DO IT NOW Magazine #35

ADVENTURE | SPORT | LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

VOL 6•3 2014 #35

ON THE

PISTE

A WONDERFUL LITTLE ITALIAN SKI RESORT IN THE SHADOWS OF THE MIGHTY MATTERHORN.

THE X FACTOR

EXPEDITIONS AND NOBLE CAUSES IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA 10 YEARS ON PLUS

DRIFTING TRIKE STYLE

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

On the Cover - Action from the ProNutro African X Trail Run. Photo by - Cherie Vale / NEWSPORT MEDIA.

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

Peter Fairbanks Finance

Hannele Steyn MTB / Nutrition

Tori Leckie Multi Sports

Sheldon Reddy Motoring

Sam Bradley Travel

Caroline Koll Bicycling

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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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CALENDAR MAY 2014 S

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dinFO Here are some great activities and events to look out for in May. Lifestyle // AfrikaBurn, Tankwa Karoo (NC): 28 Apr-4 May Multi Sports // Sowetan Big Walk 10 km, Soweto (Gauteng): 1 May Lifestyle // The Lifestyle Expo, Amanzimtoti (KZN): 3 May Bicycling // MTN NATIONAL MTB SERIES #4, Clarens (FS): 3 May Running // Molweni Trail Run, Krantzkloof Nature Reserve (KZN): 3 May Running // Jonkershoek Mountain Challenge, Stellenbosch (WC): 4 May Lifestyle // Jozi Craft Beer Fest 2014, Marks Park, Emmerentia (Gauteng): 10 May Running // Merrell Whale of Trail, De Hoop Nature Reserve (WC): 10 May Lifestyle // Land Rover World Record attempt, Soetdoring Vakansieplaas (Gauteng): 10 May Obstacle Sports // Warrior # 4, Redstone Country Estate (NW): 10-11 May Bicycling // 2014 Nedbank Sani2c, Underberg (KZN): 15-17 May Lifestyle // Grand Design Home & Garden Show, Coca Cola Dome (Gauteng): 23-25 May Multi Sports // Expedition Africa, Port Edward (KZN): 23 May-1 Jun Running // Unogwaja Challenge, Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg: 23 May-2 Jun Bicycling // MTN NATIONAL MTB SERIES #5, Rooiberg (Limpopo): 24 May Bicycling // NISSAN TRAILSEEKER #1, Cullinan (Limpopo): 31 May

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

www.doitnow.co.za • 3

Index

Vol 6•3 2014 #35 | www.doitnow.co.za

// Team & Contributors: p. 2 DO IT NOW Magazine’s team and regular contributors. // Calendar: p. 3 Calendar featuring adventure, sport and lifestyle events. // Enter & Win: p. 5 Enter our website competition and stand to win great prizes. // inFOCUS Competition: p. 168 Winner, first quarter 2014.

Articles RUNNING 7 19

The X factor Molweni magic

BICYCLING 23 33

Spina bifida boy’s Cycle Tour dream realised Drifting, trike style

7

MULTI SPORTS 43 53

IRONMAN South Africa, 10 years on Tranquillity training

BALL SPORTS 63

Lack of funds is crippling SA hockey

STREET SPORTS 71

Roller derby is on a roll

WATER SPORTS

83 91 99 111 119

Waveski impis battle it out on the waves White-water SUPing river knowledge and guidance - Part 3 Expeditions and noble causes SUPing in Yellowstone National Park Swim For Hope

63

TRAVEL

133 On the piste 143 On the spoor of the leopard

HEALTH FITNESS

155 What's in store for 2014?

ENTERTAINMENT

161 Dancing deaf 169 Entertainment review KEY:

ADVENTURE

SPORT

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LIFESTYLE

INVOLVED

143

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RUNNING

Photo by: Stephen Cunliffe www.stevecunliffe.com

The X factor

THIS PAST WEEKEND, THE GROENLANDBERG FOOTHILLS REVERBERATED TO THE SOUND OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND FEET POUNDING ALONG ITS PRISTINE MOUNTAIN TRACKS AS 275 TEAMS BATTLED IT OUT DURING THE THREE-DAY, 90 KM PRONUTRO AFRICAN X TRAIL RUN. While the vast majority of teams took part for the sheer pleasure of running wild along some of the Western Cape’s finest nature trails, the event also attracted the veritable who’s who of South African trail running, and the battle for African X supremacy proved a tightly contested affair.

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Photo by: Cherie Vale / NEWSPORT MEDIA

WHEN THE DUST FINALLY SETTLED AT THE FRONT OF THE FIELD,

IT WAS THE UNSTOPPABLE TEAM OF AJ CALITZ AND BERNIE RAKUDZA THAT TRIUMPHED OVER DEFENDING CHAMPIONS MICHAEL BAILEY AND BEN BRIMBLE, WHO IN TURN RELEGATED THE SALOMON PAIRING OF KANE REILLY AND THABANG MADIBATO TO THE THIRD SPOT ON THE PODIUM.

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STAGE 1

TOTAL DISTANCE: 33 km TOTAL ASCENT: 860 m START VENUE: Houw Hoek Inn FINISH VENUE: Houw Hoek Inn The race got underway from Houw Hoek at 8 a.m. sharp on Friday, 14 March 2014.

As 550 runners surged across the start line, a kilometre of gently ascending road helped to spread the field before the first single-track descent of the day. Punted by the organisers as being a combination of the best sections of day one and day three routing from the 2013 event, this year’s opening stage didn’t disappoint.

It provided a diverse mix of terrain and trail types, including gravel farm roads, sandy jeep tracks, horse trails, mountain bike routes and pristine single track. With the weather and trail gradients proving friendly on day one, African X generously allowed first-timers - such as myself and teammate Duncan Gutsche - to ease our way into the Western Cape’s premier multi-stage trail race.

Chatting to other teams along the way, everyone was in unanimous agreement that the ProNutro African X is far more than 'just another trail race'. Thumping tunes and a tireless race announcer greeted us whenever we trundled into one of the well-stocked replenishment stations, strung out at regular intervals along the route. The logistics boggle the mind, yet the water tables were always staffed by a bevy of enthusiastic young volunteers, who looked as genuinely thrilled as the rest of us to be out and about in the mountains.

“The African X crew that man these stations are nothing short of amazing,” commented Mike Arbuthnot of team Spoooeeed, as he downed an energy drink courtesy of Hammer Nutrition.

“These young guys and girls are always smiling and they really go above and beyond, and that helps to create a really great race vibe for all of us.”

The stage one scenery was almost as diverse as the underfoot conditions, with the route snaking through vineyards, around orchards, into forests and over dam walls before joining a fabulous stretch of mountainous single track that climbed up and traversed the lower slopes of the Groenlandberg mountain range. This stretch of wilderness trail comprised some nasty climbs, but the stunning views and pristine mountain fynbos energised us despite the steep gradients. Arriving at the final water station shortly thereafter, we took heart from the fact that we had less than 10 km to go.

The finish line and swimming pool at Houw Hoek Inn our home away from home for the long weekend - were a welcome sight when we eventually crashed over the line nearly an hour behind the winners.

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Photo by: Stephen Cunliffe www.stevecunliffe.com

The X factor 10 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35

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STAGE 2

TOTAL DISTANCE: 35 km TOTAL ASCENT: 1,100 m START VENUE: Ongegund Lodge, Sir Lowry's Pass Village FINISH VENUE: Paul Cluver Amphitheatre

THE SECOND DAY BEGAN WITH A HALF-HOUR BUS TRIP BACK DOWN TO THE FOOT OF SIR LOWRY’S PASS WHERE WE LOCATED THE STAGE START LINE AT ONGEGUND LODGE. STAGE TWO

OF THE AFRICAN X HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY SYNONYMOUS WITH FANCY DRESS AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF TEAMS THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY EMBRACED THIS NEW TRADITION.

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While our dress-up efforts consisted of little more than a couple of rather scary looking ‘Gangnam style’ face masks, there were other (possibly less competitive) teams that had gone all out. In the end, it was the big breasted, lipstick wearing, male nurses who were adjudged the winners and it would have been hard to argue that they didn’t deserve their New Balance trail shoes prize. Hell, in my book, anyone who runs over 30 km in a nurse’s outfit deserves a big award!

The stage began by ascending almost continuously for the first 8 km as we huffed and puffed our way up and over the crest of the Gantouw Pass. There was little respite and no time to ease into the stage, as the route climbed steadily towards the infamous mountain pass. This tough climb first up accounted for a hefty chunk of the day’s cumulative 1,100 vertical metres of ascent and our already weary legs found it tough going.

The steep gradient to the top of the Gantouw was a relentless but special experience, with the trail following the old trekking

Photo by: Cherie Vale, NEWSPORT MEDIA

route through the mountains. Carved into the sandstone, the original wagon-wheel tracks remained clearly visible on many of the rocks we ran across. Gasping for oxygen as we crested the pass, we were greeted by impressive views back over False Bay. After a brief replenishment break at the first water table of the day, we were soon off again, charging along free-flowing single track. The trail gently descended through a succession of contiguous pine plantations before eventually spilling onto the shores of the massive Eikenhof Dam at the 17 km mark.

This rowdy spectator point also marked the halfway point of stage two.

Upon leaving the dam and its neighbouring farmland, we found ourselves running on stunning single track almost all the way to the finish at Paul Cluver Amphitheatre. A nasty climb to the base of the Groenlandberg was followed soon after by another

testing climb, topping out at the maximum elevation of the day.

The views along this section were unbeatable and we soon found ourselves running wide-mouthed through mountain fynbos that stretched as far as the eye could see. Dwarfed by the mountain, the farms we’d crossed earlier in the day now looked rather insignificant down below.

From the high point of the day, at the 28 km mark, the route began to slowly descend once more, enabling us to catch our breath and enjoy the last of the snaking single track before it metamorphosed into jeep track for the final 5 km of open running across the Paul Cluver Estate. It was only after we’d cantered across the stage finish line with an energy-depleted rendition of the trademark ‘Gangnam style’ dance routine that a fellow runner, Rowan Cairns, commented, “I’m not sure if you realised, but fully three quarters of today’s stage took place on stunning single track. It was an incredible route and what a treat to run along those wild mountain trails.”

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Photo by: Stephen Cunliffe www.stevecunliffe.com

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Photo by: Stephen Cunliffe www.stevecunliffe.com

Photo by: Cherie Vale, NEWSPORT MEDIA

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STAGE 3

TOTAL DISTANCE: 22 km TOTAL ASCENT: 650 m START VENUE: Houw Hoek Inn FINISH VENUE: Houw Hoek Inn

THIS YEAR’S EVENT SAW THE UNVEILING OF A BRAND-NEW STAGE THREE. FROM HOUW HOEK INN, WE

FOLLOWED A LENGTHY SECTION OF THE OLD KAT PASS ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH THE VINEYARDS OF BEAUMONT FARM TO BOT RIVER BEFORE BEING GREETED BY A LONG, STEEP CLIMB UP TO A SINGLE-TRACK CONTOUR THAT BOASTED UNDOUBTEDLY THE MOST MAGNIFICENT MOUNTAIN VIEWS OF THE ENTIRE THREE-DAY EVENT. THIS WAS NO MEAN ACHIEVEMENT CONSIDERING WHAT HAD COME BEFORE.

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Although stage three was by far the shortest and also probably the most scenic - of the three days, it was by no means an easy day out. After a flying downhill start that saw us descend almost uninterrupted all the way to the 10 km mark, the single-track section that followed was steep, fairly technical and rather slow going. However, the beautiful Bot River vistas more than made up for the sharp ascent and tricky underfoot conditions.

“It’s hard to believe, but I reckon the pristine single track that we’ve run during the second half of today’s stage is actually even better than yesterday.

I’m seriously going to miss all the flowering fynbos and these magical views when I’m back in the office tomorrow,” remarked my teammate, as we

For more information on the African X and all the results, go to www.africanx.co.za or visit their Facebook page: Stillwater Sport & Entertainment / Twitter: @runtheafricanx

Photo by: Stephen Cunliffe www.stevecunliffe.com

trotted along the high mountain contour. Kilometre after kilometre of mountainous single track slowly disappeared beneath our blistered feet, as we wound our way around the mountain and back towards Houw Hoek and the culmination of three truly memorable days of wilderness trail running.

It would be wrong to talk about the ProNutro African X without mentioning something about the dedicated Stillwater Sports team that organise and host this annual event. They have designed it to be much more than just a typical trail race, where you arrive, run and go home. Characterised by a relaxed and friendly vibe, the African X experience begins from the moment you arrive on Thursday evening and continues right up until you reluctantly depart on Sunday afternoon.

The general facilities at Houw Hoek Inn are excellent, with a battery of hot showers, cold beers, professional sports massages, excellent medical support, top-notch security and absolutely delicious food. But this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg; the event experience offers so much more than this. Perhaps a comment I overheard at lunch one day sums it up best, “African X really caters for everyone, from serious racing snakes to social backmarkers like me. It’s the little touches like having the Cape Times delivered in time for my breakfast, the inspirational signs stationed along the course route each day and even two-ply toilet paper in the bathrooms that makes me really appreciate this well-organised event!”

Hosted at a brilliant venue just a stone’s throw from Cape Town and exuding an intoxicating atmosphere, the ProNutro African X is - in my humble opinion - hands down the most well-organised multi-stage trail race on offer in all of South Africa. So what are you waiting for? •

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RUNNING

I REMEMBER WRITING NOT LONG AGO ABOUT WHETHER, IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY REVEALING LANDMARKS, HOW EASY IT WOULD BE TO PINPOINT DIFFERENT TRAILS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES JUST BY THEIR TERRAIN, the wildlife, bush, rocks and rivers. In other words, if you looked at a collage of pictures, aka trail porn for the off-road runners amongst us, could you easily identify those taken in Africa?

Photo credit: Kevin Sawyer

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I REVISITED THIS THOUGHT LAST WEEKEND DURING THE MOLWENI TRAIL RUN'S 'TASTER' RUN AND MY CONCLUSION WAS A RESOUNDING YES. IN FACT, THE MORE TIME I SPEND IN THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, THE MORE I CAN CONFIRM THAT AFRICAN TRAILS REALLY DO HAVE THEIR UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS AND KRANZKLOOF NATURE RESERVE EMBODIES THIS PERFECTLY. Just a stone’s throw from Durban, Krantzkloof comprises a whopping 584 hectares of dense coastal forest and grasslands above deep gorges carved out by the Molweni and Nqutu Rivers.

The race itself, for which last weekend's taster was a chance to discover some of the race route, is the Molweni Trail Run, a two-day event that is taking place this coming May, and presented by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKW) in conjunction with 369Communications and Salomon. It promises to be epic.

MY WORDS TO SUM UP THE TASTER RUN: •

Steep and hairy descents.

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Roots and rocks, great big rocks.

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Twists and turns, everywhere.

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Switchbacks? Forget it - just straight ups and straight downs!

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Paths and plants.

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Rivers, several.

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Bright sunshine and secluded shade.

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Jeep roads and grassy gorges.

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Dense forest and wide open spaces.

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Flowers and foliage.

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Incredible views and vistas.

•

Smiling kids.

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Bemused grown-ups!

•

Breathtakingly beautiful, truly.

Yet beyond the tails of the trail, the story is this.

On this very route walk dozens of children every day just to get to school. Likewise, adults follow this route to catch a taxi that will take them to their studies or work, often far way. Framing the route are big families housed in tiny run-down houses, with little more than a single room.

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And this is where the magic comes into Molweni because the race is supporting the greater community by funding the reserve, connecting with the Kloof Conservancy and supporting Molweni Community projects through direct trail clearing and cutting work. Support is also going towards Bazamile Primary School, which is along the race route, and school kids on the day will assist with handing out water.

The event is giving free entry to four local athletes as well, athletes whose lives could potentially change forever given the prize money on offer

THE MOLWENI TRAIL RUN ALSO BRINGS A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR EVER-COMPROMISED ENVIRONMENT, OF PRESERVING OUR PRECIOUS ECO-SYSTEM. CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND THE NEED TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE, THESE CONCEPTS ARE ALL TODAY’S BUZZ WORDS. BUT THE HARSH REALITY IS THAT THEY’RE NOT FLEETING TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR. WE MUST DO WHAT WE CAN DO, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. Make no mistake, this race will be no walk in the park. The terrain is tough, technical and will challenge all who enter. But equally, it promises to be a grand experience of ups and downs, sweat and toil, and isn’t that what trail running is all about?

The chance to experience highs and lows, to discover your ‘why’, to see first hand that whilst the pain may be temporary, the pride and reward of crossing the finish line will remain forever. So sign up whilst places remain.

SEE YOU ON THE TRAILS! • Day 1: 3 May - 6.5 km prologue.

Day 2: 4 May - 32 km solo run.

Tough, technical and testing terrain.

To register, visit www.molwenitrailrun.co.za

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www.shutterstock.com

CYCLING

“The Chaeli Campaign shows what a single individual can do to change the lives of others for the better. All you need is a good idea (like sunshine pots) and the enthusiasm to cause a chain reaction ... Chaeli has both!” Clem Sunter – author and motivational speaker.

Spina bifida boy’s Cycle Tour dream realised

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The Chaeli Campaign is a non-profit organisaton started

by Chaeli Mycroft, her sister Erin and close friends, Tarryn, Justine and Chelsea Terry, to raise money for her motorised wheelchair.

It was so succesful that 10 years on they now have eight programmes that impact more than 4,000 children each year. They live by the words 'mobilising the minds and bodies of children with disbiliites'.

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Boeta, Tina and Hannele at the Cycle Tour 2014.

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www.shutterstock.com

When my friends, Tina and Debbie, asked me to ride in this year's Cape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour with them and help make an 11-year-old disabled boy’s dream come true, and raise funds for the Chaeli Campaign, I immediatly thought, “What a great idea.”

Little did I know at the time that it entailed pulling and pushing a buggy, which would be attached to a bike with a spine bifida boy, Boeta, inside. This was to be the first of Boeta’s sporting dreams realised and would be followed by Tina riding the joBerg2c and swimming the Midmar mile later this year with Boeta.

Our practice run for the Cycle Tour involved riding the buggy around stuffed full of dumbells and water bottles, and found it all ok. That was until the Cycle Tour on 9 March, when a south-easter was howling and there was a real little person in the buggy. When I saw the wind, I immediatly started to complain. But when I met Boeta and all the other disabled people on race day at 06h15, I was so humbled that the wind became a breeze of joy. All around me were people in buggies, peole on handcycles, and double and triple amputees, all of them excited and rearing to start the race. No one mentioned the wind.

And then there was Boeta, a tiny guy sitting quietly in the buggy with his helmet and sunglasses donned and ready for action. All you could see was a beaming smile and a set of pearly-white teeth. A gust of wind nearly blew me over and before I could say anything, a rider with no forearms came cruising past me, steering the bike on his elbows.

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Boeta and Tina.

We were escorted to the start and at 06h57 we set off, only to be blown right around by the wind and ended up facing the wrong way.

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But I was so motivated and felt so priviledged to be a part of this wonderful cause that no wind, rain or hail was going to dampen my spirits or stop me. After stabilising the buggy we took off once more, with the sound of Boeta’s laugh spurring me on. Tina was pulling the buggy with her road bike, while I was pushing the handle attached to the buggy and using my mountain bike for better balance. Debbie, who is a trained nurse, was there to do any feeding or nappy changes that were necessary because Tina and I are not particularly good in that department.

Into the wind we went and up the first hill, the infamous Hospital Bend, which was quite an eye opener and I think we all started to worry if we would be able to get through this. However, the sound of Boeta’s voice shouting, “Hou bene, hou,” was all the motivation we needed to conquer this and all the other hills along the route. This brave little boy was not bothered by any of the bumps on the road, or the cat eyes, wind gusts and other conditions that made the ride less than comfortable. He was in his element and you could not wipe the smile off his face.

The other riders were incredibly supportive as they shouted out words of encouragement, praise and greetings to Boeta. With his smile growing bigger by the minute, he just kept giving everyone the thumbs up.

On the Blue Route, we were making some good time as the wind was now blowing from behind. However, we saw some horrible falls and struggled to keep the buggy straight. The slightest change in the riding line made me swerve either to the left or right, and with cyclists all around us I think having to concentrate so intensely tired me more than the actual riding.

Feeling enegerised after our stop, we attacked Smitswinkel and here my respect, as well as respect from all the riders around us, grew for Tina, who was pushing every pedal stroke with all her might and still taking the time to check if Boeta was ok. Every now and then she would ask him to help 'push', to which Boeta replied, “Ek stoot, Tina.” All of a sudden Smitswinkel was no longer a feared climb, but rather like a flat road. Before we knew it we were on top. We flew down that hill, with Boeta laughing and singing softly. Although I couldn’t hear everything he said, I could see him thanking every single person who shouted out good wishes to him. While enjoying the break for my legs, all I could think of was how very blessed I am.

As we rode through Simonstown, the Cape Doctor was in our faces again and we knew that the first big climb, Smitswinkel, was looming ahead. We made our first stop in Simonstown so that Boeta could drink his ‘sappies’ and eat a energy biscuit, and I cannot deny that it was also a very welcome refuelling station for me.

Misty Cliffs was as beautiful as always and almost spirtual, and after a little stretch we hit Chappies. Once again the sight of a radiant Boeta kept us inspired and powering ahead, and even when we panicked because of the wind that was blowing us from side to side as we descended, he kept telling me that he wasn’t scared at all.

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The support up Suikerbossie was phenomenal and then it was a windy downhill to Camps Bay and the final home stretch.

It was only in the last 100 m that it dawned on me that we had done it.

All the fears and all the hurt were forgotten and the overwhelming sense and feeling of true purpose took over. We crossed the finish line in a time of 4 hours and 41 minutes, with an overall time of 5 hours and 20 minutes. This was very different to my sub 3-hour Cycle Tour a few years ago, so why did it feel so much better?

It felt better than any win I have ever had in a race and seeing Boeta receiving his medal made it all the more priceless. Thank you to Tina, Debbie and the Chaeli Campaign for giving me this amazing opportunity and blessing my life.

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About Boeta When Boeta was found in a storm pipe at age 2, his world seemed hopeless. Boeta is disabled and his right to education was denied until two years ago when, at age 9, he met the Chaeli Campaign team. With the introduction of therapies, the receipt of a custom-made wheelchair, daily attendance at the Chaeli Campaign’s enrichment learning centre, as well as the opportunity to be a wheelchair dancer and performer, Boeta now has hope in his life.

About the Chaeli Campaign The Chaeli Campaign, which is administered by adults and powered by children, has won the International Children’s Peace prize and is also a recipient of a Social Activism medal from the Nobel Peace Laureates. “My biggest strength is that I can do anything.” Chaeli Mycroft

www.shutterstock.com

Make a donation Tina is the Director of Sport at Herzlia High School in Plumstead, and I’ve been coaching her for many years. Not only is she a true inspiration but also an amazing friend and human being. So please support Tina and her friend Johannes, who will be taking part in this year's jobBerg2c, from 25 April to 3 May, to raise funds for the Chaeli Campaign. Every cent helps toward reaching Tina’s goal of raising R100 000,00 by April 2014.

To make a donation, go to www.chaelicampaign.co.za. Altenatively, the bank details are as follows: The Chaeli Campaign, Standard Bank, Blue Route Branch: 025609, account number: 076674150. In both instances, please use ‘Tina’ as your reference. There are also a number of fantastic marketing opportunities to be had if you would like to sponsor Tina and Johannes. •

Did you know?

Spina bifida, which literally means 'split spine', is a birth defect in which the bones of the spine (vertebrae) do not form properly around the spinal cord.

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BICYCLING

Rafael and Wynaand.

FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR, THE MEMBERS OF THE GRAVITY TRIKE SLIDERS (GTS) MET AT THEIR

DRIFTING

REGULAR HANGOUT, A HILL OUTSIDE OF KRUGERSDORP ON JOHANNESBURG’S WEST RAND.

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GTS trikes.

WITH THEIR SPARTAN TRIKES IN TOW, THEY SET OUT DOWN THE 1.1 KM ROAD, SNAKING THEIR WAY TO AND FRO. RUNNING FROM

ONE EDGE OF THE ROAD TO THE OTHER, GATHERING SPEED DOWN THE HILL AND WITH ONE LEG OUT IN A COUNTERBALANCE FASHION, THE TROUPE RUMBLED DOWN THE GRADIENT. THIS IS TRIKE DRIFTING AND IT’S A SCENE THAT IS RAPIDLY GAINING MOMENTUM ACROSS THE WORLD, INCLUDING SOUTH AFRICA.

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DRIFTING IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. RALLY DRIVERS AND SPEEDWAY MOTORCYCLISTS HAVE BEEN PITCHING THEIR VEHICLES INTO CORNERS WITH AN

EXAGGERATED ANGLE OF ATTACK FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS MAN HAS YEARNED FOR SPEED. But not

everyone has the budget to build a high horsepower race car, so the next best thing will have to suffice.

In this case, custom-built, big-wheel tricycles with PVC coated rear wheels to promote a slide.

The origins of trike drifting point to New Zealand, where locals would careen down the long and winding roads on their trikes, deliberately sliding around the corners with the rear-end hanging out – emulating their longboarding and auto drifting brethren. Although the movement is still new and fresh in South Africa, its popularity is growing to the point where a GTS downhill meet will see more than 30 enthusiasts and numerous spectators in attendance.

GTS was started by Stephen 'Speedmutant' Erasmus, Wynand 'Nismo' Rossouw, Darren 'Supafly' Townsley and a few friends, who had seen drifting overseas and thought that trying something similar would be fun.

They set about sourcing parts and as much information as possible on these custom machines, which is still quite limited, and built a trike or two.

Wes, Chad and Darren.

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Their next challenge was finding a suitable venue. It goes without saying that the road needs to be part of a hill because without motors, these trikes rely solely on gravity to get them going. The road would have to be quiet enough for them to play on without risking their lives and causing an obstruction to traffic. The final requirement would be a few corners. While it is possible to drift these trikes in a straight line, adding a few bends into the mix adds to the excitement. The search for new venues is ongoing and any suggestions are welcomed.

This past weekend’s run saw a number of new faces joining the fold, each bringing with them a unique touch of flavour to the fold. Assorted trikes and various engineering approaches make these runs a valuable occasion to pick up on some innovative ideas and further the reach of this fast-growing sport. It’s not uncommon to see familiar faces with updated and modified trikes, in their quest to go faster and slide for longer.

While not a competitive event, riders still try to outdo each other with longer slides, carrying more angle and attempting higher speeds with more 360-degree spins. Depending on the venue, speeds can reach in excess of 70 km/h, necessitating safety gear for those who wish to repeat their performances and not merely do this as a once-off.

The group embraces an open-arm policy, welcoming young and old to try out the sport. Youngsters are regularly invited to come along and try their hand, as the founders are of the firm belief that they would rather have them on the hill with supervision than out and about, mixing with the wrong crowds and scenes.

Besides the initial start-up costs, which can range from a few hundred rand for the resourceful, creative enthusiast to a few thousand rand for a ready-built trike and safety gear, the costs are minimal. There is no cost to run on the day, except for a set of brake pads, the fuel needed to tow the riders back up the hill and the transportation costs of getting the trike to the venue. Running costs are at a minimum too, with no fuel or tyres needed.

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From left to right: Lawrence, Wes, Rafael and Wynaand.

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THESE SOCIAL RIDES USUALLY HAPPEN ONCE A MONTH AND NEW VENUES AND HILLS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING SCOUTED. IF

YOU KNOW OF A QUIET, DOWNHILL ROAD THAT MAY SUIT THE RIDERS, FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM OR COME JOIN IN ON THE ACTION TO SEE WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT FIRST HAND. • To keep up to date with the scene, like the Gravity Trike Sliders page on Facebook and check out the picture feeds on Instagram.

Supafly Huffy Trike.

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MULTI SPORTS

In Europe, running a marathon is a big deal. In South Africa, with its people who seem unlimited in their quest for challenges, a marathon is most often considered to be a weekend training run as part of an even bigger challenge. It is for this very reason that when the IRONMAN triathlon first came to the shores of Port Elizabeth in 2004, it immediately attracted a sizeable field of some 750-plus endurance athletes willing to take on this outrageously difficult event.

Now, ten years on, the event has grown to such an extent that 2,500 entries sold out for this edition, and it attracts a huge amount of interest from international athletes. Since its conception, there are 23 athletes who have competed in every event. We chatted to one of these athletes, who is one of only two women attempting ten consecutive IRONMAN South Africa races, the only professional to have competed since the very beginning, and the current 2014 SA Long Distance Triathlon Champion - Caroline Koll.

IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA

10 YEARS ON

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Q:

CAN YOU RECALL THE VERY FIRST TIME YOU LINED UP ON HOBIE BEACH? Yes, for sure! Although it wasn’t my first IRONMAN South Africa (I had already competed in my first when the event was held in Gordon’s Bay), this one was a few years later and I was much better prepared. We were far fewer athletes back then, just over 700, but everybody was really nervous and didn’t know what to expect.

When the drummers started to play on the beach I think I started to cry!!

Q:

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO YOUR VERY FIRST IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA? I have always gone after big challenges. It has never been something I have done to brag about, or make others think I am some sort of a heroine.

As a kid, I was quite shy, skinny and wore thick glasses so I guess it has always been a quest to prove to myself just how strong I could be.

Luckily, skinny in this sport is quite advantageous!

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Q:

Q:

HOW WAS THAT VERY FIRST IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA EXPERIENCE IN PE? It was simply marvellous! There really was an IRONMAN fever going around, from the athletes to the volunteers, everybody was super hyped and I don’t think that has toned down at all. In fact, I think it will reach frenzy status this year!

Personally, I don’t remember much of the day at all (amazing how you can forget all the pain a day after the race), except the amazing feeling running down the red carpet, with the cheering crowds and knowing that I had made it!

HOW HAS THE GEAR CHANGED OVER THE PAST DECADE? Actually, looking back, the gear doesn’t look that ridiculous or archaic as when one looks at pictures of triathlons in the '80s. I think initially, in 2004, it was more about your mettle than your equipment – that has changed a lot over the years! I think it can be a little off-putting to new triathletes to see the IRONMAN athletes from Joburg with thousands of rands worth of equipment. The truth is, in this race, I believe that success lies in the everyday effort you put in, not the free speed you think your money can buy! That said, all the equipment sales are great for the bike industry.

Q:

YOU ARE THE ONLY PRO TO HAVE COMPETED IN ALL NINE EDITIONS SO FAR, AND ONLY ONE OF TWO WOMEN (THE OTHER BEING PE LOCAL PADDY CLOETE). WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? With regards to being the only Pro, I think most of the Pro athletes are internationals, so they tend to move around a lot and choose new races every year. As for me, I think it is more about the fact that PE is my home race, and even though I have done many other IRONMAN events across the globe, I still feel the urge to give my best performance at this one (my best finish was fifth place), and the organisation rivals any of the top international events.

We are only two women to have competed in all the editions, but I think this is just due to the initial demographics. It is really promising to see, over the years, how many more women have taken up the challenge and are now competing in the IRONMAN, er ... IRONWOMAN. In my opinion, on race day, the women always seem to look better and are stronger.

Q:

THE COURSE FOR THE SWIM AND BIKE HAS BEEN CHANGED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS WILL AFFECT THE RACE? I believe that the changes were made in the interests of safety and fairness for all competitors and can only be a good thing. I do advise a gear ratio change to something more suitable to the additional climbs though.

The division of the swim starts into various waves is a significant improvement. The mass start was always spectacular for TV coverage, but with more than 2,000 athletes, the thrashing and bashing was becoming a bit too unpleasant.

The bike course has turned into a bit of a monster, with some new difficulties that have been included, and I think that it will considerably affect bike splits and finish times. If you do a new PB on this course, then you know you have achieved something.

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Caroline Koll in action.

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Q:

AFTER NINE YEARS OF COMPETING IN THIS EVENT, YOU MUST HAVE GAINED SOME VALUABLE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU CAN PASS ON TO THOSE ATTEMPTING THEIR FIRST IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA? For sure! I think I have learnt from mistakes, big and small, at every edition that I have competed in.

Here are some pointers: •

Pop in and out at the expo. Don’t spend all day on your legs hanging around there. If you want to chat to friends, rather invite them to sit down for a cuppa somewhere.

•

You don’t need all the fancy gear you see at the expo, stick to your old tried and tested gear, and especially don’t try something new you bought thinking it will make you go faster. It won’t!

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•

Your training is done, so don’t head out and smash yourself on the bike two days before the race because you see everyone else ‘training’. Rather, put your feet up and watch some DSTV in your hotel room.

•

Don’t try new drinks or drink too much water (too much will flush your body of valuable minerals) before the race.

•

Be careful of what you eat. I know someone who had a samoosa as a snack and ended up in hospital, at the time he should have been racing, with a bad case of food poisoning!

•

Lube up. If you are from inland, you will not be accustomed to how abrasive sea water can be. Get a good, waxy lube that won’t come off in water. Also pay special attention to your neck, which can get quite raw from wetsuit rub.

•

Take a small bottle of water with you to the swim start. This is great for rinsing your mouth and goggles after you have warmed up. And if your mouth is as dry as the Kalahari from nerves, a great thirst quencher.

•

Focus on not panicking in the first few hundred metres of the swim.

Everybody is nervous. Don’t give hard kicks or clouts over the head because someone touched your foot! Keep calm and be nice.

•

Run through the shower at the swim exit, it will rinse off most of the saltiness that could cause discomfort later on.

•

For the bike leg, do not start off at a pace that you know you would not be doing in your last 20 km. Commit to your own pace and race plan! This is also the most important time for fuelling, so consume enough calories regularly to carry you through.

•

For the run, use trusted socks and shoes, and when things get tough, smile! Smiling, oddly enough, seems to make the pain dissipate and the crowds will love you for it!

THE DO IT NOW TEAM WISHES CAROLINE ALL THE BEST FOR HER TENTH IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA. • For more information on IRONMAN South Africa, visit www.ironmansouthafrica.com

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HEALTH & FITNESS

TRANQUILLITY TRAINING

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WHETHER WE ARE RUNNERS, PADDLERS, HIKERS, CLIMBERS, SWIMMERS, CYCLISTS OR OTHER, OUR OFTEN TYPE A PERSONALITIES DRIVE US TO TRAIN DAILY, RACE REGULARLY, ACHIEVE EXTRAORDINARILY AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, FAIL EPICALLY AT TAKING OUR FEET OFF THE PEDAL AND SLOWING DOWN.

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THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE LEARNT MORE AND MORE OVER THE YEARS, BUT STILL, SOMETIMES IT TAKES GREAT DISCIPLINE TO UNPLUG, SWITCH OFF, CHILL OUT AND ZONE DOWN. The irony, of course, is that if we don’t do this every so often out of will, we’ll be forced to do it, somewhere down the line, out of necessity, and the latter will probably eat into our training, race and all-round life plans much more.

And so it was, this past weekend I delved inland for a weekend at KZN’s Buddhist Retreat Centre (BRC). A true gem, the BRC sits on a 125-hectare country estate, immersed in indigenous bush and forest and overlooking a giant lush green valley that can’t help but take your breath away. CNN featured BRC as one of the ten finest meditation retreats in the world and it took all of about five minutes to discover why. A towering Buddha sits quietly within the grounds, a Stupa (mound-like perfect spot for some peace and quiet, and the Zen sand gardens and labyrinth are two further places to relax and reflect.

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On the grounds alone are some gorgeous running and hiking trails, quintessentially African, red-sand trails, with views as far as the eye can see. I skipped out of a meditation practice on the final morning and watched the sunrise over the valley before running down, up and around. It felt like heaven.

The food is utterly divine and all the recipes can be found in BRC’s two best-selling cookery books, Quiet Food and The Cake the Buddha Ate. The most divine bread is served, soft, warm and fresh out of the oven, along with home-grown organic vegetables.

Everyone is welcome, be it for a self-retreat mid week or over the weekend when there’s a packed schedule of retreats to choose from that combine anything from meditation and yoga, photography and philosophy, to cookery, healing, growth and self-development. I chose a Classical Yoga & Meditation Retreat, which delved into the relationship between asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises), two of the eight limbs of yoga.

The drive up was full of chatter, which turned out to be a stark contrast from the retreat being one spent in ‘noble silence’, something we learnt only on arrival! Silence turned out to be a total joy. I realised that even when chilling out at other retreats and luxury escapes, I’m constantly talking, eager to learn and embrace as much from others as I can. But I realise now that if you are chatting from morning to night about your work, home, family, friends, lovers and others, how can you possibly be truly present and mindful of the current moment? I should however point out that I was the only one who had a giant fit of uncontrollable giggles mid practice one day and had to leave the room. I returned once calm, only to start right over again. Such bouts of true laughter are complete soup for the soul.

YOGA, I HAVE LONG BELIEVED, WORKS BEAUTIFULLY HAND IN HAND WITH RUNNING. THEY SHARE SO MANY GREAT METAPHORS FOR LIFE. THE ASANAS SUPPORT OUR BALANCE, COORDINATION AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH, AS WELL AS HELP US DEVELOP A STRONG MIND, FOCUS AND DETERMINATION.

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AS FOR MEDITATION, THIS WEEKEND MOST DEFINITELY REINFORCED ITS ABILITY TO ALSO WORK BEAUTIFULLY HAND IN HAND WITH RUNNING.

Meditation is a miracle discovery for athletes; it helps us focus, cope with pain, deal with fear, strengthen our immune systems, reduce stress, stabilize emotions, and discover our blind spots amongst other benefits, many others! I’ve often found, during long runs up high in the Alps or Himalayas, that when you go for hours without speaking, you can slow your mind right down and truly focus on your breath. You can shift into a sort of moving meditation and feel like you could continue forever.

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The pace of life at BRC is truly slow, just total tranquility. In fact, I think you’d find it hard to feel stressed there, whatever your normal training, work, home-life schedule is. Think peace over pressure, serenity over stress, calm over chaos and clarity over confusion.

SO THE NEXT TIME YOU FEEL IT’S TIME TO PRESS PAUSE FOR A MOMENT, I CAN’T RECOMMEND HIGHLY ENOUGH A VISIT TO BRC. YOU WILL LEAVE FEELING RENEWED, REFRESHED, REINVIGORATED, REPLENISHED AND READY … READY TO GET BACK INTO TRAINING, RACING AND, OF COURSE, ACHIEVING WITH ZEST AND VIGOUR! • Visit: www.brcixopo.co.za Location: Just off KZN’s District Road D64, which branches off the R56 between Pietermaritzburg and Ixopo.

Accomodation: Ranges from simple, single rooms with shared facilities to en-suite cottages and thatched chalets overlooking the valley.

Cost: See website.

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BALL SPORTS

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOUTH AFRICA HAS THE TALENT, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO SEE THIS TALENT CLAIM A PLACE ON THE WORLD STAGE OF HOCKEY IS IF THIS SPORT CAN GET THE NECESSARY FUNDING.

Lack of funds is crippling SA hockey Matt Botha on the attack against Germany.

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TWO OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST EXPERIENCED AND KEY PLAYERS, CAPTAIN AUSTIN SMITH AND STRIKER LLOYD NORRIS-JONES, BELIEVE THAT THE FOUNDATION IS THERE.

Unfortunately, it’s at the top level of this sport, when money becomes crucial, where it all goes wrong. Both Smith and Norris-Jones have earned more than 100 caps and represented their country at the Olympic Games, World Cup and Commonwealth Games.

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South Africa has the numbers, regarding players, and there is a steady growth of astro turf fields being built around the country, with less schools playing their games on grass fields. Thus, the foundation for the sport is strong.

“We are having success in some areas and less so in others. In the lower levels, we have seen a huge increase in the number of players gaining access to astro turf, which is hugely important for their development. It also excites me to see the number of professional clinics being run around the country. These events are crucial for getting kids excited about hockey, as well as for their skill development. The number of schools putting down astros is also steadily increasing, with a number of them looking

Matt Botha in the middle of a circle attack challenging the German defence.

to place a second, which again is very encouraging,” said Smith, who plays his club hockey in the Dutch’s Hoofdklasse for Den Bosch. He is also the captain of his club side.

Norris-Jones is of the opinion that the problem comes in when funding is needed. “There are so many factors to consider when thinking about hockey in this country and what state it is in. With only two people working in the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) office, the workload is far too much to also put effective proposals in place that will attract and secure big sponsors. The office should have 10 people doing 15 different facets of the association. It’s just too much to handle for two people,” said Norris-Jones.

SMITH ADDED, “IT IS HARD NOT TO NOTICE THAT OUR SENIOR TEAMS STILL HAVEN'T MADE IT INTO THE TOP 10 AT ANY OF THE RECENT MAJOR TOURNAMENTS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE IN THE COMING YEARS.”

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Austin Smith, captain of the Proteas.

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Lloyd Norris-Jones in action against Germany.

FOR THESE CHANGES TO HAPPEN, FUNDING IS NEEDED. Currently, the men’s team has a sponsor, but it is not enough. In Europe, hockey is in some cases professional and at worst semi professional. That is not the case for Smith and his team. They recently lost their coach just months before the World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands. Charlie Perreira just wasn’t willing to struggle on. Now the onus is on Fabian Gregory to take the team to the World Cup, which is being held from 31 May to 15 June 2014.

The lack of financial support is not only regarding salaries for players, or even just paying them a match fee. It is critical to have funding for training camps, as well as to get international teams here for test matches or send the team overseas to gain as much international experience as possible. In some cases, the players have to take money out of their own pockets for the chance to represent their country.

“Financial support is vitally important. We are just lucky to be a mass-participation sport, otherwise the funding we get from the government would be minimal and we wouldn't be able to get any international exposure,” said Norris-Jones.

“They say money isn't everything, but in this case it certainly is,” commented Smith. “Without funding, we aren't able to employ enough staff to run the programmes we would like to, have teams meet regularly to train or afford to get much-needed tour experience. Worldwide, hockey is becoming more and more professional, with many of the teams training full time for months prior to major tournaments. Without financial backing, we simply cannot compete with these teams.”

Smith has been named in the international All Star team – a world team that is chosen at the end of each year. While Norris-Jones’s blistering speed and ability to score goals has made him a deadly weapon.

However, they are not the only players that have boundless individual talent. Due to players only getting together every now and then, seeing these talented individuals perform as a world-class team hasn’t happened yet.

“One of the biggest problems we face in the senior teams is keeping squads together over an extended period of time. All too often, players reach 80-100 caps and then retire. If you look at other national teams, you will find the average player has well over 100 caps. Players can't put off work and earning an income until they are 35, so it is understandable. It's sad both for the association and players that they simply cannot afford to play for their country any longer,” said Smith.

“Our biggest shortcoming is finance. We have the talent, now we just need the finance to get us to more international tournaments. With more international hockey exposure, we would be more competitive at major international tournaments and climb up the world rankings,” said Norris-Jones. The team is currently ranked 12th.

Both Smith and Norris-Jones have played in the Indian Hockey League (HIL), which was started in 2013 and is based on the same principles as the Indian Premier League for cricket. Smith and fellow South African Justin Reid-Ross play for the Ranchi Rhinos, who won the HIL in the opening series. Norris-Jones and Tim Drummond played for the victorious Delhi Waveriders in the 2014 HIL that ended in March. According to Norris-Jones, the performances of the South African players in tournaments like the HIL prove that the country has the talent to produce top-class performances.

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“WE HAVE THE TALENT!” South African sportsmen are extremely talented in general. We have competed individually, and favourably, in leagues around the world, so there are no shortcomings in that department. The HIL is extremely important for hockey worldwide, as it is propelling the sport into a more professional limelight,” said Norris-Jones.

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For Smith, the HIL is a great platform to raise the profile of hockey. “I think the formation of the HIL is a huge positive.

Suddenly top players are able to earn significant sums of money (in hockey terms), which can help players sustain the hockey lifestyle for a longer period. Not only is it a chance to earn money, it is also a brilliant advertisement for the sport. It really showcases the sport, and who does glitz and glamour better than the Indians. For the players, it is a fantastic opportunity to play in a unique environment and it's also great fun to play alongside someone who you normally only see on the other side of the field during an international match.”

Andrew Cronje scoring from a penalty corner.

Even though the path they have chosen is not one without obstacle or sacrifice, neither Smith nor Norris-Jones would have chosen differently. Like many people who decided to make their hobbies their career, it will never be about making pockets full of money. It is more about the experiences and opportunities that present themselves.

“The ability to play hockey full time as a career for a short period in my life is something very special. All too soon I will be working an 8-5 job, so while I have the time I am going to cherish every moment I have to play hockey, and to play hockey for South Africa,” said Smith.

I'VE TRAVELLED THE WORLD AND MET MY BEST FRIENDS PLAYING HOCKEY,” SAID NORRIS-JONES. “PLAYING FOR YOUR COUNTRY IS JUST THE CHERRY ON THE TOP AND I'LL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR PURSUING THIS CAREER.” • If you would like to support SA hockey, please visit www.sahockey.co.za or Austin Smith’s website www.austinsmith.co.za for more details.

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STREET SPORTS

ROLLER DERBY IS ON A ROLL

SO WHAT IS ROLLER DERBY? Well,

it’s probably the most awesome sport that you will hear of. Roller derby is a full contact women’s sport played on quad skates.

It's more than skating around in circles; it requires endurance and strength, as well as strategy. It is also an exhilarating sport to watch and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Jammer, Bug Off from the Thundering Hellcats gets blocked by Sugar Fists from The Raging Warmones. Photo credit: Allan Riedel

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The Raging Warmones waiting for their safety checks.

Photo credit: Darling Harbour Photography

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LOOKING BACK In the 1920s, 'roller derby' was used to describe endurance races on quad skates. By the 1930s, it became a transcontinental sport, which had evolved from a skating race on a banked track to more of a physical competition that involved over-emphasized collisions and falls. The sport became very popular in the 1960s, but was shut down in 1973 when its popularity petered out. There were a few attempts to bring roller derby back over the years, especially in the 1980s, but to no avail.

Roller derby, as we know it today, was started in the early 2000s in Austin, Texas. A flat track roller derby, as opposed to a banked track that was previously used, was created because it was easier and cheaper to mark down a track on a flat piece of floor. Today, there are more than 1,200 flat track roller derby leagues around the world, of which four can be found in South Africa.

The C-Max Roller Derby League, in Johannesburg, was founded by Melinda Lotz and myself in June 2010 and was the first-ever roller derby league in South Africa. Since then, the sport has grown in popularity and can be found all over the country, with leagues also established in Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria.

PLAYING THE GAME The objective of the game is to lap opposing skaters and score as many points as possible for your own team. For example, one opposing player passed equals one point scored. The game is played on a flat, oval track and with two teams, of which there are a maximum of 14 skaters in each team.

A roller derby 'bout' (competition) consists of two 30-minute periods of roller skating around the rink.

Each period is then divided into two-minute 'jams'; this is when a pack of ‘blockers’ try and prevent the opposing team’s ‘jammer’ from breaking through the pack and scoring points. The first jammer legally through the pack is awarded lead jammer status and can end a jam before the two minutes is up. The team with the most points wins.

Teams will field five skaters for a jam; three blockers, one pivot (demarcated by a stripe across their helmet) and one jammer (demarcated by a star on their helmet). The blockers and pivots form one large pack on the track. The jammer's job is to try and pass through the pack and score points by legally passing players from the opposing team (on their second pass onwards). The pack will play offense and defense simultaneously, to both assist their own jammer to get through and prevent the opposition jammer from scoring points. The jammer scores a point for every opposing blocker she passes and if she is lucky, she can score a grand slam point for lapping the opposing jammer.

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Miss C Malice trying to get through the pack as Bruise Lee smacks her.

Photo credit: Jethro Snyders

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KNOWING THE RULES There are lots of rules in roller derby and breaking them means a one-minute stint in the Sin Bin, or penalty box as it is otherwise known.

Here is a list of some of the most common penalties you will see in a bout: BACK BLOCK: Pushing or shoving to the back of a player, which causes them to fall or lose position.

ELBOWS: The use of elbows, which causes an opponent to fall or lose position.

LOW BLOCK: Tripping a skater and making them fall or lose position.

TRACK CUT: Skating out of bounds (off track) and re-entering in front of another player to better your position.

FOREARM: The use of the forearm in a block, which causes an opponent to fall or lose position.

HIGH BLOCK: A block that makes contact above the shoulders.

STOP BLOCK: A skater engages an opponent whilst stationary on the track.

DIRECTION OF GAME PLAY: A skater engages an opponent whilst skating in a clockwise direction (game play must move in an anti-clockwise direction.

Skaters may skate in the opposite direction as long as they do not make contact with an opposing skater).

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Fairy Painful and Crack n' Dekher trying to get their team together.

Photo credit: Mercuriosity

Winning teams The Raging Warmones and Slam Damsels posing with their medals.

Photo credit: Darling Harbour Photography

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Wembley Sports Complex in Turffontein.

Photo credit: Darling Harbour Photography

Sugar Fists giving Ella Rockafella a shoulder check. Photo credit: Mercuriosity

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GOING DERBY STYLE Due to the fact that this is a full contact sport, there is compulsory gear that must be worn. Derby girls are required to wear quad skates (no roller blades), wrist guards, elbow guards, knee guards, helmets, gum guards and sometimes even butt padding.

Roller derby costumes, known as 'boutfits' are also a big thing at bouts. Hot pants, fishnet stockings and war paint are some of the most popular choices among the players. Yes, we wear make-up and then sweat it off.

Now roller derby is not just about fancy gear, it's also about the players skating under pseudonyms or derby names. There is even an international roster where players register their derby names, to ensure that it is unique to them. Some examples of the C-Max derby girls’ names are Slam-u-well Jackson, Sookie Smackhouse, Klap Cake and Faye Tality.

Jammer Ling vom Bot racing around the track. Photo credit: Jethro Snyders

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Winning teams Leo Slayer and Sugar Fists.

Photo credit: Darling Harbour Photography

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GETTING TOUGH C-Max's five home teams (Hate City, Raging Warmones, Thundering Hellcats, Savage Sailor Dolls and Slam Damsels) compete regularly against each other in Johannesburg, whilst our All Star Travel Team will soon be competing against other teams in South Africa and around the world.

The home season kicks off in April 2014, and we would love to have you there, so keep an eye out for dates on our website or Facebook page.

Team South Africa will be competing in the Blood & Thunder 2014 Roller Derby World Cup for the very first time, which is being held in Dallas, Texas in December. The first set of team tryouts have already been held in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town, and they were tough and sweaty. After six gruelling hours, the top girls came out strong and will be attending the next round of tryouts in June this year. The final team selection will be judged by representatives from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and we are currently liaising with the Texas Roller Girls (the number-two team in the world) to see if they will also help out with the judging.

The final team roster will be announced in September and will consist of up to 20 skaters.

JOINING IN We are always looking for more derby girls, referees, sponsors and anyone who would like to be a part of the sport in some way. So if you are over the age of 18 you are welcome to join, just make sure you are wearing your big-girl panties. Men are also welcome to join, as we are currently trying to start up a men’s team and always looking for more male referees.

So if you're up to trying something different and having some fun, then why not give roller derby a go? I hope to see you on the track, soon. •

For more information about women’s flat track roller derby or the rules, visit www.wftda.com If you would like to find out more about: * C-Max Roller Derby League, Johannesburg, visit www.cmaxrollerderby.com or Facebook: C-Max Roller Derby League * Cape Town Roller Girls, visit www.capetownrollergirls.com or Facebook: Cape Town Rollergirls * Durban Derby, visit Facebook: Durban Derby C-Max (Jhb) has recently started a recreational league that is held every Sunday afternoon at the Peace Street Sports Complex in Modderfontein from 14h00 to 17h00. Entrance is just R20. At these sessions you will be taught all the basics, starting from how to stay upright on your own eight wheels.

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WATER SPORTS

THE WORLD’S BEST WAVESKI SURFERS ARE SET TO CARVE UP AND MAKE PLAY DOUGH OUT OF SOME OF THE MOST PRISTINE AND EPIC SURF BREAKS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA AT THE WORLD WAVESKI SURFING TITLES 2014. Hosted by the South African Waveski Surfing Association, the event takes place in Durban, from 26 April to 4 May. As a precursor, the SA Open Series will consist of three events in three locations along 1,600 km of coastline.

These events will attract the world’s best waveskiers, so expect nothing less than upside down airs and radical cut backs, progressive and innovative surfing at its best, by the best.

Ian McCloed. Photo credit: Timothy Reinhardt

Waveski impis TO BATTLE IT OUT ON THE WAVES

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THE SERIES OPENS WITH THE WESTERN PROVINCE OPEN AT JONGENSFONTIEN, FROM 12 TO 13 APRIL. THE EASTERN PROVINCE OPEN FOLLOWS AT JEFFREYS BAY, AT THE REVERED MAGNA TUBES, FROM 16 TO 17 APRIL. THEN IT'S FINALLY ON TO THE BORDER OPEN AT NAHOON REEF, EAST LONDON, FROM 21 TO 23 APRIL. Points will be awarded for positions achieved in each event, culminating in the South African Open Series 2014 Champion being announced. The World Waveksi Title event in Durban will be based on a roving system, with the beach of choice being New Pier and alternative breaks being North Beach and Umhlanga. There will be nine categories, ranging from Cadets (13 to 16 years old) to

Locally, waveski surfing has traditionally enjoyed a strong rivalry between the provinces of KZN, Border, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, and this year will be no different. In addition, there will be top international riders from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, France, England, Portugal, Brazil and the United States of America. France is a strong contender with big names like Virgile Humbert, Pablo Arrouays (2013 Worlds Open victor and runner-up respectively), Mathieu Jonneaux and multiple world title holder Mathieu Babaret.

Matthieu Babarit.

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South Africa usually dominates and boasts many past and current world champions, the likes of Sandra Pienaar (Ladies), Charles du Plessis (Grand who shined at last year’s Durban Wave Action, which is considered to be the test run to Worlds, were KwaZulu-Natal's Duran (Duran) Martin and Liam Kerr, the Eastern Cape’s Ian Macleod and Doug Copeland, Border’s Andre Burger, and the Western Cape's Schalk van Wyk and Rory Taylor.

LA DUUUMA! SLASHING CUTBACKS AND ASSEGAI SPRAYS. LA DUUUMA! DIMPLED SWELLS AND CRASHING WAVES. LA DUUUMA! THE WAVESKI IMPI BATTLING IT OUT ON THE WAVES. LA DUUUMA!

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COMPETITION BREAKS THE OPEN SERIES OFFERS VENUES THAT HAVE BEEN HAND-PICKED FOR ITS WORLDCLASS QUALITY WAVES. Jongensfontein offers an idyllic holiday atmosphere, with a superb right reef break and rides up to 200 m, perfect on a smaller swell. The break is central to the village and anyone with a view can enjoy the competition from their balconies. For storm conditions or if the swell proves too fierce, the competition will move to Stillbaai point, an insane right reef break that can handle 20-ft swell.

Jeffreys Bay needs little introduction and Magna Tubes is situated at the top end of J-Bay. Also a right-hand reef break, it’s renowned for long, powerful, barrelling waves.

The surfing atmosphere that J-Bay exudes is unmistakable, the electricity palpable.

Nahoon Reef gets the adrenalin pumping when those huge right-hand reef peaks come out of the deep sea to come crashing down on the reef. It offers a superb wave, but getting caught on the inside of a big set can easily be the end of a heat. Shifting peaks and strong winds make this spot a challenge in poor conditions, but taking off on a Nahoon bowl stays with you for a long time, as pure power thrills all the way down the 250 m reef.

Durban North Beach's location on the east coast means right-hand rides come with a crunching beach break between the two piers. Home of the original Gunston 500 and birthplace of many a South African surfing hero, as the swell hits a shallow sand bank, the lip jabs forward and fast barrels are pleasingly commonplace. However, on bigger days paddling out through the crashing bank is almost impossible. Timing, fitness and strength sorts the men from the boys, the warriors from the wets.

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Matthieu Babarit.

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THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE The serious contender comes in the form of our very own home-grown Ian Macloed, son of the famous founder of Macski. Ian is currently the SA champion, having won the SA Opens 2013, and he's on a winning streak in other local competitions. Recently placed third at the USA Opens, Ian is known for his powerful surfing style, shredding spray off big turns in the pocket of the wave.

His main competition will come from within the heart of the French team, the ‘Kelly Slater’ of waveski surfing - Mathieu Babaret. Multiple world title holder and master of the aerial manoeuvre, his clinical style and radical moves will challenge Ian right to the end. The younger, dynamic French riders, like Pablo and Clement, are the wild cards.

The advantage often sits with the rider if the conditions on the day suit one's particular style and preference, which makes the ability to surf a variety of breaks and conditions imperative in the run up to the titles.

SA WAVESKI TEAM 2014 Juniors - Tian Podges, Duran Martin and Liam Smith New Age - Adolph van Zyl and Andre Burger Seniors - Schalk van Wyk and Ant Stout Master - Ian Macleod, Doug Copeland and Rory Taylor Grand Masters - John Venter, Jeremey Pienaar, Gerard Wilke and Tony Dubber Veterans - Willy Graser, Danie Nel and Ian Beach Ladies - Sandra Pienaar and Shannon Copeland Team Manager - Jan Brand

Ian McCloed.

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SPONSORSHIP AND MEDIA COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES To host a world-class event, sponsorship is paramount.

Prospective sponsors for any Open Series event and or Worlds can please contact Darryl Moodie of Focus Marketing Economic &

Concerning World Titles, Durban 2014, the media rights package associated with Worlds offers sponsors a big reward for their buck.

In particular, from a media perspective, DSTV will cover the entire week’s event via a 26-minute highlights programme. Filmed by White Hot Media in Durban, it will cover the competition from the opening to closing ceremony. It will also be given a minimum of six spots, possibly ten for broadcast, and there will be a live feed on YouTube during the entire final day. From comprehensive and detailed programmes to leaflets and permission to erect branding on the beach, this competition will shape a unique opportunity for potential sponsors.

For our international sponsors, we have secured time on an international TV channel called Nautical Channel (nauticalchannel. com/nautical-channel), which is aired in 42 countries and seen by almost 20-million people. •

World-Waveski-Surfing-Association/160903600622918 for updates, awesome photos, or sponsorship queries.

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WATER SPORTS

Orange River: Entry.

WHITE WATER

PART 3

SUPING RIVER KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE

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MAKES HOT COOL. LITERALLY.

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IN MY LAST TWO ARTICLES, I COVERED THE FIVE KEY BUT EASY STEPS TO BECOMING A WHITE WATER SUPING SUPER STAR, AS WELL AS THE BASICS AND WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED TO MAXIMISE YOUR ENJOYMENT AND KEEP YOU SAFE ON THE RIVER. IN MY FINAL

ARTICLE, I'LL DISCUSS RIVER KNOWLEDGE, THE TERMS AND WHAT THEY MEAN, AS WELL AS WHAT INSTRUCTION AND GUIDANCE IS NEEDED TO ACCELERATE YOUR LEARNING CURVE AND MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THE RIVER SAFER. 92 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35

RIVER KNOWLEDGE Rivers are graded into six levels, which are referred to as 'grades' or 'class', and followed by a number.

Grade 1 being flowing flat water, whilst grade 6 is unrunnable. Often a river or rapid will be given a numerical grade and then a plus (+) or minus (-) to indicate if it is at the higher or lower end of the difficulty level. A river section may be given an overall grading, but may also contain sections above that grade. Below is a basic summary.

CLASS I: EASY Waves small; passages clear; no serious obstacles.

CLASS II: MEDIUM Rapids of moderate difficulty with passages clear.

Requires experience plus suitable outfit and boat.

Orange River: Scouting made easy.

CLASS III: DIFFICULT

CLASS VI / CLASS U

Waves numerous, high, and irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow chutes, requiring expertise in manoeuvring; scouting usually needed. Requires good operator and boat.

Formerly classified as unrunnable by any craft. This classification has now been redefined as 'unraftable' due to people having recently kayaked multiple class VI around the world. It has life or death consequences.

CLASS IV: VERY DIFFICULT Long rapids; waves high, irregular; dangerous rocks; boiling eddies; best passages difficult to scout; scouting mandatory first time; and powerful and precise manoeuvring required. Demands expert boatman, excellent boat and good-quality equipment.

CLASS V: EXTREMELY DIFFICULT Exceedingly difficult, long and violent rapids following each other almost without interruption; riverbed extremely obstructed; big drops; violent current; very steep gradient; and close study essential but often difficult. Requires best person, boat, and outfit suited to the situation. All possible precautions must be taken.

I suggest you choose a lower grade section of river for your first outing and work your way up through the grades as you get more experienced. Stick to day trips until you get proficient.

Here are some basic river features and hazards to be aware of before setting out on white water.

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Orange River: Ideal stance - feet wide apart and low with an active blade in the water.

FEATURES: This is water flowing in one direction without the disturbance of rocks and trees. Considered grade 1, easy for beginners.

This is the area behind and obstacle in the river, usually rocks. It is an area of low pressure, allowing the paddler to stop in midstream. This is used for slowing the descent down, scouting, safety, and rescue. Catching eddies will be a vital skill to learn when paddling white water.

Created by water flowing over the rocks on the riverbed. These can be in the form of cushion waves, stopper waves, lateral waves, and standing waves. downstream - This give you the orientation of the river.

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HAZARDS: This is water that flows over a rock, creating a recycling motion that flows upstream.

This is normally when water falls steeply over a rock, creating a deep recycling motion.

These are man-made obstacles in the river that act as a dam, creating a steep drop-off much like a pour-over but more consistent.

Usually found on farm roads and in rural areas where cement pipes are laid on the riverbed and the road cast over it. This acts like a siphon, creating a sucking motion through the pipes.

This is an obstacle, normally trees and overhanging branches, which allow the water to flow though it but traps the paddler.

This occurs when two rocks fall on each other and leave a gap, allowing water to flow under the rock and create a sucking current that may trap the paddler under the rock.

This is an upstream obstruction just below the surface of the river that creates a fan of water, indicating the obstruction.

This should be entrenched in your brain. Never stand up in flowing water. There is a danger that your foot gets stuck under a rock and the flow of current pushes your body under the water, resulting in a bad situation.

INSTRUCTION AND GUIDING If you going to attempt grade 3 and 4 white water, it is suggested that you attend a basic river course with professional instruction. Contact Paddlezone for some training options. This will accelerate your learning curve and make your experience on the river safer.

Like many other water sports, you should never paddle alone. Paddling with a group allows you to watch and learn from others who are more experienced and you may avoid the ‘school of hard knocks’.

IF YOU LOOKING AT AN OVERNIGHT TRIP, YOU CAN TAG ALONG WITH AN OPERATOR WHO OFFERS RAFT SUPPORTED TRIPS FOR SUPS. CHECK OUT GRAVITY ADVENTURES FOR LOADS OF OPTIONS!

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SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER INTRODUCTION TO WHITE WATER SUPING Join Gravity Adventures for a three-day long trip on the awesome Orange River Gorge to explore the new sport of white water Stand Up Paddle boarding. You will need to bring along your own inflatable SUP and we will provide everything else! Fully catered and guided, you can concentrate on learning new skills from instructor Andrew Kellett, all in a stunning desert wilderness environment. Take advantage of this special introductory offer for DO IT NOW Magazine

Orange River above Sendelingsdrif: The rocker and high volume of this board help with running higher grade rapids.

offer ends 31 May 2014). Contact us information.

SENSE OF ADVENTURE Whenever you are pioneering a new sport, you can expect the unexpected! River SUPing is not a graceful sport; you will fall and fall often!

ONE THING IS FOR SURE, RIVER EXPLORATION REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING ADVENTURES AND IT NOW HAS A NEW PLATFORM TO EXPLORE. IT ALSO

GIVES PADDLERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE EASY RIVER RUNS FEEL CHALLENGING ON A SUP. 96 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35

WHITE WATER SUPING IS HERE TO STAY! • Andrew Kellett is a five-time National Freestyle Kayak Champion and an accomplished expedition kayaker with many first descents under his belt. In 2012, he started exploring the sport of WWSUP on rivers.

To check out the companies mentioned, visit: Paddlezone - www.paddlezone.co.za - www.gravity.co.za

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TRAVEL

EXPEDITIONS & NOBLE CAUSES THE SENQU EXPEDITION WAS AN EPIC ADVENTURE BIRTHED FROM DESIRE, CONVICTION AND NEED. Every one of the members of the team had previously embarked on similar adventures, but it was the desire to do something truly extraordinary, and to do it for a noble cause, that brought this team together.

Quality paddling.

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WITH THE AIM OF FURTHER EXPLORING THE OUTSTANDING ADVENTURE WONDERLAND OF LESOTHO, SOME IDEAS WERE DISCUSSED BETWEEN DEVON AND MYSELF AROUND DOING SOMETHING REMARKABLE AND USING THIS ‘EXCURSION’ FOR THE GREATER GOOD. OF COURSE, A BIT OF TOM TO HELP US COVER SOME OF OUR EXPENSES WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT THAT WAS NOT A PRIORITY. 100 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35

Devon and I had been involved with SALT (Spirit of Adventure Leadership Trust) for some time and seen the incredible change within students' lives, facilitated by SALT. We firmly believe in the great work SALT is doing and wanted to raise funds and awareness for this truly noble cause. With this in mind, we set out to structure our Senqu adventure’s marketing, planning and support around SALT. We were still nobodies in the world of extreme sports and finding willing supporters of the expedition was a yearlong struggle. We did manage to get some really cool groups on board though. I cannot mention all of them, as it would take up most of the article, however, there is a detailed account of the support groups on our Senqu blog.

Similarly, it is not possible to share all our experiences in this article, so you will also find the full story on our blog, and we encourage you to read it!

The start of Senqu.

The expedition included 100 km of high-altitude running across the Lesotho Highlands to Mokhotlong, where we would meet up with our awesome support driver, Stephen Wagner, and the Beast (our brilliant support vehicle). From there, the three of us planned on paddling 434 km of white and flat water, basically covering the full length of the Senqu River (the Orange River within Lesotho), which starts in the Mnweni region of the Drakensberg, in the north east of Lesotho, and finishes in the south west of Lesotho, near the Tele Border Post. We had been told that Lesotho was fighting through the most severe drought in recorded history and we prayed desperately that Lesotho would receive a lot of rain in the upcoming weeks. It did (eventually)!

Devon and I started our hiking/running leg on

the morning of 14 December, about 7 km from the foot of the Mother Ugly Rockeries Pass in the Mnweni region of the Drakensberg. We have both climbed many passes in our lives (it’s part of our jobs), but the Rockeries is the nastiest of them all. Anyway, we managed to climb this monster in under three hours, marched for another 2 km to the source of the Senqu and then covered another 12 km before passing out in delirium. We barely slept that night because of the bitter cold and were pumped to get going the next morning so we could warm up.

We only planned to get to Mokhotlong on the afternoon of the 16th, but we felt strong and after our nap on the afternoon of the 15th, we decided to push as hard as we could and hopefully make it all the way to Mokhotlong on that day. We finally reached Mokhotlong at 02:00 a.m. on the 16th, having covered 65 km in 21 hours. This may seem ridiculously slow, but we did do a lot of hiking and running at night, and trust me, it gets VERY dark in those ‘woods’ at high altitude, with mother-heavy backpacks on and we crossed several rivers over a 100 times! All things considered, we did flipping well.

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Full of Bull - we needed wings.

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Last evening in Lesotho.

Post portage, Kings Gorge.

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WE WERE AMPED FOR A WHOLE DAY’S WORTH OF FINAL PREPARATIONS (AND REST) ON THE 16TH AND WERE TREATED LIKE KINGS BY OUR WONDERFUL HOSTS AT THE LOCAL MISSIONARY STATION, WHO WE COULD NEVER THANK ENOUGH. STEPHEN AND THE BEAST ARRIVED AT ABOUT LUNCHTIME AND WE QUICKLY GOT HIM UP TO SPEED ON THE FIRST LEG OF PADDLING OVER THREE DAYS, WITH NO SUPPORT. 104 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35

We set off on the 17th on a high from our running/hiking leg and although the water level was shockingly low, we were so happy to be on the Senqu River after months of planning and training. The first three (and a little) days of no-support paddling were possibly the worst three days adventuring of our lives.

There were very few sections where we did not have to portage our 5 m monster of a boat, and we gained two serious cracks early on running rapids that this boat was not exactly made for.

Even after covering 117 km in those first three days, we were way behind schedule and never mind our bodies, our spirits were broken. The first few days really were something from a horror novel and an experience that I would forget if I could.

Smurfs on the Senqu.

Crossing the Finish Line.

We met up with our trusty support crew on the morning of the 20th and accompanied with some really good advice, concurred that we could not carry on paddling in these conditions. We therefore decided to skip a section of the Senqu and put-in where the water level was more acceptable (hopefully). The 20th was filled with incredible sights and adventures, including the most horrendous 4x4 pass to a dead end – and a massive waste of time. We finally arrived at the Matabeng confluence and set up a kiff camp where we could finally have a good look at the damage done to the boat on the first four days. We managed to slap together a plastic concoction that worked supremely well (thank you USN containers) and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the company of a legendary Afrikaans couple that were meandering through the country.

By now, Lesotho had received a lot of rain (prayer is amazing) and it continued to rain three-times daily for the duration of our expedition, so the water levels only got better and better. We milked the next 100 km in one-and-a-half days and this section included over 80 rapids, which we capsized on, on many occasions. This section of the Senqu is the most beautiful place I have ever been in and won a spot on my ‘must-do-again’ list. It was topped off with a night in a cave that we named Wookie (read the blog to find out why).

There was still a lot of interesting paddling between us and our support crew and after our fantastic lunch with Stephen, we still had quite a distance to cover that included having to navigate two huge weirs and the most crazy grade 3 rapid to end off the day.

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The infamous Kings Gorge portage.

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ABOUT SALT The objective of the trust is to provide a sustainable opportunity for all youth in KwaZulu-Natal to receive leadership training, so that our nation can be developed for the greater good. Therefore, the primary beneficiaries of SALT will be youth from previously disadvantaged (PDI) backgrounds and under-resourced schools.

THE NEXT DAY (23RD) TOOK US 55 KM FURTHER (A NODDY BADGE TO US) AND PAST SOME SPECTACULAR SCENERY, ANOTHER GRADE 3 RAPID AND THE INFAMOUS KINGS GORGE PORTAGE (A REALLY WORTHWHILE SECTION OF OUR BLOG). IT WAS A TRULY SPECTACULAR DAY’S PADDLING (ANOTHER ITEM ON MY ‘LIST’).

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By the morning of the 24th, we were fit and milked it! We covered almost 68 km (partly due to the amount of Red Bull we consumed) of mostly flat water on the day. Later, we enjoyed the most spectacular Christmas Eve dinner (more details in the blog) and slept like babies that evening.

By the last day of the expedition, there was only 43 km left to go. We paddled it (with our Christmas hats on) in under 5 hours and finished completely spent, but satisfied with our Christmas Day victory! We had finished the expedition two days ahead of schedule and topped it off with amazing Christmas leftovers back at Devon’s farm in Oribi (a 600 km incredible drive later). Total distance covered = 473 km.

Crossing the finish line.

IT WAS THE MOST DAUNTING, REWARDING AND GAINFUL EXPERIENCE OF OUR LIVES, AND ONE THAT WE WILL ALWAYS VALUE! ONCE AGAIN OUR THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE, ALL IN THE NAME OF SALT. HASTA LA VISTA FROM THE SENQU TEAM. NEXT ADVENTURE TO FOLLOW SOON! •

If you would like to find out more about the expedition or get some advice on braving this truly exquisite river, then contact Jurie via email on ccrjuriepohl@gmail.com or Devon on dhsflappy2@gmail.com. They would be more than happy to share or help.

For a full and entertaining account of what transpired in Lesotho, check out the Senqu blog: www.juriepohl.wordpress.com. Also in this blog is a file that can be downloaded and viewed in Google Earth. It is a file showing, in tremendous detail, the full magnitude of Devon and Jurie’s undertaking. The blog also contains a lot of footage including some really epic must-see videos.

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WATER SPORTS

Pausing for a moment to see where the trout are rising.

SUPing It’s summer. It’s hot and I want nothing more than to go and jump into a body of water and cool off. I'm in

Bozeman, Montana, and have had my fill of the activities in and around the area.

I’ve white-water rafted, done some fly fishing, swum in high mountain lakes after an all-day hike, and backpacked into the wilderness. Now I want to try something new. I want to go somewhere I haven’t been before. In all honestly, I want to try something that reminds me of home, where I grew up surfing.

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Having to walk in the channel, due to the shallowness of it. It wasn’t entirely a bad thing because it gave me more time to enjoy the surroundings.

SUPing

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Sometimes, the paddling was such a joy that it wasn’t even a paddle.

So on my birthday, I gave it a go. I drove to the park and booked a campsite close to the launch area.

I then made my way to the park’s headquarters to fill out the necessary backcountry permits, just to be able to camp out there. When the park officials asked me what kind of vessel I was going to use to get to the campsite and I told them what it was, it felt like a movie scene from a comedy where someone farts in a silent area and all those within hearing distance turn and look at them with an awkward, bazaar look. They asked me again what vessel I would use and again I said the same thing. When they still didn’t believe me, we all went outside so I could show them my SUP. After some head scratching, the officials eventually gave me my permit and sticker to legally pursue a backcountry site.

Based in Montana for the summer, I had brought my stand up paddle (SUP) board with me so I could paddle on the and rivers in the area, and had a blast doing it. But I had a trip in mind that I was unsure if anyone had done before, let alone if it was even possible.

Yellowstone National Park is about 100 miles from Bozeman.

My proposed trip was to load camping gear on top of my SUP board, in waterproof bags, and paddle to a backcountry campsite along the shore of a distant lake. I had read that there were many in the park and all were possible with a canoe or kayak, but what about a SUP?

My plan was to begin paddling on the morning of my birthday, starting on one lake. Then I would paddle to another lake via a small channel between the two, approximately six miles from my launch site. So with the sunrise straight ahead of me, I took off.

The channel that connected the two lakes was about 3 miles away, which meant I had to paddle across open water and away from the shore to get to the opening. It wasn’t until then that I realised that this trip might be a bit scarier than I originally thought.

What I had pictured in my head was a gorgeous, serene and quite experience, where I would do nothing other than enjoy my paddle in a beautiful national park, do some fly fishing and be one with nature. Then about half way to the channel, it hit me that I was alone. Alone in a very wild wilderness, where nature is everything. But my worries slowly began to fade away when I saw the sun rising and trout sipping flies from the surface of the lake, like one sips a good glass of wine.

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The fishing was great! They weren’t the biggest of fish, but they were some of the prettiest.

After a few casts out to the rising trout and another 30 minutes of paddling, I reached the opening of the channel. It was here where the beauty and silence over, and I realised how gorgeous the lord intended nature to be. I was in a shallow,

slow moving body of water, no wider than 20 metres, which was so translucent that I could see various species of trout and aquatic plants as clear as day. It was quiet, too quiet. Although this is exactly what I wanted the trip to be, it was so quiet that it was creepy.

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Entering the channel, and steering towards what lay ahead.

Enjoying a cup of coffee with a view better than television can offer.

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Taking a rest from the head winds and shelter in a cove.

SUPing

About four miles further along, I finally reached the lake and headed for shore, where I kicked back and proceeded to cast out to the trout from the shoreline. Fishing off a SUP is an interesting experience, as you can get to areas not accessible from land. But casting without having to balance yourself was a great feeling. A couple of fish later, I set up camp and did nothing but take in the view of a fresh breeze rippling across the lake and an ever-colourful sunset.

Spending just one night here was not enough. However, when you are alone and creeped out from every noise you hear in the middle of the night, you begin to think that you may have seen enough. The paddle back was such a joy that it wasn’t even a paddle. Having fought a current on the way there, all I had to do on the way back was steer and take in the splendor of my surroundings. The channel was a blast of relaxation and beauty, but once through the channel, the lake on the other side was a different story.

By the time I reached the where I had launched from, an afternoon breeze had up. I woke early the next day in the

hope of being able to beat said wind, but Mother Nature had other ideas. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from her. Facing a head wind on a SUP is like a sailboat going against the wind, but up river as well. Needless to say, my day on the lake proved to be a full-on workout, but incredibly rewarding. What I thought might not have been possible was possible. I had done it.

There are other trips planned around the globe and I look forward to pursuing more adventures with this new concept. •

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Rouen Smit at Diaz Beach.

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Fourteen swimmers from all walks of life completed one of the most extreme open water swimming challenges in South African waters earlier this month, in support of the Little Fighters Cancer Trust, a local charity that offers support to children with cancer and their families. The Swim For Hope group successfully swam the 8 km rounding of Cape Point, widely regarded as one of the most extreme open water swims in the world, while both the male and female records for the route were broken.

The swim was carried out in accordance with open water and English Channel swimming rules: only a single swimsuit (no wetsuit), cap and goggles may be worn, and swimmers have to start and end on land without ever making physical contact with any members of the support crew or the to finish in a time of 1 hour 41 minutes, taking 21 minutes of the previous record that was jointly held by himself and UK swimmer 2 minutes off her 2004 female record time, finishing in a time of 2 hours 18 minutes.

Rouen Smit was the youngest swimmer to take part and this is his take on this amazing yet noble experience.

IT REALLY FIRST STRUCK ME THAT I WOULD BE SWIMMING AROUND CAPE POINT WHILE STANDING ON THE SOFT WHITE SAND OF DIAZ BEACH, WHICH IS SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL TALL CLIFFS. LOOKING OUT AT THE VERY ROUGH OCEAN, THERE WERE ABOUT SIX BOATS ALREADY WAITING FOR THE SWIM TO START, but a few other boats,

including mine, were still missing. These boats are essential to the swimmers, as they provide us with orientation, a sense of safety, drinks and energy snacks, and the vitally important Shark Shields.

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BEING A REGULAR SUNDAY SWIMMER AT CAMPS BAY, I AM QUITE USED TO LARGE WAVES AND ROUGH SEA. HOWEVER, THIS TIME EVERYTHING SEEMED TWICE AS HIGH AND MUCH ROUGHER THAN MY USUAL SUNDAY SWIM; THE STRONG CURRENTS COULD LITERALLY PUSH YOU INTO ROCKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BEACH, WHICH SOME OF THE ‘WET START’ SWIMMERS NARROWLY MISSED.

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I have dreamed about swimming around Cape Point ever since my first open water ocean race. The majestic cliffs, the history of the area, the challenge, and fact that only a few people have ever done it before made this a major swimming goal for me. But what made this specific swim even more special was that I was doing it for the Swim For Hope charity, where funds raised go to the Little Fighters Cancer Trust (LFCT). The trust, started in 2010

by Tania Goslett and Thomas Engela, supports children with cancer and their families.

The organiser of the Swim For Hope event, Carina Bruwer, first did the same swim alone in 2013 as a fundraiser for LFCT; she raised an incredible R17,450 that time. In hopes that a larger group of swimmers would raise even more funds, she invited others to join her this year. As a regular swimmer in Cape Town, I heard about the attempt through word of mouth and immediately contacted Carina to secure my place. To take part in the swim we had to make an initial donation of R1,500 and provide sufficient evidence that we had the physical (and mental stamina) to take on this dangerous swim.

On the day of the swim, the 14 swimmers were divided into two groups - the ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ starters. I was one of the ‘dry’ starters, which meant that we started from the beach, while the others came from their boats. They had to swim in through the break, get on the beach and start with the rest of us. I have great respect for anyone who chooses to do it that way, as the swim from the boat to the beach surely took a lot of energy by itself.

When the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association observer shouted, "Start," all 14 swimmers ran to the waves and waited until there was an opening to go through safely. Having been to Diaz Beach before, swimming through the 4-metre waves felt so great. The power of the waves breaking behind me was quite astounding and they could definitely do you harm if you were in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Once through, I had to immediately find my boat, which was the largest and even had a warm shower on board if the need arose.

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AS I WAS SHARING A BOAT WITH TWO OTHER SWIMMERS, WE HAD TO WAIT FOR EACH OTHER UNTIL WE WERE ALL TOGETHER. I ARRIVED FIRST AT THE BOAT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY MY FRIEND, CHRIS WESCOTT. We couldn’t see

the third swimmer, Monika Hayes, anywhere nearby and the boat Skipper told us he had seen her being pushed onto the beach by the waves.

At this point, many of the other swimmers had reached their boats and were headed towards the Point. The boat left Chris and myself so that it could get closer to Monika. At this point, everything felt quite strange as these were waters I had never been in before and we were completely ‘unprotected’ by Shark Shields (that were kept on the boat).

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AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES, MONIKA AND THE BOAT REACHED US AND WE WERE FINALLY HEADING TOWARDS THE POINT. IT WAS ABOUT 2 KM TO THE POINT AND THE WATERS WERE VERY SWELLY, WITH THE WAVES MOVING US EITHER A STOREY BELOW OR ABOVE THE BOAT AT TIMES. This was the toughest part of the whole swim. Once we reached the Point, the water immediately started to feel warmer. Although very welcome, this change also made an encounter with sharks more likely; one doesn’t usually find them in the Atlantic and in cold water (touch wood). This was also the first time I had swum an open water event on the False Bay side.

In the end, the biggest ‘threat’ to me was the possibility of touching the end-point of the Shark Shields. I have never swum in the presence of Shark Shields before, but Carina and others told me that touching the end-point will give you a nice shock. So, while I was swimming, I was also concentrating on not touching the shields, but at least it made me feel safe and protected from the sharks.

The last 3 km felt like a breeze and the end came up quite unexpectedly. At Buffels Bay, there was some kelp you had to dodge, but all was fine until you got to the jetty. Having swum 8 km your legs aren’t very stable, but it had been such a spectacular swim; a dream come true and a new challenge beaten. I also felt very proud to have contributed to a good cause, by helping children and families going through difficult times and making things a little easier.

So far the charity swim has been a great success and we have already raised more than the R100,000 target through donations by individuals and institutions. •

MORE INFORMATION

You can read more specific details about the swim at www.swimforhope.co.za.

There is also a link where you can still make donations that will go to the Little Fighters Cancer Trust. For details about the LFCT, visit www.littlefighters.org.za The best way to get involved with charity open water swims is to either start your own, or join the regular swimmers at Camps Bay every Sunday, where you might just hear about cool swims (like I did!).

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THE SWIMMERS

Carina Bruwer (34), who leads the multiple award-winning instrumental pop group Sterling EQ and holds records for numerous swims including the English Channel (fastest SA woman), Gibraltar Straits (fastest woman), False Bay (fastest SA woman) and many more, is joined by 12 men and 2 women aged between 24 and 61, all of whom have significant open water swimming experience. Collectively Capetonians, Justin Coetzee (44), Keith Struthers (55), Toni Enderli (36), Monika Hayes (50), Lindsay de Kock (55), Anthony Pearse (44), Martin Vleggaar (36), Neil Hopkins (32), Chris Westcott (33), Charl Cilliers (45), Clinton Le Sueur (40) and Rouen Smit (24) share dozens of successful Robben Island crossings plus a few records. Johannesburg swimmers Colin Gluch (46) and Richard Child (61) have also braved the Cape waters for a number of crossings, and Richard also has an English Channel crossing to his name.

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THE CAPE POINT SWIM

As opposed to the Robben Island and even the English Channel swimming crossings, which have been conquered by thousands of swimmers to date, only some two dozen swimmers have successfully completed the 8 km rounding of Cape Point (also known as 'Cape of Storms') since the first rounding by worldrenowned American swimmer Lynne Cox, in 1979. Factors contributing to this relatively low number include the great white shark population and other dangerous sea life in the area, cold and rough seas around the point, dangerous waves off Diaz Beach, and the general inaccessibility of the terrain.

USE OF FUNDS RAISED

All moneys raised will go towards the Little Fighters Cancer Trust’s BAG OF HOPE Project. A bag of hope provides essentials for both the child with cancer and his/her mother or bedside caregiver, with items such as toiletries, pyjamas, non-perishable food, educational toys, blankets and sanitary products, making a challenging and prolonged hospital stay just a bit more comfortable. LFCT is operational in 11 main paediatric oncology treatment centres throughout South Africa, including the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Free State. •

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TRAVEL

Words: Tori Leckie, www.fitchicksandfastwomen.com ǀ Photos: Il Gruppo Digitale www.shutterstock.com

ON THE PISTE I’VE JUST RETURNED TO THE SWEAT FEST OF DURBAN AFTER A FANTASTIC TRIP CARVING UP THE PISTE IN PICTURE-PERFECT CONDITIONS IN CERVINIA, A WONDERFUL LITTLE ITALIAN SKI RESORT IN THE SHADOWS OF THE MIGHTY MATTERHORN.

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I WAS DUE A LITTLE RESPITE FROM THE MOUNTAINS YOU SEE, BECAUSE 2013 HAD THROWN ME A FEW CURVEBALLS ON THE MOUNTAINS AND TRAILS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THEY BEAT ME DOWN AND SHOWED ME WHO IS BOSS. First up, I never made it to a race in Nepal last March due to Maoist road-blocks causing havoc on the road to Pokhara. The following month, I ventured to lovely Lyon in the south of France for my annual girls' trip, with the intention of running the Beaujolais Village Trail, a gorgeous 65 km through rambling wine estates. The race turned out to be wonderful, but a scary car accident en route to the race could have created a very different ending. Next up, end May, I flew to Geneva with the intention of running the 80 km Maxi Race in the mountains above Annecy, one of France’s most beautiful towns.

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All smiles at the end of a perfect day on the piste.

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Tori Leckie and her father, who prompted the theme for this months Adventure Chick.

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ON THE EVE BEFORE THE RACE, EVEN AFTER REGISTRATION, THE ENTIRE EVENT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS. SO MY FRIENDS AND I ATTEMPTED TO HIT THE RACE ROUTE OURSELVES THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Think knee deep in snow and sliding all over! Finally, in November, the now iconic Skyrun, which you can read about in my article 'Going sky high - Salomon Skyrun 2013', was of course abandoned mid-race after a truly unforgettable and humbling experience. As AJ Calitz so aptly said, “Humbled by the weather, our mountains and our maker.”

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So my recent Italian adventure came as a perfect reminder of how truly marvelous the mountains are when they behave, when obstacles don’t rudely interrupt our plans and the weather doesn’t cause havoc. Thankfully, I can now say that my faith in the magic of the mountains has been fully restored!

Cervinia, sitting at 6,726 ft / 2,050 m is a pretty accessible ski resort in terms of travel and distance. I flew from Durban, via Dubai, to Milan and from there it’s just two hours up the road to Cervinia. The ski area is enormous and the mountains truly majestic and utterly breathtaking.

You can ski all the way to Zermatt in Switzerland, but if you plan on having lunch on the other side you need to be aware of leaving enough time to catch the lifts to get back to Italy before they close.

I learnt this many years ago, from bitter experience!

Italians know how to live la dolce vita (the good life, full of pleasure and indulgence). Lunch was in chocolate-box chalets, all wood and chintz, with three-course Italian feasts washed down by warming bottles of red. Evenings were spent sipping Prosecco and playing games by the fire after yet another feast of gastronomic proportions.

The snow was perfect, as soft and fluffy as it gets, with all around, 360-degree panoramic views of stunning snow-capped peaks. My days normally ended on such a high that no sooner had I returned to the hotel, did I swap my skis for my Yaktrax (crampons for running on ice) and head back out, this time to run on the snow. It’s moments like this that you feel so incredibly alive, treading where many do not and discovering pastures new, far away and up high.

On one particular afternoon, my dad, who I was with, had a mighty wipeout. Off piste, the snow was so deep that his skis, which had scattered perhaps 30 ft above where he lay, were nowhere to be seen at first. “Dad, are you ok? Did you hurt yourself?” I asked him. “No, no, Victoria*, I’m fine. Just my dignity …” * Victoria, reserved for my parents and when being told off.

I immediately shot him down. “Don’t be silly, Dad,” I said.

“There’s no shame in falling. If you don’t fall, then you’re not trying hard enough.” How true it is that in skiing, as in life, if we don’t fall every now and then, we’re not trying hard enough. And then of course it occurred to me that skiing holds a few good metaphors for life.

It epitomises the strength, courage and endurance that life requires. Life asks us to zigzag right and left around obstacles, as if we’re on a slalom course, but all too often we try to proceed fast and straight. Perhaps it’s no wonder then that we so often plough headlong into problems!

www.shutterstock.com

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SKI CONDITIONS VARY. THERE CAN BE BRIGHT SUNSHINE, CLOUDS, RAIN, SLEET, FOG AND SOMETIMES HUGE SNOWSTORMS. THE WIND CAN BE HOWLING OR CALM AND THE TEMPERATURES CAN RANGE FROM SUB-ZERO TO SPRING SKIING T-SHIRT WEATHER. The slope surface can be

frozen firm or feet on feet of soft powder. Sometimes the slopes are groomed to perfection whilst other times there are moguls galore. Similarly, life conditions vary. At times all things go well, like the perfect day on the slopes with the sunshine beaming down and the skis running true. Other times we have trouble and strife. Skiers however, have a way of finding joy on the slopes in spite of the conditions. The joy is heightened with good conditions, but conquering the difficult conditions can become a joy in itself. And I think this is true of life too. Whatever the situations we encounter, there is always opportunity to find joy!

The only way down is to ski down the hill. Once you’re off the chairlift, the only way 'out' is down! You just have to turn your skis down the hill and go. There’s a big element of trusting yourself and what you’ve practiced to instinctually do the right thing. Likewise, in life, sometimes we just need to put ourselves on the top of that hill and conquer any doubts. It doesn’t matter if we’re not always going at lightening speed or looking super suave and stylish. What matters is that we’re moving in the right direction.

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Taking a fall is also a reflection of life because you never really see it coming. And when it happens, it is, at times, easy-peasy to get back up again, or at others, not at all. You might have lost a ski halfway up the hill and feel your confidence is battered. But in skiing and in life, you just have to take the time you need to put yourself back together again, without pressure from anyone else and most of all, from yourself.

The final life lesson of skiing is knowing your limits. Sure, we all like to talk of diving in and pushing our limits, but we also need to evaluate the risk of a situation. If you’re not a kick-a** skier, you don’t want to find yourself at the top of a lift where the only way down is on a double black diamond! So it’s important to plan ahead and raise the bar with new limits that are achievable and not going to end in disaster.

ON MY LAST EVENING, THE SUNSET ON THE MATTERHORN LEFT ME SPEECHLESS AND I LEFT WITH A HEAVY HEART. TOUCHING DOWN BACK ON SOUTH AFRICAN SOIL HOWEVER, IS ALWAYS A JOY AND OUR SUMMER CLIMES CERTAINLY CAME AS A WARM WELCOME HOME! • Accommodation: Several hotels and lots of apartments for rental. I stayed at Club Med (www.clubmed.com), which is easy as it’s all-inclusive and very social.

Getting there: Emirates flies from Durban (and Johannesburg / Cape Town) to Milan (stopover in Dubai) with prices ranging from R8,000.

More information on Cervinia: Visit www.cervinia.it

www.shutterstock.com

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Don’t let the big one get away…

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Focus areas include: • Finance* • Executive, Senior and Middle Management • Internal Audit • Human Resources • Information Technology • Management Consulting • Project Management • Administration. *Ranging from listed company CFOs to junior accountants, specialising in Chartered Accountants.

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We are ideally placed to ensure that you hook the big ones, the future leaders and key talent of your organisation of tomorrow.

Contacts Gauteng: Paul Plummer - pplummer@deloitte.co.za KZN: Sam Bradley - sabradley@deloitte.co.za WC: Andrea Havenga - andhavenga@deloitte.co.za

TRAVEL

Words: Sam Bradley ǀ Photos: Leopard Mountain Game Lodge

An elusive leopard sunning himself in the afternoon rays.

TRAVEL HOT SPOTS

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IT IS NOT YET SEVEN IN THE MORNING BUT ALREADY THE HEAT IS NOTICEABLE. The watering

holes are few and far between and the vegetation is dry and sparse, eagerly awaiting the first summer rains. Not far away two helmeted guineafowl notice our presence and let off an ungainly squawk of alarm. Moving slowly forward, I take care to tread as lightly as possible, knowing that stealth is crucial on this particular adventure.

We are on a guided walk at Leopard Mountain Game Lodge in the Zululand Rhino Reserve, and I am warily keeping a lookout not just for rhino but for all manner of beasts that could view me as a tasty morning snack (lion and buffalo probably topping my ‘let’s stay out of their way’ list). Our guide Ivor, armed not only with eyes like a hawk but also a pretty nifty looking rifle, gives us some manner of confidence, although we are acutely aware that we are the intruders in the animal kingdom here. At some point, we come across a buffalo quietly grazing: on foot, with not much protection, this experience takes on a whole new dimension. Creeping quietly and submissively away, we soon find ourselves in a valley where a female leopard was spotted not two hours earlier. We continue to move through the area slowly, keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of movement, but she is too clever for us and slips away unnoticed.

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Leopards are most active at night.

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Leopard Mountain Lodge is fantastic for bird viewing, boasting more than 520 species.

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EXPERIENCES LIKE THESE ARE PART OF THE DAILY ROUTINE AT LEOPARD MOUNTAIN, A FAMILY-OWNED LODGE SET IN THE NATIONAL PROTECTED AREA THAT IS ZULULAND RHINO RESERVE, A 23,000 HECTARE RESERVE IN NORTHERN KWAZULU-NATAL. Being a relatively small establishment, with chalet accommodation for 18 guests, staff can ensure that every visitor experiences a truly memorable stay. With tables set up around a campfire, dinners are intimate occasions and guests can enjoy a scrumptious four-course dinner and an award-winning wine selection with nothing but the sound of the bush in the background and the twinkling of the starry night sky overhead.

Guest’s comfort comes first at the lodge and lunch is a picnic basket packed with delicacies for guests to enjoy in the comfort of their chalet. And the beautiful stone and thatch accommodation really is worth spending some time in. Each unit is secluded enough for privacy and comes equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay (thankfully not with a TV or any other electronic devices to spoil the serenity of the surroundings). Best of all is the private plunge pool in front of each chalet (the perfect way to escape the heat of the day) and the hammock strung across the porch, with beautiful views out over the bushveld and Lebombo Mountains.

Not that you will have too much time for lazing in a hammock. Early morning game drives are an education of life in the bush. The reserve has all of the big five, as well as numerous smaller animals and more than 520 bird species, and the guides seem to know them all. Tucked up snug with blankets and hot water bottles to keep out the cold, we come across all manner of flora and fauna (the highlight of the drive was seeing two lions mating).

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A herd of Cape buffalo peacefully grazing close to a waterhole.

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A mature bull elephant feeding.

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Each chalet has a private plunge pool - a great place to admire the sunrise from.

The luxurious chalets, of which there are only 12 at the lodge.

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AFTER RETURNING TO THE LODGE FOR A FULL BREAKFAST, GUESTS HAVE THE OPTION OF A MID-MORNING TRIP TO THE HIDE. Well camouflaged on the banks of one of the all-year-round watering holes, visitors can sit back and admire whatever arrives for a drink. Our photo opportunities (and moments of amusement) were provided by a family of warthogs enthusiastically splashing about in the mud not five metres in front of us. The afternoon game drive was dedicated to finding one of the leopards after which the lodge takes its name, and while we did come across plenty of other game, as well as a spectacular sunset, the most elusive of the big five animals once again evaded us.

Albert Einstein wisely advised, ‘Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.’ Leopard Mountain Game Lodge definitely provides a memorable and detailed look at nature at its finest. In fact, 80% of guests to the lodge are return visitors and after our weekend at the lodge, we could see why. I know I need a return visit and another attempt at finding one of those leopards. As an added bonus, I know that if I wait four or five months there will also be some cute little lion cubs waiting for me. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “I’ll be back.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Rating: Leopard Mountain is a 4-star lodge.

Directions: When northbound on the N2 Highway, take the D464 District Road / Leopard Mountain Lodge turnoff to your left, 32 km after Hluhluwe.

Proceed to the main gate of the Zululand Rhino Reserve where you will be asked to sign in, and then continue for 13 km to the lodge.

Rates: R1,895 per person per night sharing, including dinner, bed and breakfast, lunch, high tea and three daily game drive activities.

Other activities: The guided walks are good for game and bird spotting (R300 per person), and the ‘Touch an Elephant’ experience (R350 per person) is also available. • More information: www.leopardmountain.co.za

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Words: Peter Fairbanks

I would like to wish you all a brilliant 2014 despite the South African economy already having taken a rather bleak turn. Mrs Marcus, it could be argued, has done what was needed to keep South Africa in line and attract foreign investors, as well as hold inflation at bay. However, one can

physically feel how the mood has changed in the streets since her unexpected rate hike in January.

Now, I am definitely not in a position to question her stated motives, but I do understand that the hike in rates will have far-reaching implications and slow down many developments and opportunities for the coming year. This leads me to the inevitable questions on any investor’s lips, "What is the potential return for the year ahead, where to invest and what to expect?"

What's in store for 2014?

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Potential returns

Except for a small group of South African citizens, the majority of us are committed to various long-term products, through either direct shares, property or cash investments, or structured vehicles such as Provident Funds, Collective Investments or Retirement Annuities.

It is therefore understandable that all of us would like to see our hard-earned monies invested give us returns of above average. But, and this is a big BUT, if you have already invested in a longterm product, usually for five years or longer, and the returns are lower than you anticipated or hoped for, I urge you to not jump ship and stay true to your course. Remember, shifting from one fund to another in search of that above-average return year on year will only lead to more misery than pleasure because 90% of the time, you will miss the boat and that specific fund could already be on a down turn. However, if you are looking to invest in any new long-term products, and there are plenty on the market, please speak to your financial advisor, who will be able to help you make an informed decision in these tough economic conditions.

Where to invest

It appears that a large number of investors want to take their monies off shore, due to the weaker rand. Even though the rand depreciated by 25% in the last 12 months, be careful.

For those of you who remember the 'big scare' back in 2001, this led to South African investors buying pounds at an exchange rate of £1 to R19 and then a year later found themselves out of pocket at R11 to the pound. Yes, it could be argued that certain fundamentals have changed in South Africa since 2001, but so have things in the 'big' economies.

In a survey conducted in America recently, the majority of those interviewed felt that only their great grandchildren would see a strong economy again, as experienced in the 2000s. In addition, most of them don’t have a great outlook in the medium term for their own economy.

Therefore, in answer to those questions, these are my thoughts: Don’t get your hopes up too high for great returns on the JSE this year. If

you are over 65 and dependent on high interest rates to grow your capital, the situation may be on the up and up for you by the end of this year, so hang in there. Stick with your original investment strategy or fund and seek advice before any making emotional changes in terms of where to invest.

What's in store for 2014?

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Regulation 28

This leads me to my point of ponder for this month. A couple of years ago, Regulation 28 was brought to life. In essence, the aim of Regulation 28 is to regulate the percentage of monies invested in retirement products or funds between all the asset classes. The bottom line is that a maximum of 75% of the capital and monthly contribution may be exposed to equities. For the average person, this means that he can’t place 100% of his monies in equities anymore.

Even after reading through a lot of paper work, I still can’t see the real point of this regulation. Nevertheless, Treasury will say that it’s all for the good of protecting retirement monies and reducing our exposure in foreign exchange and shares. To this end, Treasury is now enforcing this regulation with greater zeal and success than any other legislation.

Anyone worth their salt will tell you that a young man or woman in their 20 to 30s should have as much exposure to equities and risk classes as possible. Why? Because this is where the real returns start on funding a long-term investment like retirement. So my concerns with this piece of legislation is that it is governed with one rule that suits all and the heavy handedness of which it is enforced it is enforced across the board. When Mr Manuel curbed our foreign exchange exposure, you could understand his logic: to protect us from the chaos of 2000/2001 and stem the outflow of money from the country, which does the local economy a lot of harm. With this in mind, Regulation 28 seems a bit out of touch and extremely rigid.

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Furthermore, product suppliers need to report on each investor’s asset allocation at least twice a year and serious warnings are imposed on them if they are not inline. As a result, insurers and investment companies are incurring costs behind the scenes to enforce this legislation, and this is resulting in additional price increases for the investor.

But let me give you an example to put this all into perspective. If you are fully invested at 75% through various funds and one fund manager increases his equity exposure for a while and you end up with 80% equities, you will immediately be in breach of this regulation. To rectify this, the insurance company or product provider will need to take steps to reduce your exposure back to 75%. The same fund manager duly reduces that equity exposure, which leaves you with only 70% invested in equities, and this could be for a prolonged period. By being so overzealous in enforcing Regulation28, not only is the exposure of the best weapon in your arsenal for building long-term growth reduced but you, as the investor, lose out (financially) even more than you realise) in this precious asset class.

So on the one hand, Treasury is screaming for lower costs but placing a heavier burden on product suppliers by adding legislation. On the other hand, and because government is doing so much with beneficial tax laws to encourage young people to invest, you would think that all legislation brought to the table would support the concept? Maybe going forward, Treasury has bigger plans for this regulation. But for now, we can only hope that they relook this regulation and be more flexible for the benefit of us all.

As always, if you are ever in doubt please contact your financial advisor to help you make the most of your finances, by developing a financial plan that suits your circumstances and makes sure that you stay on track with your finances. I urge you to do this sooner rather than later and save yourself from unnecessary heartache. •

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ENTERTAINMENT

Words: Tracy Knox ǀ Photos: Various Photographers

Dancing deaf SimonEé Botha has not let anyone stand in her way of becoming a professional dancer despite the fact that she has a profound hearing loss. This young lady was born to perform and has made it her goal to show the world that a hearing-impaired dancer can make it to the top.

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DO IT NOW Media spoke to SimonE to find out more about the experience of dancing deaf.

Q:

You started your dance career at the tender age of two. Has it always been your dream to dance professionally?

Most definitely! I never saw myself doing anything else.

The stage is where home is and I am in my element when performing. On stage I can be myself. I love the challenge of acting out different characters.

Q:

Q:

I looked up to my older sister, Elnette, who at that stage was four years old. I could never sit still when watching her in class. I copied the children’s arm and leg movements from my mom’s lap. I so badly wanted to do what they were doing. The ballet teacher, Natalie Swanepoel, later said to my mom, “She is actually still way too young, but her whole body and soul wants to be on the dance floor. Let her come and dance with the others, even if she just stands at the back of the class.”

The speech processor for my Cochlear Implant (CI) that I wore as a child was twice the size as today’s cellphones. I had to find a way to wear it while dancing, thus my mom came up with a brilliant plan. She designed a pocket on the inside of my leotard. As a result, my CI was safe as I danced away. I looked normal from the front, just like the other dancers. What I did not realise is that when I turned around, the children wondered and often questioned the strange rectangular shape on my back. I had brought something new to their world, something they had no idea about.

Two is a very young age to start ballet. The average age is about 4. Why did you start so early?

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How are you able to dance with your hearing aid without it falling off as you twirl and leap around?

Photo credit: Helene Starke Photography

Today my CI is much smaller and fits just behind the ear. I have had many problems in the past where I did a pirouette and it flew off. Naturally, it broke and had to be sent in for repairs.

A very expensive exercise! As the years went by I became proficient at making adaptations to suit my needs as a dancer. I now stick physio strapping plaster behind my ear and the CI sticks like super glue! I can now skip, leap, twirl and roll on the floor and know that my CI is safe.

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Simoné as Natalie Wood in Private Presley.

Photo credit: Pat-Bromilow Downing Photography

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Dancing deaf www.doitnow.co.za • 165

Q:

Many people thought you couldn't become a professional dancer because you are hearing impaired. Was it a difficult challenge to constantly prove them wrong?

The life of a professional dancer does not start right after you finish university.

Its starts with your very first ballet class. Through the years you meet teachers, choreographers and company directors who believe in your capability as a dancer and those who don’t. Those who didn’t believe in me only made me more determined to prove them wrong.

I was six years old when I danced in the finals at an Eisteddfod and an adjudicator had to choose the section winner. I did not win and I accepted it, but the next day my parents received a phone call from a very emotional adjudicator. She explained that she had made a big mistake and couldn’t sleep the previous night. She added that when she was trying to decide the winner between me and another girl, she asked the scribe’s opinion and the response was that she should rather let the other girl win because the ‘little deaf girl’ will never make it anywhere in the world of dance. The adjudicator followed her advice, but felt so guilty afterwards that she decided to give the winning prize to the ‘right’ girl.

Over the years I was also privileged to be acknowledged as a talented dancer through winning various sections and special awards without the adjudicator knowing of my hearing impairment.

Q:

You’re currently a member of the Bovim Ballet Company. How does the other dancers act towards you, as a hearing impaired that cannot hear the music?

www.shutterstock.com

They are incredibly supportive and know that I have to rely on them with regards to the music. They are my ears. If I did not hear a correction during rehearsal and they noticed, they would repeat it for me. Bovim Ballet is one big family where everybody supports one another in some way.

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Q:

Last year you had the opportunity of dancing in your first leading role in Bovim Ballet’s ‘Private Presley’. How did it feel when you realised that your dream to dance a leading role in a ballet production had finally become a reality?

I have danced various leading roles in contemporary productions, but this was a first for a ballet performance. I couldn’t believe it! It was truly a wonderful surprise.

The role was a really nice challenge and I enjoyed myself tremendously! I have always wondered if something like this would ever become a reality for me as a hearing-impaired dancer. I will always remember this breakthrough and cherish it as one of the highlights of my life.

Q:

Music is such an integral and important aspect of dance. How are you able to be in perfect time with the music if you cannot hear it?

My co-dancers know that I have to rely on them for rhythm. My eyes are my ears.

They work overtime because I watch the other dancers out of the corner of my eyes. I also try to carefully listen for certain musical cues whenever possible to determine if I am too quick, too slow or in time with the music. That means that I really have to concentrate, which is mentally tiring.

As a rule my body rhythm is what guides me. When I learn a set of choreography, my body doesn’t only pick up on how the steps must be done, but also how fast or slow it must be executed in a given time frame. Thus I do not dance with a musical rhythm but rather body rhythm. I don’t hear the music; I feel it with my heart.

Today, people have difficulty believing that the dancer on stage was born totally deaf. I am often asked how I am able to dance in the front row and be in perfect time with the music when I'm deaf. This is the reward that I get for years of persistent hard work and passion to strive for what I believe in and love.

SIMONÉ, WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR FUTURE LEADING ROLES AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOUR DANCING CAREER GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. •

Watch SimonE dance in 'Private Presley' by clicking on this link : www.youtube .com/watch?v=3zflVF

Lx31s

Simoné can be seen in Bovim Ballet’s up coming production ‘Queen at the Ballet’, show ing from 26 March to 13 Ap ril 2014 in Johannes burg, at the Joburg Thea tre. For bookings, vis it www.joburgtheatre .com. For more infor m at ion, visit www.bovimba llet.com

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inFOCUS

Reader Photo Competition

W75IN 0!

R

WINNER, 1ST QUARTER 2014 Photographer: Elmer van Zyl Photograph: Bring it

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Place: CFL Fight League Category: Sport

ENTERTAINMENT

Reviews by www.fortressofsolitude.co.za

MOVIE TITLE

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE Director: Noam Murro Starring: Eva Green, Jack O'Connell, Lena Headey and Sullivan Stapleton

HIGHLIGHTS Amazing visuals.

RECOMMENDED FOR Fans of the first movie.

VERDICT

300: Rise of an Empire is both a side story and sequel to 300.

It primarily centres on Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) an Athenian general and politician - as he orchestrates and implements naval battle plans against the impending Persian invasion. He asks Sparta to join Athens, but the Spartans have already headed to face

King Xerxes - the God King - and his armies at the Hot Gates. Themistocles is left with assembling an army of farmers, workers and younger men to defend the seas. It is a violent movie, yes, but still very enjoyable. Each fight scene - or tense moment - is strengthened by the music score as it lends some much-appreciated atmosphere. This is the sort of movie you purchase on Blu-ray and watch with a 9.2 sound system setup, but I wouldn’t worry about the 3D edition. I found the 3D to be tacked on and not noticeable at times.

My other gripe with 300: Rise of an Empire is its pacing. The beginning and back stories are told in a rushed and confusing way. I felt the movie ended before it really got started. I would have loved another hour’s worth of fight scenes and some more story to go along with it.

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MOVIE TITLE

LEGO MOVIE

HIGHLIGHTS

Director: Christopher Miller and Phil Lord Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Jonah Hill, Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett and Will Ferrell

RECOMMENDED FOR

Everything is awesome.

Whole family.

VERDICT Growing up with Lego, I remember their little generic faces, the helmets with teeth marks and the little crack down below the visor because you were playing a bit rough during those fun building adventures. Lego creates moments you will never forget, moments that this movie has not forgotten.

The Lego Movie is a humorous, high-octane and fun-filled adventure, and at the centre of it all lies a generic little Lego builder know as Emmet (Chris Pratt). Emmet lives his life following the instructions; he likes the music he is supposed to, he loves coffee as he is supposed to and he does his job exactly how it should be done and all is done to please the leader of this Lego land, President Business (Will Ferrell). The Lego Movie is more than an attempt to cash in on a successful franchise. This is a stellar movie, not a marketing ploy. It has subject matter that is relevant to what society has become today; it shows us the power of creativity and imagination all whilst teaching the viewer a valuable life lesson. With a magnificent cast of voices you will recognise easily, when it comes to the Lego Movie, everything is awesome!

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GAME TITLE

SOUTH PARK: THE STICK OF TRUTH Developer: South Park Digital Studios Publisher: Ubisoft Genre: RPG

HIGHLIGHTS Amazingly funny.

RECOMMENDED FOR

Fans of South Park, not for kids.

VERDICT

South Park has had an incredibly odd journey to get to where it is. When it launched in the late '90s, it seemed to be nothing more than Simpsons for the next generation, with all the horrific jokes and black humor pushed up to 11. However, the amount

of rip-offs that formed in its wake, hoping to cash in, failed after one season and proved that there was something more here; at its core, South Park is a deeply anarchic, surreal show with a grossly subversive view of the world that is sometimes just terribly accurate.

It definitely isn’t a show for everyone and I understand that, but with this legacy built up behind it for 17 seasons now, it seems incredible that not only did we get a game based on that but that it was so true to the show and, at the same time, a very good game in and of itself. It boggles the mind.

The Stick of Truth is an amazingly funny and good game. It is one of the best licensed games ever, and a labour of love by people who really knew the source material that they were working with. If you don’t like South Park, you won’t like this, but as a game on its own, it’s definitely worth a play or two.

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GAME TITLE

FINAL FANTASY XIII

HIGHLIGHTS

Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Square Enix Genre: Action, RPG

RECOMMENDED FOR

Next-gen graphics.

Fans of the series.

VERDICT

We laughed when Final Fantasy X-2 was released. We accepted it when Final Fantasy XIII-2 was released. And now, in 2014, we have a game that is Final Fantasy XIII-3 in all but name. You

can understand the reason why, in a game series that is based on the premise of creating new, interesting worlds, mythos and characters for each entry, it can be exceedingly painful to want to give them up when you finish without answering the ultimate question: “What happens next?”

Overall, I was satisfied with FFXIII. This a nice little coda to the Final Fantasy series on this generation on consoles, and now we can all look forward to the release of FFXV.

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GAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR

INFAMOUS: SECOND SON

Genre: Action Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Date: April 2014

DARK SOULS II

Genre: Action Developer: From Software Date: April 2014

MLB 14: THE SHOW Genre: Sports Developer: SCE San Diego Date: May 2014

MOVIES TO LOOK OUT FOR

NOAH

Genre: Drama Director: Darren Aronofsky Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Hopkins Date: 4 April 2014

OUT OF THE FURNACE Genre: Thriller Director: Scott Cooper Starring: Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson and Casey Affleck Date: 4 April 2014

DIVERGENT

Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi Director: Neil Burger Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Ashley Judd Date: 4 April 2014

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READER'S

ALL THESE FINE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL FICTION

REDEPLOYMENT Phil Klay

Redeployment takes readers to the front lines of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, asking us to understand what happened there, and what happened to the soldiers who returned. Interwoven with themes of brutality and faith, guilt and fear, helplessness and survival, the characters in these stories struggle to make meaning out of chaos. Written with a hard-eyed realism, Redeployment marks Phil Klay as one of the most talented new voices of his generation.

R320.00

THE BOOTLEGGER Clive Cussler

It is 1920. Prohibition and bootlegging are in full swing. When Joseph van Dorn is shot and nearly killed while in pursuit of a rum-running vessel, his friend and employee, Isaac Bell, swears to him that he will hunt down the lawbreakers. But Bell doesn't know what he is getting into.

When a witness to the shooting is executed in a manner peculiar to the Russian secret police, it becomes clear that these were no ordinary bootleggers.

R270.00

NON-FICTION

UNBELIEVABLE!

Chad le Clos with Myan Subrayan Unbelievable! tells us all about the making of a swimming sensation – in the words of the golden boy himself, his family and those who have stood by him from the start. It is an encouraging account of realising the ultimate goal, not through chance, but with the resolute support of family and friends and Chad’s own relentless dedication to his sport.

R175.00

SUCCESS THROUGH STILLNESS Russell Simmons

In Success Through Stillness, Simmons shows the connection between inner peace and outward success through interviews with other successful leaders in various industries, and how learning to be still has been instrumental in his own career. Simmons attributes his meditation practice with changing his life for the better and says that there is no ‘bad’ way to meditate, only different forms for different people.

R240.00

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S CORNER

L GOOD BOOK STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FUTURE OF THE MIND Michio Kaku

Recording memories, mind reading, videotaping our dreams, mind control, avatars, and telekinesis - no longer are these feats of the mind solely the province of overheated science fiction. As Michio Kaku reveals, not only are they possible but with the latest advances in brain science and recent astonishing breakthroughs in technology, they already exist.

R355.00

SIMPLE CHINESE COOKING Kylie Kwong

Kylie Kwong's philosophy is to use the freshest produce and cook it simply to make the most of the clean flavours. All the necessary ingredients are available at your supermarket and Kylie's recipes are friendly and straightforward. In no time, you'll be cooking everyday favourites like soy sauce chicken and sung choi bau on weeknights and fresh-tasting button mushroom salad and prawn wonton soup for weekend occasions.

R410.00

CHILDREN

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Doodle Book (Age 1+) With simple pictures of Eric Carle's best-loved creations, including the Very Hungry Caterpillar, for children to finish and colour. This delightful doodle book will provide hours of fun for little artists, encouraging creativity and stirring the imagination.

R145.00

DISNEY INFINITY ESSENTIAL GUIDE (AGE 6+) Can you sail a pirate ship? Would you make a good Space Ranger? Find out as you meet all the characters of Disney Infinity. Join Jack Sparrow, Sulley, Woody, Lightning and many more on their exciting adventures. Learn about their amazing gadgets and vehicles and discover what happens when your favourite characters make new friends!

R185.00

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