Celebrating its 13th anniversary at the Houw Hoek Hotel this weekend (17-19 March), the Pickle Juice AfricanX Trail Run three-day stage race will boast a strong line-up of trail runners, including the likes of the Helderberg Trail Run Crew comprising #HTRCrew members Hakeem Smith with Lovemo Nyaude, and Jani Kruger (Strand) with Nicola de Villiers (Somerset West) to mention just a few.
Hakeem Smith and Lovemo Nyaude from Somerset West have proven to be a team that should not be underestimated at AfricanX after claiming the second spot on the podium in 2022 with their combined finishing time of six hours, nine minutes and 21 seconds after three days of racing.
“There is a great sense of camaraderie at AfricanX,” Smith points out, “not only among the leaders, but also among the rest of the field. This together with the fantastic routes and great food is a serious attraction. As a competitive person I am looking to challenge and better our 2022 results. We have trained hard in preparation and have learnt from our mistakes. We would like to push for first place, but will be satisfied with any position as long as we’ve given our all and left everything out on the trails, with no regrets. It’s only been a year since I switched from road running to trail running. Winning would make all those 04:00 early morning wake-up calls worthwhile.”
“Everything about AfricanX is amazing,” says Nyaude. “I look forward to challenging our 2022 results with Hakeem. He is very competitive, and I am happy with the way that we work together. I recommend this event to other trail runners. It’s a fun race, it’s tough, but very rewarding and the support that you receive from other trail runners and supporters is guaranteed to energise you.”
Jani Kruger from Strand and Nicola de Villiers from Somerset West will be strong contenders in the Women’s Team Category.
“I’ve taken part in the AfricanX Trail Run twice,” says Kruger. “One of the times was part of my honeymoon. It’s the vibe and being out in nature that attracts me to this event. I am looking forward to running with a new friend, the views and the limits. My goal is to have as much fun as possible in the mountains with Nicky. I look forward to learning new things about myself and seeing where we end up. I would be blown away if we are crowned champions after three days of racing, but we don’t expect it as the competition is always tough at AfricanX.”
De Villiers is excited to make her AfricanX Trail Run debut in 2023. “It’s the distances, the camaraderie, the team element, the vibe and the location that made me want to enter,” she admits. “I’m looking forward to pushing new limits, to running with my incredible teammate, Jani, and making friends with people who also love crazy mountain runs. Although I have yet to run AfricanX I would definitely recommend it to other trail runners, even if just for the training build-up fun I’ve had with Jani.”
- For additional information on the Pickle Juice AfricanX Trail Run three-day stage race, visit www.stillwatersports.com, contact Stillwater Sports on 082 991 0045 or email entries@stillwatersports.com.
Venue: Houw Hoek Hotel
Event format: Three-day stage trail run
Entry format: Teams of two runners (men, women and mixed)
Distance:
Stage 1: ± 24 km
Entry fee options:
Option 1 – Standard/R3 600 per runner
