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www.thevillagenews.co.za
16 September 2020
MY SPORT
Trail runners get a taste of Hermanus L
ocal chiropractor Chad Gordon, who is also an avid trail runner and mountain biker, recently hosted a group of trail runners from Cape Town and made sure they enjoyed a weekend they would not soon forget. “They loved it so much that they will be returning in two weeks’ time with an even bigger group,” says Chad, adding that with so many events having been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many trail runners and mountain bikers are looking for new experiences in scenic venues outside the city. The group of about 43 trail runners, many of whom had not been to Hermanus before, arrived on Friday afternoon and were accommodated in the Whale Coast Hotel. “I met them there and briefed them on the weekend’s itinerary, which included a short and a longer run on both the Saturday and Sunday,” says Chad. “I wanted them to have not only a great running experience but also to enjoy the natural beauty of Hermanus.”
Saturday morning started with a run on the Cliff Path at sunrise before heading into the mountains. Back at the hotel in the late afternoon, Chad offered a stretching class and a lecture on health, fitness and wellbeing in the Whale Coast Hotel’s conference room. The runners were also treated to a Pilates class by Chad’s wife, Anke and massage therapy by Denise Kotze. “On Sunday morning we set off on a different route and first went up Hoy’s Koppie before following the Contour Path up to Rotary Way and all the way down to Fernkloof Nature Reserve,” says Chad. “The runners were blown away by the scenery and the quality of our trails, and it was really inspiring for me to bring people to Hermanus and show them what our region has to offer. I can’t wait for the next group to arrive and this time I’ll also introduce them to village life by including a visit to the Country Market and some of our coffee shops and restaurants.” – Hedda Mittner ABOVE: A runner enjoying the solitude of nature along Rotary Drive as he follows the route back down to Fernkloof Nature Reserve. LEFT:The runners got drenched on Saturday as they started off with a run along the Cliff Path and then headed up towards the Drie Damme. FAR LEFT: Among the sponsors of Chad Gordon’s weekend running clinic were Rush Nutrition and ButtaNutt, who provided the runners with some of their products. Here the whole group gives a thumbs-up for their support on top of Hoy’s Koppie early on Sunday morning.
BELOW: The Rola Motor Group recently confirmed their commitment to the Ford franchise brand by acquiring the Ford dealership in Hermanus. Rola Ford Hermanus is now one of five Rola Ford dealerships located in the Overberg region. The Group is dedicated to the empowerment of communities, largely focusing on education and development. It is therefore no surprise that the new owners have decided to continue Ford’s relationship with Hermanus High School by sponsoring the 2020 rugby first team jerseys, despite the current challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, the rugby boys will not have the privilege of wearing these jerseys on the field this year due to the current lockdown regulations. Rola is committed to making a difference by building meaningful and sustainable relationships, as well as striving to continuously improve and achieve. They refer to this calling as the #RolaLifestyle. Front from left are Graham Bellingam (First Team Rugby Coach), Liza Thorpe (Sports Organiser), Catherine Kinleyside (Financial/General Manager, Rola Ford Hermanus), Mohammed Diop (Vice Captain), Gian Bester (Captain), Luhan van Dyk, Marco Calitz (Dealer Principal, Rola Ford Hermanus), Jacques Mangiagalli (First Team Rugby Coach) and Milton Prodehl (Rugby Coordinator) with Hermanus High School’s acting principal, Francois Hooneberg (middle row, left) and the rugby first team boys.
