SOMERSET EAST, 60 KM AWAY. Following a dirt road that is mainly used by local farmers, riders will again join an old rail route as they near Somerset East. No rails or sleepers (this is the hard Rhodesian Teak wood used to lay the rails onto) exist and will make for some interesting riding. The Hub, a country restaurant, shop, tourism, and trail info centre, marks the end of day two and is where great food, great people and – the next day – more awesome trails await.

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DAY 3 – THURSDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER (95 KM)

After a delicious country breakfast at The Hub, riders will experience one of the most amazing trails in the Eastern Cape, the Boschberg MTB trails. These trails are really well maintained and nurtured by a small group of passionate riders from the area.

After leaving town via a firebreak, riders will take on a short but stunning climb towards the Patryshoogte Pass. From there, a very old trail drops down into Stolzkloof towards Kommetjies Hoek.

This section of the ride traverses through two game farms and the riding is simply amazing! Single track and jeep track riding on the edge of a deep ravine, surrounded by plenty of game, various birds of prey and fresh air!

Crossing over the Great Fish River will take the exhilarated riders into the Baviaans River valley before taking a right fork towards Bedford. This is another historical town and remains a hub for farmers, artists and naturally – mountain bikers. The distance covered is 95 km, with a 1,800 m altitude loss and exactly the same gain.

Approaching Nuwejaars Dam before Alicedale.

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DAY 4 – FRIDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER (90 KM)

The eZulu Game Reserve will no doubt be an experience of note! Namely 33,000 hectares packed with game. The 'lions' share of the ride will traverse through this piece of paradise en route to yet another game reserve, Woodlands, and the final overnight stop. This will be a 90 km ride, with a 1,100 m gain in altitude and a drop of 1,200 m.

DAY 5 – SATURDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER (70 KM)

Riding high above the Great Fish River valley, the route will continue east for 15 km before leaving the high plateau and descending to the Great Fish River. Following the edge of the river to Pigott’s Bridge, the next game reserve awaits, Kwandwe. At the time of writing, we are still negotiating a safe passage through this reserve, as there are elephants and a few large cats here. Not long after that, Grahamstown will welcome you back! The 70 km ride will allow for sufficient time to really enjoy the views and game, as well as reflect on the last few days of what will be magical!

ENTER NOW AND YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO BE ON A HIGH LONG AFTER YOU’VE FINISHED THIS ADVENTURE RIDE! •

ER H T R U F R FO T U O B A S L DETAI ENTURE. V ntures.co.za or THISw.qAuaD e dition ntumadv ike expe

B Visit ww Mountain X e h T k: Faceboo

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Succulent and tasty prickly pears - a great food source!

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Northside Motorcycles

www. bmwmotorrad.co.za

The Ultimate Riding Machine

MOTORBIKING

Words & Photos: Paul Marcellin

ROUGHRIDER DIARY OF A

“HERE'S THE DEAL: I'M GOING TO SWAKOPMUND, I'M GOING BY BIKE. WHO'S COMING?” THUS OUR BIKE TOUR OF KALAHARI COUNTRY AND NAMIBIA WAS BORN.

I accepted a gig at an annual event hosted by the Swakopmund Skydive Club and had work to do. I was quite happy to travel alone, but it'd certainly be more fun with a crowd. The recruits were Mark 'Maddog' on a BMW 1200GS, Mikey 'King Ding' on a Triumph 800XC, Peter 'Kala' on a BMW 1200GS, 'RSM' Johan on a BMW 800GS, and myself (Simba) on a KTM 950 Adventure.

The plan is for us to ride as a trio from Johannesburg and meet Mark, coming in from Cape Town, at the southern edge of Namibia. Then over the course of about a week, get ourselves to Hentiesbaai where Johan will take us out on local-knowledge technical rides. Thereafter, they will drop me off at Swakopmund (to work) and continue touring the magnificent Nam. Once my work is complete, I will ride home solo.

Messum Crater, Goboboseb Mountains, Johan Rens.

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WE KNOW THAT OUR TURNING POINT DESTINATION IS SWAKOPMUND / HENTIESBAAI AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. AND AT THE START OF EACH DAY'S RIDE, WE ARE NOT SURE WHERE WE ARE SLEEPING THAT NIGHT. HERE'S MY CONDENSED MILK, SUPER-CONCENTRATED VERSION OF HOW THINGS UNFOLDED. [In the same way that I am about to compress long hot days into just seconds of reading, please also know that all quick mentions of the incredible scenery are puny attempts to have you visualise the most wonderful big, beautiful, bright blue, clean-cut rolling vistas of barren mountains, grassed plains, red dunes, white roads and wide, wide open spaces that are all simply awe-inspiring.]

for my bike ride over the Himalayas last year and I thought they'd be good for this trip." -Stunned silence- Kala and I look at each other. "You brought Himalayan mountain gloves on your bike trip into the Namibian Desert in high summer?"

"Yes, I also brought my slippers." -Stunned silence- I lend him a spare set of gloves for the remainder of the journey.

DAY 1: JHB TO VRYBURG (SORT OF)

Kala has an active GPS on his bike. Nevertheless, and to my amazement, we somehow fall off the planned road without realising it and drive into iron mining country, with its associated landscape red-dust coatings, and land up in Posmasburg. A few minutes later we hit our first gravel road. On the one hand this is great; it's the type of riding we came for. On the other hand it confirms that we really do not know where we are.

This is intended as a quick warm-up ride to make sure we have everything in working order and allow Mikey to find out if all his pots, pans, kettles and sink are actually strapped on tight. However, we push a little harder than expected and get about halfway between Vryburg and Kuruman by sunset. En route, we stop to toast Madiba, one day ahead of his funeral, at a bar in Ventersdorp, which seems highly appropriate.

At about 19h00, when all our kit is lying about the cottage, I notice that Mikey's gloves are soft shell, elbow-length and lined with something like yak fur. "What are those, Mikey?"

"My gloves, man my hands were so hot today!" "I see that they're gloves, but WHAT are they?" "Well I bought them

Hakskeen Pan, Northern Cape, Paul Marcellin.

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DAY 2: VRYBURG TO AUGRABIES

Some hours later than planned, we arrive at the gate of the Augrabies Falls - and are rejected by the guards. Camping is full and the park closes in 10 minutes. We backtrack a kilometre or two, find a place to stay, pitch tents and retire to the bar to drown Kala's sorrows since he never got to see the falls.

DAY 3: AUGRABIES TO FELIX UNITE (ORANGE RIVER VALLEY) We have a superb early morning ride to the N10 on a perfect gravel road. I'm not an early riser by nature, but that pain is always rewarded on a bike. By 10h00 we've crossed into Nam near Bakrivier and notice something that we will see every day from now on; sharp, crisp hills and mountain skylines contrasting starkly with the backdrop of deep blue air. The vistas are so clear and stark, and the scenery so immediate and tangible that I feel like we are riding through the pages of a 3D pop-up book. It's Omo for my soul.

Later in the day, we descend into the Orange River valley and the temperature climbs dramatically. It's boiling down here. We find Maddog lying at the pool with a superb view of the river and valley. Beers, tents up, some bike maintenance, back to the beers and the pool and some supper. Fantastic.

DAY 4: FELIX UNITE TO KLEIN AUS / LÜDERITZ We trace the Orange for about 80 km through a sliver of the indescribable Richtersveld, then swing north to the interior and Rosh Pinah for breakfast. How things have changed since I was last here around 1997. Another 100 km or so and we roll into the metropol of Aus. After refuelling, we head to Klein Aus, another 5 km down the road and where I decide to stay overnight in a desert camp.

The other guys want to see Lüderitz, but I'm nursing my tyres. On theirs they can burn into Lüderitz, about another 140 km, at high speed. My softer knobblies melt on tar and I need to save them for the roads ahead; particularly for the technical riding we anticipate. I pitch the tent, have a shower and then ride to the main lodge for some beer, a late lunch and bag of wood for the evening fire. Later, a giant orange, near-full moon rises over the desert, my bike, tent and fire.

DAY 5: KLEIN AUS TO SESRIEM I'm on the stoep of the hotel in Aus by 07h00 having coffee and a sandwich when the guys arrive at 07h30. We fuel up and set out on 450 km of gravel and dust.

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Overhead Swakopmund, Tony ‘American’.

ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, WE COME ACROSS A GUY WALKING DOWN THE ROAD, LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. HE FLAGS ME DOWN AND ASKS FOR WATER. IN AFRIKAANS I ASK HIM WHERE HE'S HEADED. "AUS," HE SAYS AND I NEARLY FALL OFF MY BIKE. "WHAT AND YOU’RE WALKING?" "No other

way to get there. Maybe someone will stop, but I have no money to pay them." Wow. At an absolute minimum, he has two entire days of walking ahead of him. He has no water, no food, no money and not much clothing.

That's commitment for you. I give him some of my water and then I am on my way - I hope he is ok. I really have an easy life.

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www.kiska.com

READY FOR MY

Do not imitate the riding scenes shown, wear protective clothing and observe the traffic regulations! The illustrated vehicles may vary in minor details from the series model and some show optional equipment at additional cost.

Photos: R. Schedl, H. Mitterbauer

NEW ADVENTURE

Pack the limousine and head off on a relaxed trip.

Accelerate the sports car dynamically out of the corners.

Pilot the SUV along dirt tracks and across wild streams.

For this you need three cars or just one motorcycle – the new KTM 1190 ADVENTURE! Fully specced with high-tech equipment for all your adventures – no matter where in the world!

STANDARD EQUIPMENT:

THE NEW KTM 1190 ADVENTURE

150 HP (110 KW) / 230 KG INCL. 23 LITRES OF FUEL C-ABS / TRACTION CONTROL WITH 4 MODES + OFF 15,000 KM SERVICE INTERVALS COMPREHENSIVE TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY PACKAGES

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE FEATURES AT WWW.KTM.COM

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AT ABOUT 18H30, WE ARE WITHIN TWO KILOMETRES OF THE SOSSUSVLEI PARK. AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE NO ACCOMMODATION ARRANGEMENTS. While stopping to discuss possibilities, I see a Land Cruiser and flag it down to ask the driver if he knows of any options.

It transpires that we've pulled over the manager of two local lodges, Franz-Heins.

After making some radio calls, he offers us a superb deal at the magnificent Sossusvlei Lodge, and there’s a swimming pool. The deal is struck and I’m a hero amongst my mates, for about four minutes.

DAY 6: SESRIEM TO SOLITAIRE We have only about 90 km to ride today, so we take it real easy. We have a leisurely breakfast on the terrace, whilst drinking in the amazing view, and then take a walk to the Sesriem Canyon. This is really one giant donga, but very impressive. At its head is a small pool of water with some fish visible. It is amazing.

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We get going around 12h00 for a great run to Solitaire. By 14h00, we are sitting at the Restaurant and Bakery in Solitaire, with some welcome beers and a giant slice of fresh apple pie. The proprietor recommends some routes for the next day and arranges a campsite for us at the Solitaire Desert Camp, about 5 km up the road.

DAY 7-9: SOLITAIRE TO HENTIESBAAI The early morning rain draws the most wonderful smells out of the sand. An earthy-mineral perfume that is as energising as a quality espresso. Some hours later we are rolling through a slice of the Namib-Nauklift Park in a scene out of the Lion King. A light cloud layer is protecting us from the raw heat and in the distance rain is falling from beautiful cloud formations. The grasslands, mountains, clear-cut lines, open spaces, and our tiny winding track through the middle of it. Our own yellow brick road.

We hook up with ‘RSM’ Rens that evening in Hentiesbaai for a little planning and Tafel lager. Hentiesbaai becomes our base for the next few days, and some technical day rides and beach picnics are the agenda.

TECHNICAL DAY RIDE INTO THE MESSUM CRATER We meet up with Johan, who takes us into the heart of the Messum Crater, an extinct volcano. Apart from the hour out of and into Henties, the riding is pretty technical. To exit the crater, Johan leads us down a river bed of approximately 35 km. It's hot, sandy, and hard work, but the skill learnings are incredible and the views across the crater are the reason why we have bikes.

DAY 11-19: SWAKOPMUND For the next nine days I am based at Swakopmund for the work that I came to do.

The rest of the gang leave for their continued adventures.

DAY 20-22: SWAKOPMUND TO GOCHAS AND BACK HOME I am riding home solo, approximately 2,000 km in total. I'm not big on GPS, so I travel with a map, compass, a pretty good sense of direction, and a couple of flares in case all of the above is not adequate. I decide to push it quite hard and as it turns out, a bit too hard. I ride 12 hours per day, for two consecutive days and 5 hours on the third. When I get home, it takes me about seven days to recover.

JOB DONE! NEXT PLAN? •

Hentiesbaai, Erongo, Namibia, Johan Rens.

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MULTI SPORTS

Words: Francois Flamengo ǀ Photos: Meghan Mccabe

IF YOU HAVE FOLLOWED ACTION SPORTS LEGEND TRAVIS PASTRANA AND THE REVOLUTION

OF FMX OVER THE LAST DECADE, THEN YOU WILL AGREE THAT WHAT THESE ATHLETES DO, TO GROW THE SPORT, IS MIND BLOWING.

Never saying no to a challenge and never letting his fans and the spectators down, Travis has always pushed the boundaries of 'it is possible on anything that moves, but especially on two wheels'. His record speaks for itself with countless achievements under his belt, including that of 10-time X Games gold medallist in Freestyle Motocross, rally car driver and former NASCAR driver. But his list of injuries shows what it takes to be one of the best - if not the best - entertainer and fiercest competitor in the sport.

NITRO CIRCUS

LIVE

ROLLS INTO TOWN

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WITH A LEGEND LIKE THIS, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FOLLOWERS. PEOPLE WHO ARE INSPIRED

BY SUCH AN ICON AND WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND TRY IT TOO. SO WHEN YOU GET A GROUP OF THESE GUYS TOGETHER ON A FIELD OF RAMPS AND LANDINGS AND THEY ALL ARE DEDICATED TO DO ALMOST ANYTHING TO ENTERTAIN CROWDS AROUND THE WORLD, YOU GET THE NITRO CIRCUS.

From its early days in 2000, the show has grown and developed from a movie collection, to a live TV show and now a world tour featuring more than 40 of the world’s best action sports athletes performing daring and often record-breaking tricks in freestyle motocross, BMX and skateboarding, along with heart-stopping stunts on unique contraptions rarely attempted outside of the Nitro Circus family.

The crew, a group of tight-knit, highly-skilled, adrenalin-addicted friends, made their first-ever pit stop in South Africa during February 2014, with performances in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. I was fortunate to witness two of the three performances and was gobsmacked each time by how talented the crew is. On TV some of these tricks looks dangerous, but when you see them performed live, just a few feet away, you get a real sense of just how gifted these athletes are.

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THE SHOW STARTED OFF WITH JOLENE VAN VUGT, THE FIRST WOMAN TO EVER LAND A DIRT BIKE. NEXT UP WAS

THE BMX AND SKATE BOYS, WHO TURNED UP THE HEAT WITH A GREAT APPETIZER OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE REST OF THE SHOW. Now when I say appetizer, I’m not referring to a bunny hop or wheelie … I’m talking big front flips, back flips, double back flips and many other tricks that had the audience enthralled and on the edge of their seats.

Thereafter, the bikes took over and they also didn’t hold back when it came to impressing the crowd with massive whips, rollers, tsunamis, Superman, double grabs, heel clickers, the Kiss of Death and cliff hangers. If the riders each took a turn to do their tricks, it would be entertaining. But the boys from the Nitro Circus took it to a whole new level when they performed single line formation trains with 10 guys rotating continuously.

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A Nitro Circus show would be nothing without some crazy, more-guts-thanglory tricks. Here I’m talking about a La-Z-boy chair, bath tab, big wheel bike, a wooden horse and, to top it all, a wheel barrow. Watching the guys run down the 50-foot ramp and then fly through the air on or in these 'UFOs' can best be described in one word as hilarious!

NATURALLY, AS THE SHOW PROGRESSES, THE RAMPS GET BIGGER, THE JUMPS LONGER AND THE TRICKS,

WELL, THEY JUST GOT MORE INSANE! THE SHOW ENDED WITH A SPECTACULAR FREE-STYLE DISPLAY AND BASICALLY EVERYONE IN THE SHOW CONTRIBUTED WITH A RANGE OF DEATH-DEFYING TRICKS. IT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME!

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WHEN THE SHOW WAS ALL OVER TWO HOURS LATER, I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW FAST THE TIME HAD PASSED.

SO IF YOU MISSED OUT, DON’T DO IT AGAIN. WHEN THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN, BUY YOUR TICKET AND GET DOWN TO THE SHOW WITH YOUR BUDDIES. IT WILL BE WORTH EVERY PENNY YOU SPEND!

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NITRO CIRCUS FACTS: • T he Nitro Circus brand, founded by Travis Pastrana, Gregg Godfrey and Jeremy Rawle, started with the innovative DVD series featuring Travis and friends performing outrageous stunts and on a range of contraptions.

• In 2009, they partnered with MTV to create a new smash hit TV series, which aired to huge ratings in more than 60 countries over two seasons.

• The first-ever tour to Australia became the highest-grossing action sports show in Australian history, with almost 120,000 tickets sold.

• In 2011, Nitro Circus Live performed a record-breaking tour of New Zealand, which out-sold global performing acts such as AC/DC. • In December 2011, Nitro Circus Live debuted at number 16 on BRW’s list of Top 50 Entertainers.

• I n late 2012, Nitro Circus Live embarked on its first-ever European tour, performing 13 shows in seven countries and selling over 155,000 tickets.

• In 2012, the Nitro Circus 3D Movie was released across cinemas worldwide.

• In 2014, Nitro Circus Live toured to South African for the first time, where it performed its biggest and most spectacular show of all time. Following two sell-out shows in Cape Town and Durban, the team hit Johannesburg and performed for a record-breaking crowd of 35,000 fans, smashing the previous Nitro Circus Live record number of 28,000 tickets sold at the Arnhem, Netherlands show in 2012. •

source: nitrocircuslive.com

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MULTI SPORTS

Words & Photos: Dean Venish

Cindy Schwulst leads with Craig Alers as they leave the water and go into the cycle transition.

SUNSHINE COAST TRIATHLON SHINES www.doitnow.co.za • 85

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The start of the Olympic Distance.

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EAST LONDON EXTENDED A WARM WELCOME TO THE OLD MUTUAL SUNSHINE COAST TRIATHLON CONTESTANTS WITH PERFECT WEATHER; OVERCAST, NOT A BREATH OF WIND AND AN OCEAN THAT RESEMBLED A DUCK POND IT WAS THAT CALM. Held on 9 February 2014 at Orient Beach, EventPro put together another super event, and with the title sponsor Old Mutual on board, and Wild Coast FM providing the music, it just gets better and better every year and is definitely a festive scene for spectators and competitors alike. I must admit that out of all the different sporting events I cover, triathlon athletes are definitely topping the list on the happy and relaxed list, with various forms of waves (maybe a call for help?) and thumbs up along the way.

Olympic Distance competitors hitting the water on the first lap of the swim.

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The Olympic Distance class was the first to go off, with Cindy Schwulst, in the Open Female section, and Craig Alers, in the Open Men's, clear favourites. When the siren exploded into life, there was a sprint to the ocean and bodies disappeared into the water. As silence descended on the shore, just the distant thud, thud of the SAPS rubber ducks following the competitors could be heard. The swim course consisted of two laps, where competitors had to come ashore after completing their first lap before returning to the water to tackle the second.

By the end of this leg, Cindy and Craig were leading the pack as they exited the water together, having forged a two-minute lead.

In the cycle and run legs, Alers retained his lead, proving unbeatable as he powered away to cross the finish line in grand style. Cindy also put on a magnificent performance to take the win in the Open Female section, as well as finish a well-deserved fourth overall.

In the Veteran Men's section, it was Andre van Wyk who claimed the top podium sport, with Warwick Attree in second and Ralf Wittroski in third. The trio finished in under 2 hours 30 minutes, showing most of the youngsters the way home. In the Veteran Female race, Candy Boonzaier blazed her way across the line to win the class, and was also the third female home.

In the Sprint Distance Open Men, there was a mere 36 seconds separating the top three, and after a ding-dong battle it was Lukas Kampkotter in first, with Sevatian Czerny in second and Clinton Gravette in third. Not far behind them was the mixed team of Stone House Capital.

The first Junior Male home was Andrew Spanjaard, and he was only 6 minutes behind the top three. Andrew has a very promising career ahead of him and is definitely someone to watch out for. Nicole Venter was equally impressive and claimed top honours as the Junior Female home.

In the Mini Distance event, Clint Gertze just beat Cameron Flanagan by 13 seconds, and hot on their heels were Elne Owen (first Junior Female) in third Nadia De Kock (second Junior female) in fourth.

Overall, it had been a fantastic day of racing. And one thing I have noticed with events of this nature is that there are very few DNFs. These are definitely athletes who persevere and finish.

SUNSHINE COAST TRIATHLON SHINES

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RESULTS OLYMPIC DISTANCE

OPEN MEN

1. CRAIG ALERS 2. SEAN WELDON 3. MARK BARTOSCH

OPEN FEMALE

1. CINDY SCHWULST 2. NATALIE FOWLES 3. NICOLETTE INTRONA

TEAM OLYMPIC MEN

1. YOUTH & TOPPIES 2. THE CREW 3. GESH

VETERAN MEN

1. ANDRE VAN WYK 2. WARWICK ATTREE 3. RALF WITTROSKI

VETERAN FEMALE

1. CANDY BOONZAIER 2. SOPHIA WARREN 3. JANICE VAN WYK

OLYMPIC MIXED TEAM

1. ASC 46 2. B.M.T

SPRINT DISTANCE

OPEN MEN

1. LUKAS KAMPKOTTER 2. SEVASTIAN CZERNY 3. CLINTON GRAVETTE

OPEN FEMALE

1. CHENE KARSHAGEN 2. NATALIE LANGDON 3. NADIA MEISTRE

JUNIOR MALE

1. ANDREW SPANJAARD 2. NICO VAN ZYL 3. LEON DAVION

JUNIOR FEMALE

1. NICOLE VENTER 2. CRISTINA HEYWOOD 3. CHARNELLE DRAKE

Nicole Venter takes first in the Junior Female Sprint Distance category.

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RESULTS SPRINT MIXED TEAM

1. STONE HOUSE CAPITAL 2. SMARTSURV BORN TO RUN 3. REEVES

SPRINT MEN'S TEAM

1. EAST LONDON CYCLE 2. STIRLING STAFF 3. NSRI 2

SPRINT LADIES TEAM

1. SPLASH 2. BEACH BREAKERS 3. JALAPENO HOT

SPRINT JUNIOR MEN'S TEAM

1. JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT 2. THE LYNX

SPRINT JUNIOR LADIES TEAM

1. A CALENDAR GIRLS

SPRINT MIXED JUNIOR TEAM

1. SILENT NINJA’S

MINI DISTANCE

JUNIOR MALE

1. CLINT GERTZE 2. CAMERON FLANAGAN 3. RHYS POOVAN

JUNIOR FEMALE

Jarryd Introna pips Nkosibongile Kolo at the finish.

1. ELNE OWEN 2. NADIA DE KOCK 3. DANIEKE DE KOCK

OPEN FEMALE

1. ROXY WARD 2. TWANNE HARDING 3. RUTH SWART

OPEN MALE

1. TEARIN VAN DER MERWE 2. RYAN WARD 3. BRAD CLOETE

VETERAN FEMALE

1. CAROL CLOETE 2. MARILEEN DE WET

VETERAN MALE

1. JOHN PETZER 2. GARY FOUCHE

RESULTS BY SS TIMING •

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SUUNTO AMBIT 2 THE GPS FOR EXPLORERS AND ATHLETES

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STREET SPORTS

Words, Photos & Video: Gareth Colyer

MOUNTAINBOARDING IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AND FASTEST GROWING BOARD SPORTS AROUND THE GLOBE AND CAN NOW BE FOUND IN MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING SOUTH AFRICA. NOT ONLY IS IT EASY TO LEARN AND FUN,YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH RIDE ANYWHERE AND ALL YEAR LONG.

MOUNTAIN BOARDING TAKES OFF IN SOUTH AFRICA

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FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH MOUNTAINBOARDING, IT'S ESSENTIALLY SNOWBOARDING BUT ON GRASS, DIRT OR THE PAVEMENT. YOU USE MOUNTAINBOARDS, WHICH IS LIKE AN 'OFF-ROAD' SKATEBOARD THAT IS STRAPPED TO YOUR FEET AND HAS FOUR PNEUMATIC WHEELS. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SNOWBOARDING, SURFING AND SKATEBOARDING, IT HAS DEVELOPED INTO A FULLY FLEDGED SPORT OF ITS OWN AND INCLUDES RACING, FREESTYLE, FREERIDE AND KITING DISCIPLINES. Mountainboarding is an extreme sport, so falling, bailing and wiping out is all part of the fun and learning. However, safety is always of paramount importance, so here are some essentials when riding. Wear a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads and wrist pads. Sometimes when I'm trying something new or riding somewhere I'm not familiar with, I like to keep my butt protected from the hard ground with some crash pants, which are basically padded boxers that protect your thighs, butt and coccyx when you fall - and you will fall! If you're not falling, then you're not trying hard enough.

NO LIMITS For some time now, mountainboarding (also known as dirt boarding) has slowly been working its way into the country. I started riding about four years ago at the Jozi X Adventure Centre. Since then, I've been constantly learning and trying to get better, while at the same time enjoying the rush of adrenaline that comes from trying new jumps and stunts. Some more extreme than others, like using a bungee cord to launch myself down a big air jump - as if it wasn't already fast enough on its own. After that rush, I had to take it to the next level and launch myself even higher and further. Picture the scene. I'm standing at the top of the track at Jozi X, which leads to the big air and where two guys are struggling to pull and stretch out the cord so that they could pass it to me. Nervously, I grabbed the cord as it was pulled back faster and faster towards the jump. On release, I was launched head height into the air for 8 metres before I landed and rode away. Flying through the air at speed was a totally awesome feeling.

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GREAT LOCATIONS One of my favourite places to ride is in Hazyview with Quisto van Greenman, the owner of Hazyview Adventure Backpackers and host of South Africa's first mountainboarding competition, the Dirty Dayz, held in September 2013. In Hazyview, you will find some of the most insane and technical forest runs that offer 5 kilometres of constant downhill. On these runs you can hit speeds of up to 50 kph. Going downhill that quickly, on dirt, is definitely something that will get your heart racing and adrenalin pumping! There's also a new 800-metre-long boardercross for racing. This is a slopestyle section that has lots of different courses made up of a sequence of jumps, boxes, a spine and a tree for doing grinds on. A short trip to the Jungle Cafe at Adventure Backpackers and you will find a big air jump capable of launching you 4 metres into the air. I remember looking at this jump and thinking, "This looks like nothing." I was so wrong. There's a 4-metre-high roll in to get you up to speed so that you hit the jump fast enough to clear a 3-metre-wide gap before landing. I was so amped to hit this jump that I started rolling in and as I hit the jump, my heart stopped for a second when it suddenly, and unexpectedly, launched me into the air before I plummeted back down for the landing. It took me a few attempts to master this jump, with bloodied knees and shoulders to show for my efforts.

Other great places to ride are any dirt downhill trails that we can find, as well as forest runs down hills and mountain sides. We enjoy testing ourselves, so we're constantly on the lookout for new, difficult routes, such as mountain biking trails, paths through parks or any open fields, which have a decent slope that we can enjoy practicing tricks on or just cruise around.

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INAUGURAL MOUNTAINBOARDING COMPETITION The first mountainboarding competition in South Africa took place last year in September in Hazyview, with competitors participating in the Big Air, Slopestyle and a couple of Downhill racing events. The atmosphere on the night of the Dirty Days 2013 competition was amazing, with bands playing, people dancing and tons of spectators, who came from all over to watch us hit the jump on boards they had never seen before. Amid looks of astonishment at the stunts performed and hearty cheering from the crowd, I took first place for the Big Air event and third place in the 5 km Downhill.

The standard of competition was amazing, and I hope to see a lot more new faces at the next mountainboarding competition, tentatively scheduled to take place in May at Jozi X, in Johannesburg.

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TRY IT FOR THOSE DARING ENOUGH, MOUNTAINBOARDING IS A FANTASTIC ACTION SPORT FOR ALL AGES. ALL YOU NEED IS YOUR BOARD, A HILL AND YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. SO WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY? • Jozi X, in Johannesburg, offers lessons and slopes to practice on, as well as gear hire or you can purchase your own mountainboards and parts. For more information, visit jozix.co.za To follow what's going on, upcoming events and who's doing what in mountainboarding, in South Africa, like this page: www.facebook.com/136forlife

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Standard with the new PremiumDrive Maintenance Plan. Finance Provided by Mercedes-Benz Finance and *Insurance, a division of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd., an Authorised Financial Services Provider (Licence no. 18 604) and Credit Provider (Licence nr. NCRCP80).*Underwritten by either Regent Insurance Company Ltd. (FSB. 25 511) or Alexander Forbes Insurance Company Ltd. (Licence nr. 30414). Vehicle specifications may vary for the South African Market.

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F e atu r i n g

T e chn o b u t ter

N O W L I G H T E R , W A R M E R AND M O R E F L E X I B L E T HAN EVER

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE world’s leading wetsuit even better ?

Q S

QUIKSILVER WATER SPORTS

Words: Dane Patterson | Photos: Various photographers | Video: Quiksilver

TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE SURF SERIES

Sixteen-year-old Shane Sykes, from Salt Rock, KZN, is one of the favourites in the Pro Junior division. Photo credit: Greg Ewing

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Jeffreys Bay local Dylan Lightfoot will be representing the Eastern Cape in the Quiksilver Takes One To Know One Series in 2014. Photo credit: Greg Ewing

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THE INAUGURAL QUIKSILVER TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE SERIES WILL BE LAUNCHING IN MARCH THIS YEAR, IN THE ICY WATERS OF CAPE TOWN.

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THIS NEW ADDITION TO THE SOUTH AFRICA SURFING CALENDAR WILL CONSIST OF THREE EVENTS, TO BE HELD IN CAPE TOWN, UMDLOTI (KZN), AND VICTORIA BAY (S CAPE).

Durban surfer Josh Smit will be competing in this year’s Quiksilver Takes One To Know One events. Photo credit: Luke Patterson

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The Takes One To Know One Series will cater for professional and aspiring competitive surfers in the Open Men’s division (all ages) and Pro Junior division (boys under the age of 20 years). A total of R90,000 in prize money is on offer, as well as the chance for competing surfers to gain valuable SSA Pro Surf Tour points. The winner of each event will pocket a cool R10,000 for his efforts. Each event has a 3A PST rating for both the Open Men’s and Pro Juniors. All events will be judged by the best surf judging panel the country has to offer, with a computer scoring system being used and experienced commentators calling out entrants scores and wave requirements.

Quiksilver is happy to launch this new series, as Open surfers are seriously starved for events in South Africa to compete in. We're hoping this will kick start the future growth of a strong domestic tour.

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The first event gets underway in Cape Town on 15 and 16 March, followed by Umdloti, in KZN, on 31 May and 1 June, before concluding in Victoria Bay, in the southern Cape, on 20 and 21 September.

SPONSORS TO THE SERIES INCLUDE QUIKSILVER, ZIGZAG MAGAZINE, DRIFT, SKULLCANDY AND RED BULL. • To enter, visit www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za.

More information on the series can be found at www.quiksilver.co.za/totko or follow the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/

Capetonian Michael February will be a force to be reckoned with at the first event of the series in Cape Town.

Photo credit: Luke Patterson

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WATER SPORTS

Photos: Anthony Grote

Midmar Mile 2014 A photo essay

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WATER SPORTS

Words: Ico Schutte ǀ Photos: Ico Schutte & Andrea Ryman

ADVENTURES IN ECUADOR CRYSTAL-CLEAR GLACIER WHITE WATER CRASHES DOWN ON A MAZE OF BOULDERS. THE CLUB-WING MANAKIN CALLS OUT TO HIS MATING PARTNER WITH A CACOPHONY OF STRANGE, melodious sounds in a dense tropical rainforest that hosts more species of birds than anywhere else in South America. But we are not here for bird watching. Ecuador is also for adventure seekers. We arrive in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, in the early hours of the morning and walk around the town as the sun rises to welcome us. We have a generous breakfast of freshly baked breads and eggs, with squeezed juice and coffee from a local bakery. From the first moment it is evident that the people are happy, and the food is fresh and very affordable (on average a meal is $2.50). In March of 2000, Ecuador abandoned its sucre notes and the US dollar became the legal tender.

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OUR DRIVER AND HOST WILO, A LOCAL ECUADORIAN FROM THE SMALL TOWN OF SAN FRANCISCO DE BORJA, PICKS US UP AND TAKES US TO HIS SMALL LODGE, La Ponderosa, situated on his farm that's nestled between the mountains and banks of the Quijos River. Here we meet our kayak guide, Chris Ryman, a Canadian kayak instructor and owner of Endless Adventure International.

Using La Ponderosa as our home base, we intend to see as many rivers as possible with Chris's help. Most of the more than 2,000 rivers and streams have headwaters in the Andes Mountains, which flow either westward towards the Pacific Ocean or eastward towards the Amazon River. We enjoy a home-cooked meal and local Pilsner beer, while local river names are rattled off: Quijos, Borja, Sardinas Grande, Cosanga, Oyacachi and many more.

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Day one starts off on the Rio Quijos, a short walk from our lodge. We find the put-in at Bridge 4, one of many bridges in the area that act as references for kayak runs. Today, we will make our way down to the confluence of Sardinas Grande. The Rio Quijos is a big-volume river making its way down the Quijos valley in the Napo region of the Oriente and is almost 60 km in length, ending in the 480 ft San Rafael Falls. The section we are doing is considered a grade 3, with longish rapids and big waves. It is a wide river with easy lines, but get it wrong and there are many big holes to punish you! It is a spectacular paddle, surrounded by lush green jungle and curious animals.

Over the next couple of weeks we get well acquainted with this section at varying flow levels due to rain. It is a fun run of about an hour and easy access at the take-out, with a short walk to Route E45, a main road that takes you back to Borja. As an added bonus, most of the taxis are pickup trucks and easily able to accommodate you and your kayaks for a modest fee of around $3 to $5 to drop you back at La Ponderosa. From the take-out I look up the Sardinas Grande River, a small creek that is runnable only at high water. I feel the excitement and a nervous tingle down my spine. When the first rain comes we will surely attempt this run.

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Exploring more sections of the Rio Quijos, we discover that the upper sections are very demanding grade 4 to 5 rapids. The river is steeper here and there are many big boulders to work around. The rocks provide you with an astonishing amount of boof opportunities, a signature move in this area of the world, using a power stroke while sliding up a rock to launch your boat into the air.

My favourite boof of the day is V-220, aptly named after a local energy drink akin to Red Bull mixed with jet fuel. You hit it right to left, take a big boof stroke, stomp the landing and shouts of whooooop fill the air! This section, commonly referred to as the Bridge-to-Bridge section, ends with the rapid named Tres Boofs (three boofs.) As you guessed it offers three big boof rocks. The put-in is at Bridge 2 and the take-out at Bridge 3, but we continue down to Bridge 4 and the convenient take-out that's just a walk to our lodge.

The lower section of the Rio Quijos, below Sardinas Grande, narrows a bit and gets somewhat steeper. With rapids like the Autobahn, a long and fast rapid with big friendly waves, it is a must-do section on the river. It offers a spectacular canyon guarded

by El Toro (the bull) and is the steepest and most demanding rapid of this section. El Toro has trampled on many kayakers. Later in the trip I also got stomped on, as I got my entry line wrong and ended up in one of the man-eating holes on this rapid. As always, a swim is promptly rewarded with a booty beer back at the lodge.

After spending another great day out on the Quijos River, we head to Baeza for the New Year’s Eve party. Baeza is a small town in the Napo Province, Ecuador. It is also known as home to the native Quijos-Quichua people. Over the last couple of years, the town has grown in popularity amongst kayakers. Año Viejo is celebrated by making a dummy out of old clothes that sits outside your home, business or even the front or back of your car. This effigy represents the old year and all the things about it that you’d like to just set on fire and be done with.

ANOTHER TRADITION IN ECUADOR IS FOR THE MEN TO DRESS UP AS WOMEN AND STOP CARS ALONG THE ROAD BEGGING FOR MONEY. IT SEEMS THAT THIS TRADITION REPRESENTS THE FEMALE VIUDAS (WIDOWS) of the Año Viejos collecting money to support their kids. But in reality they seem to be collecting beer money. Either way, we find all the gringos (mostly foreign kayakers) also dressed up as girls dancing in the street, some pulling off the female role way too convincingly.

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Kicking off 2014 was the Cosanga River, considered a grade 3 to 4 creek. To access the river we drive towards Tena. The upper section is the easier part, becoming harder and steeper as you continue back down towards the Quijos River. It joins up with the Quijos just below Bridge 3, which again provides us with the opportunity to paddle all the way back to our lodge. The Cosanga River is one of my favourite runs explored in Ecuador. The creek flows down a picturesque valley all the way from the small town also named Cosanga. With drops, slides and boofs, it is entertaining all the way down. My face hurts from smiling so much!

I'm feeling sorry for myself, knowing that I'll miss at least two weeks of great paddling. We decide to travel back to Quito and hike up a volcano instead. We link up with a local climbing company called Gullivers Travels; they have a day trip up the Pasochoa (4,200 m), an extinct volcano located in the Guayllabamba River basin, in the Ecuadorean Andes. The mountain has a wonderful variety of wildlife, including pumas, foxes, skunks, and a diverse collection of birds, as well as an amazing collection of plants.

Finally the day for Sardinas Grande arrives. It has been raining non-stop for three days and we make our way up the valley, past the small town of Sardina. Arriving at the put-in, we find an angry, brown, raging river.

The river doesn’t offer much in terms of warm-up and straight away it starts with a big rapid. A small mistake and I find myself upside down, rushing down the river. I hear a loud smack as my shoulder hits a rock. A very painful Eskimo roll is followed by a couple of frantic paddle strokes to get myself out of the rapid. A lot of pain in my right shoulder signals the end of the day before it even started. X-rays and consultations reveal a bone bruise and soft tissue damage. Not ideal.

We start the hike on a cold and rainy morning. The company normally uses this hike as a warm-up and acclimatisation for the bigger volcano climbs. Although it is the lowest of the volcanoes, it still challenges you towards the top as muscles start to burn due to the decrease in oxygen available. The hike takes you through soft green grass and beautiful views of the nature reserve. If you are not into serious climbing or have an injured shoulder, this is the perfect hike to experience the mysterious volcanoes of Ecuador.

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ECUADOR HAS A FULLY FUNCTIONING BUS SYSTEM. THE BUSSES ARE IN PERFECT CONDITION AND ALTHOUGH THEY TAKE A BUS SLIGHTLY LONGER, they are the cheapest means of transport in Ecuador. The busses will pick up and drop off at almost any location on their routes and even load kayaks in the luggage compartments. A trip from Borja to Quito is $4 and will take approximately four hours compared to $50 and two hours in a taxi.

We maximise our time and visit the majestic San Rafael Falls. At a towering 480 ft, it is Ecuador's largest and most spectacular waterfall. The bus drops you at the gate of the nature reserve and a 40-minute hike in pristine jungle takes you to the viewpoint directly across the falls. It's located between the Andes Mountains and Amazon, and is a principal attraction of the UNESCO Sumaco Biosphere Reserve. The falls has become one of the more prominent images and icons for promoting ecotourism in Ecuador, a country that made headlines in 2008 for being the first nation to grant constitutional right to nature itself. However, contradictory to this, a dam is planned for construction next year and this will be the end of the falls.

Thanks to Jessi Stensland, my girlfriend, teammate and physical therapist, it is time to get back in the boat again. We decide to test the shoulder on the Borja River, a small creek that runs down next to our lodge and flows into the Quijos River at Bridge 5. It is only a 15-minute drive to the put-in and a short five kilometres down to the confluence and take-out. The Borja River is a very good warm-up creek to perfect the skills if you want to do the harder ones Ecuador has to offer, but is still a great day on the water. Over the next three days the rain buckets down and we have the privilege of running this river at three vastly different water levels, from low-level technical creeking to big waves and a fast-flowing super creek.

With the end of our trip rapidly approaching, it is time to leave the comfort of our lodge and explore different locations. First up is the Misahualli River, close to the city of Tena. The upper Misahualli River has various sections of grade 3 to 4 paddling between the towns of San Francisco, Cotundo and Archidona.

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THE WHITE WATER GETS BETTER THE FURTHER UPSTREAM YOU GO FROM ARCHIDONA. With warm water flowing through boulder gardens in the tropical Amazon rainforest, this is a truly spectacular paddle in the land of the boof. It takes us two hours to complete the section from Cotundo down to Archidona, where we enjoy a lunch of empanadas, a local Ecuadorian pastry filled with cheese or chicken.

Later, we stroll through the city of Tena, known as the 'cinnamon capital' of Ecuador, originally founded by missionary explorers.

Tena is a must-see and offers many activities for the tourist. The entry to the city is marked by a statue of the indigenous hero Jumandy, who courageously led an uprising against the Spanish colonizers in 1578, and was subsequently executed.

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On our second last day we visit the town of Baños de Agua Santa, commonly referred to as Baños. It is in the eastern Tungurahua Province, central Ecuador, and the second-most populous city in Tungurahua, as well as a major tourist centre.

It's known as the 'Gateway to the Amazon' because it's located on the Pastaza River in the Amazon River basin. The name is derived from the many rivers and waterfalls surrounding the town.

Although the town is focused on tourist activities, it still maintains a wealth of local flavor. The town is always bustling, from early morning Ecuadorian bakeries to late night American-themed bars.

Next up is kayaking on the Pastaza River, a river frequented by rafting companies from the town. It's a big river, with loads of volume and pushy rapids. Once you pass the raft take-out things get really fun. Be prepared for big waves and big holes. If you have non-kayakers on your trip this is a great way to get them on the rafts and paddle side-by-side. Rounding off the day with true local flavor, we enjoy churrasco (steak and egg dish) at a local restaurant.

All good things must come to an end. Our last day arrives and we opt to experience more of Baños, starting with an early morning hike. The town is surrounded by mountains and offers many hiking routes directly from the city centre. We choose a trail that takes us to the Tungurahua volcano viewpoint. It is an epic hike as the trail is diverse and steep, climbing 600 m in altitude. It delivers gorgeous views of the town and surrounding mountains. Further along the trail is La Casa del Árbol (tree house) and the famous swing hanging over the precipice.

Getting the most out of our day, we go on a canyoning trip with a local adventure company. For a modest $25 they will outfit you with brand-new equipment, including a wetsuit, and drive you to Rio Blanco, a breathtaking stream engulfed by the jungle, just outside the town.

They set-up abseils, zip lines and slides, entertaining us the entire way down the scenic waterfall-infused stream.

WE SOAK UP THE SERENITY OF LA PONDEROSA, SAVOUR ONE LAST MEAL ON THE FRONT PORCH AND SAY OUR HEARTY AND THANKFUL GOODBYES TO THE CREW. One final look out at the lush landscape and although we are sad to go, we know we’ll return for more. • Endless Adventures International www.endlessadventureinternational.com Gulliver Expeditions www.gulliver.com.ec Geo Tours - www.geotoursbanios.com

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WATER SPORTS

Words & Photos: Sheldon Reddy

The greatest

canoe race on earth

The world’s most prestigious canoe race, a title the Dusi Canoe Marathon has earned in the last few decades of its existence. A race defined by unforgiving terrain, insane

rapids and dreadful portages. A race that is the culmination of months of hard work and preparation involved in refining form, increasing agility, building endurance and strengthening ability. The Dusi is not just any race but rather a race of passion, perseverance, determination, blood, sweat and plenty of tears. This year’s Dusi Marathon did not shy away from its reputation as the 800-odd paddling teams, who started the race at Camps Drift, experienced the full wrath of the Msunduzi River and Valley of a Thousand Hills.

Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocke' navigate their way through the floating flora as they enter the flat waters of Inanda Dam on Day 2

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Perseverance and determination were the order of Day 2 as paddlers battled the extreme elements experienced in the heart of The Valley of a Thousand Hills.

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Some background The Dusi Canoe Marathon takes place on the Msunduzi River between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, covering a total distance of 120 kilometres over three days. The race plays host to tens of thousands of people, who compete, support and witness one of the greatest spectacles play out in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal.

The first known trip down the Dusi was not, in fact, in the race itself, but rather by two Pietermaritzburg men in 1893, who covered the distance in seven days. The first Dusi started on 22 December 1951. Unlike the current race, the first race was held on a continuous basis, with the racers only stopping when they reached the finish at Blue Lagoon. Only eight paddlers took part in this first race, however only one paddler completed the race, Ian Player. Ian completed the 120 kilometre race in a time of six days, despite being bitten by a night adder. The canoe he used to complete the race weighed over 35 kilogrammes and was made of wood and canvas. The canoe was used to carry all the supplies he needed, as he paddled his way through the treacherous waters of the Msunduzi River.

The following three races were all held on a non-stop basis before it was decided, in 1956, to hold the race over three days. The main reason for this change was the danger involved in paddling at night. Before the change was introduced, the winning time had been reduced to a day and a few hours.

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The race has come a long way since then and now sees the top teams finishing in less than 9 hours on average the record is 8 hours over the three days, and each day has a defined beginning and end. The first day is roughly 45 kilometres, which includes around 15 kilometres of portaging while days two and three see shorter portaging sections. Even though these sections may be shorter, they are still quite difficult in the intense heat and extremely humid conditions experienced in KwaZulu-Natal around this time of the year. Day two is also roughly around 45 kilometres and ends with a 10 kilometre stretch on the flat waters of the Inanda Dam. Day three is the shortest of the three days at 35 kilometres across clean, cold water let out from the Inanda Dam to increase water levels, which result in several sections having larger-than-normal rapids.

The race is organised by the Natal Canoe Club, a club affiliated to Canoe South Africa and consists of approximately 450 members. The club is based in Pietermaritzburg and located on the banks of the Msundusi River, the exact point of the start of the race.

Day 1 finish at Dusi Bridge where paddlers are welcomed with iced energy drinks to replenish those electrolytes.

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Going big The hype building up to the 2014 race was immense and the excitement could be felt far and wide in the days leading up to the event. Social media exploded with messages of support and encouragement coming through from all corners of the globe.

Paddlers finalised their strategies while the organisers dotted the i's and crossed the t’s. Everything was in place and on 13 February at 6 a.m., the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon was scheduled to start.

Chasing darkness on the morning of 13 February, the official Dusi media convoy set out to document the world’s toughest canoe race. The convoy departed from the Shongweni Polo Arena, just outside of Durban, and headed out to Pietermaritzburg at 4:30 a.m. to witness the start of the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon.

The brief was simple and clear, follow the top teams as they pass through the many stages of the competition and showcase the trials and tribulations they face, as well as the challenges they fight to overcome.

Day 1

Day one got off to a cracker, as thousands of people lined the bridge on Golf Road overlooking the Earnie Pearce Weir, awaiting the arrival of the first paddlers. Just over the top end of the Camps Drift stretch of river, the first paddling teams broke through the mist and haze and powered their way through the waters and over the weir.

They were welcomed by the Epworth School Choir and a massive crowd that had gathered on the over-head bridge we were cheering the paddlers on.

The power-duo of Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocké where the first to pass over the Earnie Pearce Weir, followed by Andy Birkett and Sbonelo Zondi, while Cam Schoeman and Jakub Adam completed the top three male teams. There was lots of drama that unfolded at the weir as many of the paddling teams fell victim to the fast current, which overturned their canoes and lost them valuable time in the first few minutes of the race.

Pietermaritzburg’s Search and Rescue division was

present to ensure all the paddlers made it safely back into their rafts and no one was injured. At the Witness Weir, Lance Kime and Thulani Mbanjwa experience the full wrath of the submerged rocks under the fast flowing waters and had their canoe damaged quite severely. There were several reports of them desperately trying to source glue and other resources to fix the damage sustained here.

In the top three teams, Birkett and Zondi managed to take the lead somewhere between the waters at Taxi and start of Cambells Farm portage. Hundreds of people gathered at the portage, ready and waiting for the first paddlers to make their way up and over the dirt road and back into the waters at Hole In The Wall. Paddling support crews soaked their paddlers in iced water, replaced their water bottles and any damaged paddles and, most importantly, motivated and encouraged them to power through the portages that would dominate the day. Birkett and Zondi took a different path through the portage, while McGregor and Mocké ran past the convoy looking strong and steady in their strides. A few other teams portaged through Cambells Farm after which the convoy moved to the next view point, Hole In The Wall.

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The teams completed their second portage of the morning through this stretch of road.

It had been just an hour into the race and the portages along with the intense heat had started taking its toll on some of the younger paddling teams, who decided to drag their canoes through the portage and back into the waters at Son Of A Gun. The convoy then proceeded through to Mission and was greeted by the most stunning mountain ranges in KwaZulu-Natal. Tall, table-like mountains provided a beautiful backdrop to the intensity of the challenges being put up by the leading men through the stages at The Maze and Mission. The first team to paddle their way through Mission was Birkett and Zondi. By this point they had opened up a serious lead and were making it clear they wanted the top spot on day one. Shortly after, McGreggor and Mocké paddled through, followed by Schoeman and Adam.

The last stop of the day was the day one finish, which was at the Dusi Bridge just after the Cabbage Tree Portage. Birkett and Zondi dropped the hammer and opened up a massive 6-minute lead over McGregor and Mocké, while Schoeman and Adam finished 14 minutes after the leading pair. Loveday Zondi and Thando Ngamlana finished in ninth position, while Lance Kime and Thulani Mbanjwa fought back to grab seventeenth position after their misfortune at Witness Weir.

Paddlers fight off a strong head wind as they power through the waters of Inanda Dam to the designated finish on Day 2.

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The leading ladies of Robyn Kime and Abbey Ulansky did their best to fight off their competition, Abby Adie and Anna Adamová, who finished only 29 seconds after them. Sisters Bianca and Tamika Haw grabbed third position after coming in 14 minutes after Kime and Ulansky.

Day one ended off in a high for many of the teams, as they had survived the numerous portages and intense rapids. The leading teams were elated with their positions, but they knew that anything can happen in this race and they would have to fight off their competition as best as they could.

Day 2

Leading up to day two, there were several concerns of a large mass of floating flora blocking the entrance to the Inanda Dam waterway. On the morning of day two, 16 cubic metres of water was released from Nagle Dam, while another 10 cubic metres of water was released from Henley Dam. This water helped to break up the floating flora and provided a narrow path for the paddlers to navigate through to the flat waters of the Inanda Dam.

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Day two started off with the leading teams paddling out in the early hours of the morning. With day one completed, many paddlers took to

the waters knowing that the day dominated by portages was over. At the first view point, Gearbox, the leading team of Birkett and Zondi, ran into slightly shallower waters as they took an inside line around a curved embankment. They had to force themselves through and lost a few seconds due to the slight misjudgment.

McGregor and Mocké made easy work of the curved waterways at Gearbox and powered their way through to Saddles portage. The convoy then chased down the leading pair at Gauging Weir, where Birkett and Zondi maintained their flawless form and opened up a few more seconds, as McGregor and Mocké finally paddled through. Schoeman and Adam, who were lying in third place, gave it their best shot as they attempted to chase down the leading pair.

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At the next view point, the convoy missed Birkett and Zondi, who seemed to dominate the portages just as much as the waterways. McGregor and Mocké pushed themselves to the limit as they ran up the Nqumeni Hill portage and down into the Thrombi Gumtree waters.

As soon as the paddlers hit the waters at Thrombi Gumtree, they knew the worst was behind them. They then paddled their way through Hippo Rocks, followed

by Marriotts, then Island and lastly Sand Grabs Weir after entering the 10 kilometre flat water stretch to the finish across Inanda Dam.

At the entrance of the Inanda Dam, leaders Birkett and Zondi showed no sign of slowing down as they moved swiftly through the flat waters. McGregor and Mocké followed 9 minutes later, driving home the sheer determination and strength that Birkett and Zondi approached day two with. Day two ended with Birkett and Zondi in first position, McGreggor and Mocké in second and Schoeman and Adam third. In the Ladies category, Kime and Ulansky took first position, with Adie and Adamová finishing 90 seconds behind and Tamika and Bianca in third and about 19 minutes behind the leaders.

Day 3

The final curtain came down on the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon amidst a frenzy of celebrations after Andy Birkett and Sbonelo Zondi were the first to the finish line at Blue Lagoon in Durban in, front of thousands of supporters, friends and family.

With nearly nine minutes in the bag overnight, many had expected the leaders to back off slightly on the third and final stage and play it safe.

However, the impressive pair hammered the final nail into the coffin early in the day, pushing themselves to a personal record time over the treacherous Burma Road portage before experiencing the thrill of crossing the finish line in front of Blue Lagoon’s lined banks.

“The whole journey has been amazing! I’m super chuffed – especially with our discipline over this last year – and it’s a really special feeling to have won!” added an elated Birkett. “It almost feels like this is the first Dusi I’ve ever won because of the whole change in start procedure here on day three and the finish is a really amazing experience! "At last! This is a dream come true for me! I’m so very, very happy! I can’t even express how happy I am today!” said a beaming Zondi.

Paddlers make their way through Hole In the Wall Portage while taking in the scenic beauty around them.

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Triple Canoe Marathon World Champ Hank McGregor, of Kayak Centre/Team Jeep, and his surfski star partner Jasper Mocké put in a valiant effort throughout the three days, however they were unable to match Birkett and Zondi. “We gave it our all. We put everything we had into these past three days. We were just beaten by two very good athletes,” said McGregor afterwards.

“We discussed things and decided to go over Burma (Road) and we gave it our absolute all. We only ended up losing two minutes to Andy and Sbonelo, which I thought was a brilliant effort from us, but they were just phenomenal."

Mocké, who finished fifth with Craig Turton in 2012 in his only other Dusi attempt, was ecstatic with his podium finish and glad to have been a part of the iconic event. “There isn’t another race in the country like the Dusi in terms of hype,” said Mocké.

“It is awesome to have finished on the podium and I’ve loved being a part of things again this year.” Pope’s Canoe Centre’s Cam Schoeman and Jakub Adam of the Czech Republic gave it their all and, having paddled around Burma Road, held off the charging Thulani Mbanjwa and Lance Kime to finish on the bottom step of the podium. “The last four days with Jakub have been cool, but the whole journey with him has been awesome We have spent quite a lot of time together and I am going to miss him when he goes back,” said Schoeman.

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A special effort from pre-race title hopefuls Kime and Mbanjwa on days two and three saw them overcome their disastrous Witness Weir incident on day one, to fight back from seventeenth after stage one to fifth after stage two. They finally claimed an extraordinary fourth position after Saturday’s third and final stage! A brave fight from Euro Steel’s Kwanda Mhlophe and Zonele Nzuza saw them deservedly round out the top ten.

Andrew Houston and Ivan Kruger also put in a noteworthy performance as they clinched the U23 Men’s title, as well as a coveted top ten gold medal. The Junior Boy's winners, Damon Stamp and Mthobisi Cele, had their dream of a top ten shattered late in the stage, eventually crossing the line in a commendable eleventh place.

Dusi Queen Abbey Ulansky clinched a record ninth career victory on Saturday when she and her partner, fast-emerging Dusi Princess Robyn Kime, held off a valiant effort from Abby Adie and Anna Adamová to clinch a hard-fought win in the Women’s race after 119 km of racing. “We are over the moon to make it three in a row!

Robs and I have paddled together for a while and formed a great partnership. This year was more challenging for us, as number one, we had stronger competition and number two, we have had other commitments, so we weren’t as strong as we wanted to be. But we had great fun and really worked hard,” said Ulansky. “The win really is a cherry on the top of a fantastic trip back to South Africa. We worked hard for this win, which makes it even more special and a great compliment to visiting friends and family in South Africa,” she added.

Ulansky subsequently announced her retirement from competitive racing at the Dusi, while Kime will be celebrating her recent Masters qualification. “I’ve just finished my Masters two weeks ago, which has made the build-up to this year’s race quite challenging,” said Kime. “Now that the Dusi and my studies are done, I’m free and my boyfriend and I are going travelling.

For Adie it was a bitter-sweet result as she and Adamová came so close to victory, but instead had to settle for her sixth consecutive second place. “We tried so hard and it’s a little disappointing to have come so close and not been able to win it, but we worked really hard and in the end it wasn’t quite enough,” said Adie.

U23 sisters Bianca and Tamika Haw hung onto their overnight third position to round out the podium, while Hilary Bruss and Alex Adie, as well as Jen Theron and Jane Swarbreck rounded out the top five. Camilla Pennefather and Cana Peek claimed the spoils in the U18 Girl's race, ahead of Sarah Harries and Julia Trodd.

With the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon done and dusted, the paddlers are taking some well-deserved rest before a few of them compete in the Non-Stop Dusi, at the end of February. The Non-Stop Dusi will see paddlers complete the same route from Pietermaritzburg to Durban via the Msunduzi River, but in just a single day. The paddlers all agree that this is a race fit only for the elite of the elite!

The rest of the paddling fraternity is already counting down the days to the 2015 Dusi Canoe Marathon.

Andy Birkett and Sibonelo Zondi pass through Dusi Bridge, the designated finish for Day 1.

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Robyn Kime / Abbey Ulansky winning the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon on Day 3.

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For now though, Birkett, Zondi, Kime and Ulansky will be doing nothing but basking in the glory of their well-deserved victories over not just the thousands of paddlers but also the great and mighty Msunduzi River. • For all the results, visit www.dusi.co.za

SUMMARY OF RESULTS MEN 1

Andy Birkett / Sbonelo Zondi

3

Cam Schoeman / Jakub Adam

2

7:44.50

Hank McGregor / Jasper Mocké 7:53.59 8:10.09

LADIES 1

Robyn Kime / Abbey Ulansky

8:50.59

Abby Adie / Anna Adamova

8:52.06

3

Tamika Haw / Bianca Haw

9:36.35

2

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Andy Birkitt and Sibonelo Zondi celebrate winning the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon at the designated finish at Blue Lagoon on Day 3.

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SINKOR SWIM? Words & Photos: Eunice Visagie

THE SPORT OF SWIMMING NEEDS THE RIGHT PEOPLE, with the right vision and the right plan. According to Pierre

de Roubaix, who has been involved with swimming in South Africa for the past 36 years, the sport is on the brink of a real explosion if the right structures can be set in place.

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WATER SPORTS

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“WE HAVE ALL THE POTENTIAL FOR THE SPORT TO REALLY TAKE OFF, BUT WE MUST NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF TOP ADMINISTRATORS IN THE SPORT,” SAID DE ROUBAIX, WHO IS THE HEAD COACH OF MATIES SWIMMING AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY.

“It is crucial that we get high-performance coaching and development right, and the OPEX programme is a step in the right direction,” said de Roubaix. SASCOC’s (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) OPEX (Operation Excellence) programme is the premier programme for prospective Olympic and Paralympic medalists, and consists of three different tiers that provide varying degrees of funding and support.

Along with the OPEX programme, the appointment of a head coach for the national swimming team is another good decision that has been made for the future of swimming in South Africa.

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Commented de Roubaix, “You need a vision in place for the team. Swimming is a team-driven sport and therefore it is important to work together. The training camps we had before the 2012 Olympic Games in London were really good. It created a vision for the team to work towards. It focused the energy.”

The medals that the country’s top swimmers, like Cameron van der Burgh and Chad le Clos, have been winning are also helping to raise the profile of the sport and giving it much needed exposure. In addition, youngsters have someone to look up to and aspire to be like them. When le Clos got the better of Michael Phelps, arguably the best swimmer ever, it made a lot of non swimmers sit up and take notice. Van der Burgh’s gold medal in 2012, in the 100 m breaststroke, was the first individual gold medal a South African male swimmer has won at the Games.

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For de Roubaix, the lack of top female swimmers is currently an issue. “We don’t have a female Chad or Cameron. The problem is we are training the women the same way as the men,” added Karen Hugo, also from Maties Sport. “Female swimmers need to be trained differently and the current training for women is not specific enough. In addition, we don’t have any top female swimming coaches. For female-specific training, it is important to have female coaches training our female swimmers,” added Hugo.

This is quite a turnaround from the 1980s and 1990s, when the top coaches in South Africa were actually female. “Remember the days of Penny Heyns, Marianne Kriel, Annette Cowley, Karen Muir and Joanne Harrison?

They were top swimmers. Not only in South Africa, but in the world. We had way more world-class female swimmers than males. However, that has totally swung around. Now, all the high-performance coaches are male. There are no more female coaches at the top,” said de Roubaix. Hugo added that sadly, there are no plans in place to develop female coaches, thus the situation won’t change any time soon.

BOTH DE ROUBAIX AND HUGO ARE BOTH OF THE OPINION THAT BECAUSE SPORT IS NOW PROFESSIONAL, COACHES NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO FULL-TIME COACHING. “Coaches previously had day

jobs. That can’t be the case anymore,” said de Roubaix.

De Roubaix commented that it is also crucial that more facilities are made available. “Our lack of facilities is a real problem in developing the sport.

Remember, swimming is a life skill. By giving communities access to swimming pools, we can help develop the sport. To do this, we need an effective plan and one that is put in place at school and club levels. Then we need the right people to drive this plan forward and see that it is actioned correctly. Sport is a business now and like any business swimming needs a good, dynamic CEO. We need to step up and be professional. SASCOC has a vision and it is not a bad one.”

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IN FEBRUARY, MATIES OFFICIALLY OPENED THEIR 50 M OLYMPIC STANDARD SWIMMING POOL. THE OPENING OF THE NEW SWIMMING POOL AT THE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN THE FULFILLMENT OF A DREAM FOR MATIES SWIMMING. “At last, the university now has a

high-performance aquatic sport centre and all water sports will benefit from it. In addition, the facility can be used by the students as well as the community for recreational exercise. It is important to note that this is not a water park though!” said de Roubaix.

The new pool is generating international interest, and this is something that we can now entertain.

Stellenbosch has already proved to be a very popular training destination for local and overseas professional athletes from across various disciplines, but with the pool it will be even more popular. •

SWIMMING EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2014: 07-12 April: SA National Aquatic Championships - King’s Park swimming pool, Durban 22-23 May: African Youth Games - Gaborone, Botswana 23 July-03 August: Commonwealth Games - Glasgow 27July-10 August: 15th FINA World Masters Championships - Montreal (CAN) 16-28 August: 2nd Youth Olympic Games - Nanjing (CHN) 03-07 December: 12th FINA World Swimming Championships 25 m - Doha (QAT) For a full calendar of events, including other disciplines, visit www.swimsa.org

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MARTIAL ARTS

Words: Liane Wadman | Photos: Various Photographers

Photo credit: Andre van Rooyen

I was first exposed to Wushu training in 2004 and I can easily say that it’s changed my life, and - despite many injuries, and one in particular that almost ended my career - I haven’t looked back.

OVERCOMING LEG INJURIES A Wushu athlete’s journey through a possible career-ending injury 164 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #34

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What is Wushu?

Wushu, commonly known as Kung Fu, is a term used to identify Chinese martial arts, which is a large part of China’s traditional culture. Wushu is an art involving the use of both physical vigour and mental concentration not only as a form of self-defence but also as an artistic form. It has a tremendous history and is extremely popular in China, but due to its uniqueness and charisma, and thanks to the efforts of organisations such as the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), Wushu is gaining the attention of more and more people all over the world.

In 2009, I was selected to compete in the tenth World Wushu Championships, held in Toronto, Canada in October. This was an official World Championship, as recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the General Association of International Sports Federations, and I was awarded my National Protea colours. I was also the only female selected for the team, to compete in the Sanshou (free fighting) division.

My training for this competition increased to insane levels. I was training three times a day, six days a week. As a result, I was not allowing my body the necessary rest and recovery and I started developing quite a few niggling injuries. One such injury was to my shins. I was out running one day and about 3 km into the run, I had to stop at a traffic intersection. My legs had been paining during the run, but I was so focused that I just kept running.

When the traffic stopped and I tried to run, I simply couldn’t. My legs wouldn’t move and I collapsed to the ground. I stayed on the ground for quite some time, and then eventually willed myself to get up and find the nearest store to phone my sister to come fetch me. Nevertheless, I let the physiotherapist treat my legs, carried on training through the pain, and went to the World Championships.

Jump from 2009 to 2011, and I still had this injury (plus a busted ankle and a grade 2 tear to the ligaments in 2010). Despite my injury, I competed at the SA Wushu National Championships in August 2011 in Taolu (forms). Although it was a successful tournament for me and I won two gold medals for the two categories I competed in, I was going to try some alternative medicine to treat my legs. Eventually my coach instructed me to see a physician at the Sports Science Institute of SA. I went to see Prof. Wayne Derman, who sent me for a triple phase bone scan. The results showed extensive damage to both tibias, with multiple borderline stress fractures. The actual diagnosis was bilateral shin splints, with subtle muscle strains and compensation injuries. The treatment was physiotherapy, biokinetics, and rest. I’m talking serious rest – I was told to stay off my legs as much as possible.

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Photo credit: Andre van Rooyen

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Following the initial scan were dozens of blood tests to establish if the cause of these injuries was just from excessive training or if there was anything else wrong with me. Everything came back clear.

A further bone density scan also came back clear and showed that my bones were fine, so yet another ‘theory’ crushed.

The pain continued as the months passed by. I sat watching my Wushu brothers training, learning new forms, becoming stronger, and perfecting moves, while I couldn’t do anything. I was not in a good space. I was heading into a downward spiral of depression.

The Prof. was somewhat stumped and concerned, so he recommended I see the psychologist. I was told to prepare myself for the possibility of never being able to train and compete again.

I remember how the Prof spoke to me, asking me to think about who I am beyond my sport, asking me if my identity is based on my sport - what I do, what I had achieved. He asked me who I would be if I no longer have my sport in my life. I remember not knowing what the answer would be. Wushu is more than my sport, it’s who I am. The thought of losing it was indescribable. Depression set in.

I went back to my Wushu school later that week.

At this point, it was almost torturous to go and watch, but I didn’t want to miss more than I already was. My thought was as long as my coach was still teaching, I could still learn.

That evening, my coach wasn’t there and only my senior ‘brother’ was there to talk to. I told him about the psychologist that I had to see and he actually became angry. Angry because I was allowing the injury to get the better of me. Angry for seeing ‘the tiger’ lying down and accepting defeat. I cried because I didn’t know what to do, how to handle it, how to accept it. I cried because I thought I was alone.

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Photo credit: Neal Tosefsky

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I wasn’t alone. I had my coach, my senior ‘brother’, my other Wushu brothers, my family, friends, and my physiotherapist (a friend and fellow athlete who was also going through injuries) for morale support, and my biokineticist, who was working hard to strengthen whatever she could to ease the pain in my legs.

I changed my thinking. I became more positive. I knew I would train again, and never stopped thinking about the day I would be training with my brothers again.

Six months after my initial appointment with the Prof, the pain eased. I was cleared to do light gym work, which was only swimming and a bit of weight bearing exercises, but I was so happy that I got a little too excited. I started killing it in the pool just because I got that thrill from doing exercise again. I started doing Tai Chi because it would build my strength for when I went back into doing my Wushu forms. I went too hard, too fast.

I had to stop doing everything as the pain peaked again. I started to hit that downward spiral into depression. A month passed by and I just became gatvol with this injury – I decided I’d had enough.

I decided that I was going to recover, that the pain would go away and that I would train and compete again. The fifth World Traditional Wushu Championships were being held in China that year and I was going to be there. My mind was made up!

The mind is a powerful thing! Once I had made these decisions, it was like a whole new chapter had started and it began with the words ‘pain free’. My appointment with the physiotherapist went very differently that week. There was jumping up and down, high fives and hugs because it was the first time she had felt my legs and there was little to no bone pain! That was the turning point.

My biokinetics' appointments went from rehabilitation into strengthening. My Wushu training went from sitting and watching, to participating. Nine months of sitting on the sidelines due to injury suddenly ended, and so I started planning my comeback. I had two months to prepare for the South African National Championships in July 2012.

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Photo credit: Andre van Rooyen

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I was out of the danger zone with this injury, but by no means fully recovered. I still needed to be careful with my training and visit the physiotherapist frequently, but at least I was able to train again!

My comeback was a success! At the 2012 SA Wushu National Championships and SA Team Trials, I won three gold medals for Daoshu (broadsword routine), Changquan (Southern style barehand routine), and Qiangshu (spear routine) respectively; was nominated for athlete of the tournament; and once again secured my spot in the SA team to compete at the 2012 World Championships.

In November 2012, I travelled to Huangshan City, China to compete in the fifth World Traditional Wushu Championships, against thousands of top athletes from across the world. I competed in two categories: Daoshu (broadsword routine) and Changquan (Southern style barehand routine).

Unfortunately, I didn’t place for the Daoshu routine, but placed second to take the silver medal for the Changquan routine. I was honoured to have competed in the division with athletes from China, France, and Kazakhstan (who placed first).

My injury will unfortunately never fully heal, so my journey continues with constant maintenance and treatment of my legs. Many sports persons whether professional or those who are in it for the love of their sport - have to endure injuries, and it’s important to listen to your body; to give your body the necessary rest, recovery and, when necessary, treatment. I believe that I’ve learnt a valuable lesson about my body and I’m exceptionally lucky to still be able to train and compete.

It’s also important to keep positive during times when you are injured and required to rest, think, and visualise the day that you’ll return to training or competing. It’s really the only thing that will keep you sane during the times when you aren’t able to train. • 172 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #34

Qiangshu gold medal routine at 2012 SA Wushu National Champs. Photo credit: Kevin Derman

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TRAVEL

Words: Sam Bradley│Photos: Interlaken Tourism

MY FASCINATION WITH INTERLAKEN BEGAN IN 2004.

IT WAS MY FIRST YEAR OUT OF SCHOOL AND I HAD BEEN THOROUGHLY ENJOYING A GAP YEAR IN ENGLAND when

I decided to finish it off with a ten-day holiday in Switzerland. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

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SUMMER IN SWITZERLAND

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THE BEAUTY OF THE PLACE BOWLED ME OVER, WHILE THE SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING HAD ME COMPLETELY HOOKED FROM THE FIRST DAY. NOT TO MENTION THAT AS A KID FROM AFRICA I WAS ABSOLUTELY GOBSMACKED BY HOW SAFE AND CLEAN AND PUNCTUAL THE COUNTRY WAS – IT SEEMED TO RUN ON A LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY BEYOND COMPREHENSION. As I was

leaving, I was told that Switzerland was even more stunning in summer, which only strengthened my resolve to get back as soon as possible.

Due to mundane tasks like studying, working and everyday life, it would be seven long years before I finally returned.

Arriving on a beautiful summer’s day, the first thing I was told was that I should come back in the winter to see the area at its most beautiful. I concluded that the locals were onto a very clever marketing ploy, to ensure a steady return of visitors. Regardless of the tactics used, it was good to be back!

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INTERLAKEN CLAIMS TO BE THE ADVENTURE CAPITAL OF SWITZERLAND, AND IT CERTAINLY LIVES UP TO THE HYPE. THE TOWN HAS A DIFFERENT FEEL TO THE REST OF SWITZERLAND, WHICH IS INSTANTLY NOTICEABLE. As I arrived,

I could see about 15 paragliders drifting across the sky and landing in the town square. In addition, there are more tourists in Interlaken, so it’s the one place where English is more widely spoken than Swiss-German. I only had a short stay planned, so time was of the essence. I quickly dumped my bags at the backpackers and went straight to Outdoor Interlaken, the adventure company that would be showing me around (and hopefully keeping me alive) for the duration of my trip.

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First up was funyaking, similar to white-water rafting except in a smaller boat. I had visions of peacefully floating down a gentle stream with a cooldrink in one hand and birds singing sweetly in the treetops. How wrong I was. I started to realise my mistake when we stopped next to a river that flowed straight off the mighty Eiger Mountain. While it’s true that the rapids aren’t as big as others I’ve seen, they definitely are as testing. All it took was a few waves of icy water in our boat and we were wide awake, which was definitely a good thing as just about every rapid had us hanging on for dear life. It’s just the sort of activity to make you feel exhilarated, refreshed and totally alive, and we loved every minute of it! Once we’d got through the steeper rapids, we came to a gentle part of the river that floated us serenely through the town and into the lake. No sooner had we reached the shore than it was time for lunch and a chance to swop stories and boast about our exploits on the river.

One thing that Interlaken does have in common with the rest of the country is its stunning beauty. Nestled between the lakes of Thun and Brienz (which is where the town gets its name), it feels like a village in a magical faraway land, which is exactly what it is. The majestic snow-capped mountains of the Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau towering over the area only add to the feeling.

Next on the agenda was canyoning, commonly known as kloofing or gorging in South Africa. Once again, we found ourselves at the top of a river, although this time the boat had been swopped for some rope as our mode of transport. The basic idea is to get down the river in the most adventurous way possible. This involved jumping, sliding, swimming and even abseiling down a waterfall as we slowly made our way downstream. Doing an activity like this requires expert guides, and the team at Outdoor Interlaken are just that.

They kept the nervous ones among us relaxed with jokes and stories and they were completely professional in keeping all of us safe and happy throughout the adventure. Best of all, they all wore waterproof cameras throughout the trip so that we could purchase videos of our exploits at the end.

Living adventurer Bear Grylls’ lifestyle is a great way to build up a good appetite. Restaurants are a dime a dozen in this tourist haven, but most of them aren’t memorable enough to write home about. At the risk of spoiling one of the town’s best kept secrets, there is one little restaurant I have to mention simply because it was so typically Swiss that I instantly fell in love with it. Tucked away in the side streets and away from the city centre lies Restaurant Laterne, and I could tell as soon as I entered that I was the only foreigner in the building, which only increased its charm.

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Luckily, my meal had been pre-booked, as the language barrier was to prove pretty impenetrable.

Before long, I had an entire cheese fondue placed in front of me, with endless servings of salads and potato bakes and meat dishes following after one another until I was begging for mercy. The cliché that there’s always room for pudding proved true, as I couldn’t resist a delicious orange sherbet cream dish to finish it all off.

THE SETTING WAS BEAUTIFUL, THE ATMOSPHERE WAS RELAXED AND THE FOOD WAS MAGNIFICENT. ALL IN ALL THE PERFECT WAY TO END A PERFECT STAY IN INTERLAKEN. •

TRAVEL TIPS • F lights: Emirates and SAA fly from Johannesburg to Zurich, with a stopover.

• Must-pack items: A camera with lots of spare batteries and extra money (our little South African rands come off second best to the Swiss franc by a long way).

• Language: Interlaken is situated in the German speaking part of Switzerland. In addition to the German language, many locals speak English and French as well.

• Tipping: Service charge is included in prices of hotels, restaurants, hairdressers and taxis. For extraordinary quality of service small tips are certainly well appreciated.

• Drinkable water: Around 76 fountains in and around Interlaken, as well as hotels and other accommodation, are signed with the drinkable water badge. The badge shows that the water is drinkable directly from the tap.

• VAT: There is a Value Added Tax of 3.8% on accommodation and breakfast, and 8% on meals and beverages.

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NATURE

Words: Alan Hobson│Photos: Angler & Antelope

ADDICTED TO NYMPHING OUR VISIBILITY WAS OBSCURED BY THE MIST ROLLING OVER THE WATER AS IT RAN FROM THE SUN THAT WAS RISING WITH VENOM, ANNOUNCING TODAY WOULD BE A SCORCHER OF OVER 30 DEGREES. As we neared the bank of Sterkfontein Dam, we were greeted by the vigorous applause from the tails of spawning yellowfish slapping the water at the water’s edge. What lay before us was a vast expanse of crystal clear water with an abundance of yellowfish, a sight that is sure to blow the mind of any fly fisherman and is sight fishing at its best.

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ONCE WE HAD CAREFULLY ANCHORED AWAY FROM THE SPAWNING FISH, A FEW METRES FROM THE EDGE, MY FISHING COMPANION, AL, AND I WERE EXCITEDLY MUTTERING TO EACH OTHER IN GIBBERISH. NOT BECAUSE OUR TEETH WERE STILL CHATTERING FROM THE 40-MINUTE BOAT TRIP AT SUNRISE, BUT IN COMPLETE DISBELIEF OF THE SHEER NUMBERS AND SIZE OF FISH WE COULD SEE. Therein lies the reality check, if you can see them, then the fish can see you too. We were quick to set up our #5wt rods with ten-feet leaders armed with beetle flies. Then panic set in; where does one cast when you can see so many fish?

STERKFONTEIN DAM PHENOMENA

There are predominantly two natural phenomena that occur at Sterkfontein Dam. The first being the spawning season, whereby the female fish *in berry moves to the water’s edge, often with their backs sticking out of the water, to look for suitable gravel substrate, and is followed by a school of hormonal males. When she drops her eggs all hell breaks loose, as the males clamour over each other, jumping out of the water to express their genetic dominance and sow their wild oats. This process is exhausting and the result is that not all fish can spawn all the time. Once they have executed nature’s business, they move from the shallows to the deeper water and vice versa. For lack of a better phrase, this 'fish zone', which is from a few feet to a few metres from where the fish are spawning, is the area one needs to present your fly because these are the fish most likely to feed opportunistically as they move in or out of the spawning area. They need sustenance.

During the spawning season one does not want to interfere with this natural phenomenon, so great care must be taken to stay away from the spawning areas. However, opportunities to target hungry fish in the 'fish zone' is possible.

Second, Sterkfontein Dam is huge and very deep, at more than 100 metres in places, which results in the development of its own micro climate. The predominant food supply is terrestrial insects, which are blown off the surrounding grassland vegetation and onto the water from the wind generated by the contrast in temperatures between the land, surrounding escarpment of the Drakensburg Mountains and huge water-surface area.

This results in wind lanes or scum lines developing on the water, very often against the cliffs and drop offs. As the water is so clear here, the yellowfish will take refuge behind or against any structure along the banks of the dam. With this in mind, one can either drift along the edges, presenting your fly in the scum lanes or near a structure, or get out of the boat and patrol the edges looking for feeding fish.

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Tiny nymphs.

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FLY PATTERNS

The town of Harrismith, near Sterkfontein Dam, has been blessed with the services of the good doctor, Dr Hans van Zyl, for many years.

However, it is not his medical dedication under discussion here, but rather his monumental contribution to fly fishing that needs to be commended. The good doctor has probably spent most of his spare time under the therapy of fly fishing, justifying the philosophy that every day you spend fly fishing increases your life expectancy by a day.

Observation is the most underrated skill in fly fishing and undoubtedly a secret ingredient to success on the water. Based on this, the range of beetle patterns developed by the good doctor has revolutionised realistic imitative fly tying and taken dry fly fishing to another level.

Now, I fancy myself as a competent fly tier and have spent many hours tying my own beetle variations, only to be humbled by the reactions of the yellowfish to the beetle. Fishing side by side with Al, whilst he fished the doctor’s beetle and I persisted with my variations, Al had caught half-a-dozen fish before I even had a strike. Our problem was that we only had a few of the good doctor's beetles and I had been smashed so many times that I was down to my last beetle.

I cannot deny having been described as obsessive on a number of occasions, and I was determined not to be outfished by Al. My thinking outside the proverbial fly box came back to observation. The aquatic food source over and above the terrestrials is predominantly caddis and mayfly, which are very small in Sterkfontein. So I proceeded to set up a dropper and nymph rig, using a ten-foot leader with a #16 brassie as my control fly. I then attached, in New Zealand style, a #18 or #20 unweighted mayfly nymph or caddis pupae as the point fly. It is imperative that one fishes with a very light tippet, preferably 4lb fluorocarbon, otherwise you quite simply do not get the volume of strikes because the fish can see your tippet. I presented this rig in the same way as one does the beetle, in the 'fish zone'.

THE VISUAL RUSH AND EXPERIENCE OF PRESENTING YOUR FLY TO THE FISH YOU CAN SEE, SEEING THEIR REACTION TESTED AGAINST YOUR SKILLS, SETTING THE HOOK SUCCESSFULLY, enjoying the thrill of the

fight, and then releasing the fish for the next angler is what makes Sterkfontein a world-class fishery. It's comparable to *bone fishing in the Bahamas.

To boast a little, I did manage to outfish Al about three to one, nymphing. Having so much fun becomes completely addictive; we were up at 4 a.m. every morning and fished throughout the day until sunset at 7 p.m. and were absolutely exhausted but completely exhilarated at the end of each day. •

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TERMS:

* IN BERRY - refers to female fish carrying eggs. * GRAVEL SUBSTRATE - material found on the bottom and is what triggers fish to spawn. * BONE FISHING - fishing for bonefish, which is known for its sporting qualities and challenge in finding, hooking and landing it.

Alan Hobson with a good yellowfish.

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HEALTH |ǀFITNESS

Words: Hannele Steyn

MAKING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES NO DIETING, JUST PLAIN, BALANCED EATING BASED ON GOOD CHOICES. There are many new diets and lots of advice on eating to lose weight, eating to gain muscle, eating to perform and the like around today.

Patrick Holford, Prof Tim Noakes, the blood group diet, the Palio diet, the vegetarian diet, the all-raw diet, the eat-to-win diet, and the list goes on and on. So how do we choose?

All these diets have their merits because they, at the very least, stand for better eating choices as opposed to artificial, chemically enhanced and processed foods.

But, at the end of the day, I still think that a balanced diet containing all three food groups - protein (animal or vegetable), low GI carbohydrates and essential fats - is the way to go to get the best results. It is also about making it a lifestyle and not just something that worked while you were sticking to the rules.

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IF YOU THINK LOGICALLY ABOUT THE NEW CRAZE OF EATING ALMOST ONLY PROTEIN AND FAT, HOW CAN ANY DIET THAT CUTS OUT NATURALLY HEALTHY THINGS LIKE TOMATOES (LYCOPENE), WATERMELON, CARROTS (VIT A),AND BANANAS (POTASSIUM), TO NAME A FEW, BE CORRECT? Of course high protein with almost no carbohydrates will make you lose weight, but it will give you no energy, put strain on your kidneys and how do we know what the long-term effects will be? Will it be apologised for when everyone sits with other problems and the next big hype is out there? Yes, we have started to overdose on carbs and neglected our intake of protein, but shouldn't we rather eat enough protein instead of too much again?

So let's look at how we can incorporate all the best parts from these diets into a well balanced, nice-to-live-by eating plan. Here's a great example:

BREAKFAST:

• Muesli that contains nuts and seeds for higher protein and essential fat. Do not buy the roasted roasted or those with added sugar. Eat it with milk, water or yoghurt for some extra protein and good probiotics.

• Whole rolled or crushed oats porridge to which you add some nuts for extra protein. If you know you are not getting enough protein in during the day, then use a protein supplement to complement your diet. My recommendation is PVM XTR Protein.

• Boiled or poached eggs on rye or spelt bread.

• Egg white omelette, with fillings like mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, spring onions, spinach and cottage cheese.

• A smoothie with one to two low GI fruits (apple or strawberries), yoghurt and protein powder.

MID MORNING SNACK:

• Game or lean beef biltong (about 25 g).

• Plain yoghurt with fresh berries (only if you didn’t have a fruit smoothie for breakfast).

• Two rice cakes with cottage cheese and avocado.

LUNCH:

• Any grilled or steamed lean protein (such as chicken, beef, game or fish) or sashimi. Have this with steamed vegetables or a healthy salad containing lettuce, cucumber, celery, tomato, avo, cottage cheese, asparagus and mushrooms.

MIDDAY SNACK:

• Same as the morning snack.

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HOME -MADE SALAD DRESSING: • • • • • • •

50 ml olive oil or grapeseed oil 100 ml balsamic vinegar 200 ml water A squeeze of lemon 2 teaspoons mustard 1/4 clove squashed garlic Pinch of cayenne pepper

Shake well, sprinkle over your salad and enjoy! •

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DINNER:

• Steamed or grilled protein with steamed veggies and a salad. Low GI, non-starchy vegetables are the way to go here, such as green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, kale, celery, lentils, chick peas, cucumber and gem squash. Try to minimise starchy vegetables like carrots, corn and peas, but do not cut it out of your diet completely. Rather leave out any man-made foods, like pasta or bread and go easy on the starches (rice, potatoes, pumpkin, etc).

LATE NIGHT SNACK (OPTIONAL): • Protein shake or kefir yoghurt.

• Raw nuts.

WEIGHT-LOSS TIPS

Here are a few weight-loss tips to keep in mind: • Most of the scientific research of late suggests that we need to eat enough (1,5-2 g) lean protein each day. This protein needs to be worked into our three main meals and two snacks per day.

Therefore, a high protein and no-carb diet is not the way to go if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

• Stay away from processed foods, as much sugar as possible (hidden ones too), saturated fat, vegetable oil or fat and anything with the word 'hydrogenated' (another term for trans fat) in front of the name.

• Try to shop for as many organic and free range foods as possible.

• Kefir, a yoghurt plant, is an amazing food and the best way to get live probiotics into your system.

• Raw nuts are an amazing food source.

• Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

IF YOU FOLLOW A LIFESTYLE LIKE THIS, YOU WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PUTTING ON WEIGHT WHEN EATING OUT, GOING TO FRIENDS OR GOING ON HOLIDAYS, AND MOST OF THESE FOODS ARE READILY AVAILABLE. JUST REMEMBER THOUGH, IF YOU GO TO A BRAAI, CHOOSE THE SALADS, GRILLED MEAT AND STAY AWAY FROM THINGS LIKE POTATOES, BRAAI BROODJIES, MAYONAISES, SAUCES AND SPICES. •

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Words: Andrea Kellerman, Educational and Sport Psychologist

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HEALTH & FITNESS

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE RUNNING WITH? HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE YOU ARE RUNNING WITH?

They are all unique in their own way, and you might have come across some people with the exact characteristics described below. I must say, I had a giggle when writing this article and comparing the characteristics to some of the people in my own running group.

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KNOW-IT-ALL: THE RUNNER WHO TELLS YOU HOW, WHEN AND WHY, BUT DOESN'T IMPLEMENT THEIR EXPERTISE THEMSELVES This person can recite paragraphs from the latest research, such as the effects of a heightened heel-toe drop-off in the modern shoe. Not only have they read about it, they know it like they have written the research themselves. Run with this person at your own peril, as you’ll soon be subjected to an intense critique of your running style, shoes, and general well-being. You’d think with this wealth of knowledge that the know-it-all would actually be a good runner, but no, their PB for a 10 km sits at a very modest 48:35.

LEADER: THE RUNNER WHO IS ALWAYS AHEAD, DELEGATING AND TAKING CHARGE ALL THE TIME. Unlike the know-it-all, the leader chooses actions over words. They say very little besides, “This way.”

“STOP!” “Faster!” And the most common, “Let them go.” They exude a quiet confidence; you’re not quite sure why you listen to them, but you do.

EMOTIONAL WRECK: THE RUNNER WHO CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THEMSELF AND THEIR PROBLEMS, WHICH MAKE YOU START TO QUESTION HOW WHAT SHOULD BE A STRESS RELEASER HAS NOW TURNED YOU INTO AGONY AUNT OF THE MONTH. This runner breaks down at the 11 km mark of a half marathon due to a really bad blister. They exclaim – amongst a stream of tears – that they’re never running again because all the time and training invested was simply not worth it. They start cursing as runners pass by, wondering why the universe is being so unfair to them.

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BACK-OF-THE-PACK: THE RUNNERS WHO GROUP TOGETHER AND CHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE RUNNING CLUB, BUT UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE THE BEST REAR VIEWS. This is one of the most popular type of runner. They couldn’t be bothered if they finish 5th or 5,000th.

They have at least three shirts with sayings like, “If I drop dead, stop my Garmin!” They never give advice and are always friendly and helpful.

GEAR FANATIC: THE RUNNER WHO ALWAYS LOOKS GLAMOROUS AND SPORTS THE LATEST OUTFITS, AND PERFORMANCE COMES SECOND! This runner shuns the concept of ‘neighbourhood store’ and chooses to shop online, from exclusive concept stores. They have orthotic insoles, compression socks, compression tights, moisture management vests, polarised sunglasses, a Garmin straight out of Star Trek, and absolutely no natural talent. They have often been spotted running with the back-of-the-pack guy, although they’ll tell you it was a bad race and blame it on the new shoes.

MOTHER HEN: THE RUNNER WHO ALWAYS SEEMS TO PIN POINT THE STRUGGLERS OR THOSE IN PAIN AND HAS A LIST OF OLD WIVES' REMEDIES OF HOW ONE PRODUCT CAN FIX ANYTHING FROM PHYSICAL TO EMOTIONAL PAIN. The mother hen runner will always put others first.

They will make sure that other runners are happy, physically and emotionally sound, but does not apply this concept to themselves. They generally have a low self-esteem and thrive when being able to please others.

On the other hand, a mother hen runner can be the person who does not run any more, but rather supports everyone else. We’ve all seen the mother hen at events, but might not have actually seen them run. They are rumoured to have competed at elite level in their former years, but now is quite content shouting words of encouragement from the side of the road, and serving bacon and egg rolls at the finish.

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VAIN: THE RUNNER WHO KNOW THEY ARE GOOD AND ARE SO OBVIOUS ABOUT IT. You’ll know their PB before you know their name.

They make sure their hair is pristine and their gear is spotless. Chances are you’ll pass them around the halfway mark, where they completely fall apart. That is, of course, until 1 km from the finish when they suddenly regain composure and cross the finish line at a pace that’d make Bruce Fordyce proud.

TOO HAPPY FOR THEIR OWN GOOD: THE RUNNER WHO SMILES SO MUCH THAT YOU'VE EVEN CONSIDERED IF PROZAC COULD BE SOME FORM OF STEROID UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME. This runner wants everybody to know just how proud they are of attempting a half marathon, even if they only made it to the 7 km mark. They share every painful detail of every run on Facebook, normally accompanied by motivational pictures, excessive capital letters, and an inexplicable desire to let everyone know that running has changed their life.

COMPETITIVE: THE RUNNER WHO ARE SO SERIOUS THAT WHEN THEY RUN PAST, YOU WONDER TO YOURSELF IF THIS POOR SOUL KNOWS THERE IS NO PRIZE AT THE FINISH LINE. When this person says, “Let’s go for a gentle run,” they’re actually thinking, “I bet you can’t keep up with me. And yes, this is my gentle run.” Every race is a competition, even when it’s a fun run or there’s no prize for winning. Their proudest moment was a 1 km sprint finish for 164th place at the local 21 km.

Now that you have analysed your running mates and categorised them accordingly, what kind of runner are you? • If you are looking for a personal trainer for your mind, contact Andrea Kellerman (B.A., H.E.D., Psych Hon, Med. Psych, NF Practitioner, Adv. Dip. Hyp.) by email andrea@eq-advantedge.co.za or visit www.eq-advantedge.co.za

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Words: Neil Ross, Executive Chef

Summer on a plate

STARTER SERVES 4

Celeriac salad This flavour-packed starter is healthy, requires no cooking and is amazing with smoked salmon, roast chicken or some melba toast.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 large celeriac • tbsp mayonnaise • tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream • tsp of Dijon mustard • Half a cup parsley, finely chopped • Salt and pepper

METHOD: 1. Peel the celeriac, which is from the celery family and tastes quite similar but has a slightly nutty, milder and sweeter taste, and rub some lemon juice over it to stop it from browning. Cut the root in half and make fine slices, working from one side to the other. Taking a few slices at a time, cut into match sticks and squeeze lemon juice over.

2. Mix together mayonnaise, crème fraîche or sour cream, Dijon mustard and chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

3. And it's ready to serve with your favourite dish.

Note: The celeriac salad will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

WINE PAIRING:

Simonsig Chenin Blanc

The cutting edge acidity of this Chenin balances the unique flavour profile of the celeriac, whilst the tropical notes in the wine works its magic with the spicy dressing.

(Cellar door price: R40 per bottle)

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ENTERTAINMENT

WINE PAIRING:

Fleur du Cap Bergkelder Selection Chardonnay This wine is an excellent pairing with most rich fish dishes, especially shellfish, such as prawns, and will work wonders with creamy aioli. Serve cool, but not cold.

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(Cellar door price: R52 per bottle)

MAIN

SERVES 4

Spiced prawn skewers These skewers of juicy, spicy prawns make a tasty braai snack. They’re easy to handle and serve and people won’t get their fingers messy.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 tsp salt, fine • 2 tbsp fresh mint • 2 tbsp coriander leaves, fresh • ½ tsp garlic, grated • 1 egg, yolk • 2 tsp white wine vinegar • 150 ml grape seed oil • ½ tsp flaky sea salt PRAWNS: • 12 raw prawns, tails, peeled and deveined • 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water • ½ cup olive oil • 2 tsp flaky sea salt • ½ tsp mixed spice • ½ tsp Allspice • ½ tsp paprika

METHOD: 1. To make the coriander aioli, in a small pot bring 1 litre of water to the boil.

2. Add salt and then herbs. Cook for 2 minutes, drain off the liquid and then plunge the herbs into a bowl of iced water, to help preserve the colour.

3. Squeeze out any excess water before placing the herbs in a blender with the garlic, egg yolk and vinegar.

4. Blend together and then slowly drizzle in the oil so that it starts to emulsify.

5. Continue adding all the oil and sea salt to taste. If it’s too thick, adjust the consistency by adding a little milk.

6. Cut the underside or ‘belly’ of the prawns, so that it folds out as you thread it on the skewer.

7. Cook skewers for 4 minutes, turning occasionally, or until cooked through.

ote: The fresh mint and coriander aioli will keep in the fridge for a week and N it’s sensational with pretty much anything cooked on the braai.

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WINE PAIRING:

OBiKWA Moscato OBiKWA Moscato is versatile enough to be enjoyed with most desserts, but goes especially well with this dish as it complements both the acidity of the fruit and sweetness of the honey.

(Cellar door price: R28 per bottle)

DESSERT SERVES 6

Roasted stone fruit This is a simple and scrumptious summer dessert.

INGREDIENTS: • 8 pieces of mixed ripe stone fruit, such as plums, apricots, nectarines or peaches • 3 wtbsp honey • 3 tbsp water • Ice cream, cream or yoghurt to accompany

METHOD: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Halve the fruit or slice away from the stone and put the mix in a heavy-based 26 cm baking tray.

3. Warm the honey and water together to combine. You can infuse other flavours to this if you like, for example, a vanilla pod and lavender sprigs or bay leaves will add interest. If you are using these aromatics, let them soak before using.

4. Pour the honey/water mix over the fruit and roast in the middle of the oven until the fruit is tender. This will take 20-30 minutes, depending on how ripe the fruit is. After removing from the oven, spoon the roasted fruit into a bowl, including the roasting juices.

5. Allow to cool slightly before serving with ice cream, cream or yoghurt.

Bon appétit!

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ENTERTAINMENT

Reviews by www.fortressofsolitude.co.za

MOVIE TITLE

LIBERAL ARTS Director: Josh Radnor Starring: Allison Janney, Elizabeth Olsen, Josh Radnor, Richard Jenkins and Zac Efron

HIGHLIGHTS

Elizabeth Olsen’s performance.

RECOMMENDED FOR Everyone.

VERDICT The blend of new and old is what varsity is all about, it's a place that encourages endless and limitless thoughts and opinions, and it exposes the learner to subjects, thoughts and culture that they would never have seen or imagined before. Liberal Arts

does this seamlessly, not only proving this theory true for the characters within the movie but also for those watching. This is particularly well illustrated with exploration and personal evaluation of classical music shared between the two main characters.

Jesse Fisher (Josh Randor) is an avid reader and lover of the English language who has become a disillusioned admissions officer at the age of 35 living in New York City. After receiving an invitation to attend his old college professor’s farewell dinner at this old university, Jesse rediscovers his love for the vibrancy of campus life. He meets several people as he spends time with his ex-professor (Richard Jenkins), including the 19-year-old Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen), who challenges his way of thinking and helps him rediscover his passion and purpose.

Without giving away the ending, some romantics may find the outcome of the film a little disappointing, but the sensible ones among us will see that it couldn’t be more perfect. Liberal Arts certainly does not bend to the traditional college-orientated movie.

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MOVIE TITLE

ROBOCOP

HIGHLIGHTS

Director: José Padilha Starring: Abbie Cornish, Gary Oldman, Joel Kinnaman, Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson

RECOMMENDED FOR

High-paced action.

Action fans.

VERDICT Set in the year 2028, undercover cop Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is chosen by a multi-billion dollar robotics company, OmniCorp, for an experimental programme after he is disfigured by a car bomb. Unknown to his family, the company’s ruthless CEO (Michael Keaton) has bigger plans for the city’s hero and decides to programme him into a fierce cyborg police officer. But just how much human and how much robot makes up Robocop? The film kicks into gear when Murphy decides to investigate his own case.

Robocop 2014 isn’t for fans of the classic film. It is a new interpretation for a new era.

It deserved a little more experimentation and more risks from the director, but overall delivers a solid blockbuster worth seeing on the big screen. Ultimately, it wants to be Batman Begins, but falls flat of being as gripping and revolutionary. Still, it’s enormous fun!

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GAME TITLE

CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS Developer: Infinity Ward Publisher: Activision, Square Enix Genre: First-person shooter

HIGHLIGHTS

Amazing visuals and fluid gameplay.

RECOMMENDED FOR First person shooter fans.

VERDICT

For many years now, the Call of Duty franchise could rely on success purely from being the Call of Duty franchise. As anyone reasonable could tell you though, this does create quite the negative feedback loop, where stagnation abounds and could eventually cripple the franchise.

Ghosts seems to have taken a look at itself and removed bits at random and added bits back at random again. This is not always good or bad, but rather a sign that the franchise needs to be doing something more. Especially when considering titles, such as Titanfall, that are being released this year too. As far as COD goes, I personally still prefer Black Ops 2, as that title feels more balanced and thought out as a complete package. What I appreciate from Ghosts is its desire to mix things up, but I only hope they look at what people want and work from there to a greater extent for this year’s (inevitable) release in November. As a final word, I played this on PS4, and the graphics and visual clarity are noticeably better, so if that is appreciated by you, and you are able to, pick it up, as it’s a pretty good port.

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GAME TITLE

NEED FOR SPEED RIVALS Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Ghost Games Genre: Racing

HIGHLIGHTS

Next-gen graphics.

RECOMMENDED FOR Fans of racing games.

VERDICT Need for Speed returns to the old with the tried and tested racer vs. cop approach, which allows you to play as both parties. There are many exciting moments in NFS Rivals, mostly playing as a racer trying to win, while being chased by the cops, avoiding damage at all costs. The graphics, and gameplay, from the new Frostbite 3 gaming engine, also delivers some stunning results, but can only be taken advantage of from more modern gaming rigs. Despite all the positives Need for Speed Rivals won’t instil much joy for too long. The environment only allows for a maximum of up to six other players per region at any point in time, with no ideal method of drawing them all together for a race.

All the suggestions that this would have been one of the best arcade racing titles in recent times were there, but it doesn’t quite complete what it has set out to do. EA has plenty to build on for the franchise going into 2014, which means that arcade racing titles will be around for the near future at least.

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GAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR

THIEF

Genre: Action Developer: Eidos Studios Montreal Date: February

TITANFALL

Genre: Action Developer: Respawn Entertainment Date: March

METAL GEAR SOLID: GROUND ZEROES

Genre: First-person shooter Developer: Kojima Productions Date: March

MOVIES TO LOOK OUT FOR

AMERICAN HUSTLE

Genre: Drama, Thriller Director: David O. Russell Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence Date: 28 February

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE Genre: Action, Drama Director: Noam Murro Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green and Hans Matheson Date: 7 March

I, FRANKENSTEIN

Genre: Horror, Thriller Director: Stuart Beattie Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski and Miranda Otto Date: 14 March

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READER'S

ALL THESE FINE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL FICTION

THE BOY THAT NEVER WAS Karen Perry

Five years ago, three-year-old Dillon disappeared during a devastating earthquake in Tangiers.

For his father Harry - who left him alone for ten crucial minutes - it was an unforgivable lapse.

Yet Dillon's mother Robyn has never blamed her husband: her own secret guilt is burden enough. When Harry sees an eight-year-old boy in the crowd, a boy he is convinced is Dillon, everything Robyn and Harry ever believed in one another is cast into doubt.

R240.00

DECODED: A NOVEL Mai Jia

A semi-autistic mathematical genius, Jinzhen is recruited to the cryptography department of China's secret services where he is assigned the task of breaking the elusive 'Code Purple'.

Jinzhen rises through the ranks to eventually become China's greatest and most celebrated code-breaker; until he makes a mistake. Then begins his descent through the unfathomable darkness of the world of cryptology into madness.

R240.00

NON-FICTION

THE SPARK

Kristine Barnett Kristine Barnett's son Jacob has an IQ higher than Einstein. At nine he developed an original theory in astrophysics that may earn a Nobel Prize. But Jake's story is all the more remarkable because his extraordinary mind was almost lost to autism. When the experts wanted to restrict his behaviour, Jake withdrew into his own world. When Kristine decided to follow Jacob's passions - his 'spark‘, the results were beyond anything anyone could have imagined.

R145.00

THE GREAT DEGENERATION Niall Ferguson

The Great Degeneration is a powerful indictment of an era of negligence and complacency.

Symptoms of decline are all around us today: slowing growth, crushing debts and ageing populations. To stop us frittering away the institutional inheritance of centuries, Ferguson warns, will take heroic leadership and radical reform.

R170.00

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S CORNER

L GOOD BOOK STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE BUSINESS BOOK This is an innovative and accessible guide to business, management and commerce. Learning about business can be daunting, but The Business Book makes it easier than ever by giving you all the big ideas simply explained. Simple explanations and stylish infographics open up the business world to even the complete novice. It is the perfect primer to key theories of business and management, covering inspirational business ideas, business strategy and alternative business models.

R150.00

THIS STAR WON’T GO OUT: THE LIFE AND WORDS OF ESTHER GRACE EARL A moving portrait of Esther Earl, the young woman whose life with cancer were an inspiration to many, including author John Green (The Fault in Our Stars). Told through Esther’s own journals, letters, and fiction, supplemented with essays from her family and friends.

R160.00

CHILDREN

LATER YEARS AT MALORY TOWERS (AGE 9+) Enid Blyton

This is a fantastic bumper volume of classic stories from a much-loved author. Darrell and her friends grow together as they share their school days. There are new students to induct, sporting matches to be won, tempers to control and tricks to play on teachers. Join Darrell in mischief, mayhem and midnight feasts! These timeless stories of the famous girls' school are in Blyton's hugely popular and successful style.

R150.00 PETER RABBIT ANIMATION: MY MUM (AGE 3+) Beatrix Potter

Peter Rabbit wants to make his mum her favourite strawberry pie as a Mother's Day gift. But the best strawberries grow in Mr Tod's garden. Will Peter and his friends Lily and Benjamin be able to gather enough strawberries before that sneaky fox puts them in a pie of his own?

With artwork from the fantastic new animation, this exciting story is simply told for very young children. Featuring favourite characters, including the villainous Mr Tod and of course Peter Rabbit and his lovable bunny friends.

R80.00

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