Wild Coast Ultra Trail Run

Next event will be on 13th February to 18th February 2012.

The 2011 race is done and dusted, what a blast it was for all of us, runners getting pulled by currents in the river, some out and some in. Damsels being rescued by naked men and some runners feet getting the better of them.  Many new friends made and old relationships cemented. Tired runners encouraged and supported by their mates, some doing a couple of extra kilometers when their navigation let them down.  Only one person sleeping out the first night but he made it home the following morning just before the start. Needless to say he took day two off. Read all about it in the race results and report and runners comments. And then there were the three who did the “Tuf Enuf”, starting at Hole in the Wall and covering 200k in 5 days.

Background:

We decided to stage this run along the Wild Coast when we discovered that there were quite a few trail and road runners who were keen to try something a little different.  The first 2 events (2005 and 2006) were organised for a small group who arranged all their own transport and seconds, I arranged the accommodation at fishing and holiday shacks.  Everyone really enjoyed both events but there were problems, runners battled to find a second who could take a week off, and a vehicle to travel through the Transkei.  For the 2009 event we changed the format to take care of these arrangements, the runners only had to be concerned about taking care of themselves during the daily run and leave the rest up to the race crew.

Overview:

We will travel from East London to Port St Johns by shuttle bus and stay at beautiful Cremorne Estate on the eastern bank of the Mzimvubu River on Sunday before the event starts .  On the Monday we will start at Silaka Nature Reserve and get swallowed up by the lush sub tropical coastal bush of the Wild Coast.  On the two long days (day one and two) runners are faced with the challenging and wild hills of Brazen Head and Rame Head, Coffee Bay and Hole in the Wall.  Later you will encounter the never ending beaches from Cape Henderson to Yellow Sands where the final sprint to the finish at Nahoon Beach starts. Each day presents the runner with steep hills, coastal forest and many sandy beaches, streams and rivers to negotiate.  You will pass through Hluleka nature reserve with many wildebeest, gazelle and zebra, Dwesa Nature Reserve with rhino, eland, springbuck, impala, wildebeest and zebra and if you should get lost in the mangroves you may even come across a crocodile.  There is the magnificent Hole in the Wall and should you keep to the correct trail you will also see small hole in the wall.  As you travel west the terrain eases up a little and there are longer sandy beaches.  This event is for adventurous trail runners who will find their own way along the coast, the fourth edition, staged race from Port St Johns to East London, is a 270k, 6 day run along a pristine and truly magnificent coast line.  Navigate your way along the coast, cross 27 rivers, some requiring a ferry to avoid the sharks, negotiate coastal dunes, forests and many coastal hills.  Stay nights at hotels. The final 18k is run in conjunction with the massively popular “Discovery Surfers Challenge”, after 5 days of solitude there will suddenly be thousands of runners and spectators and a special finish at Nahoon Beach.  The Wild Coast is a place you will never forget.

Runner’s information:

 Place:

Transkei / Eastern Cape

Date: 13th – 18th February 2012.(confirmed)

Start 13^th February 2011 at Silaka Nature Reserve, Port St Johns.

Finish 18^th February at Nahoon Beach, East London with the amazing “Discovery Surfers Challenge”.

No seconds required. For more information contact Dave Gassner at davegassner@live.co.za or phone 0217855911, 0768179058. 

Dates and schedule

Pre race day (Sunday, 12^th Feb)

Shuttle from East London to Port St Johns, leaving East London at 08:00

Race briefing at Cremorne Estate at 17:00 and daily at the start thereafter

Day 1 (Monday 13^th Feb)

Leave Cremorne Estate at 05:30 to start 06:00 at Silaka Nature Reserve to Anchorage Hotel, 55k

Day2 (Tuesday 14^th Feb)

Start 06:00 at Anchorage Hotel to the Haven, 54k

Day 3 (Wednesday 15^th Feb)

Start 06:00 at the Haven to Kob Inn, 40k

Day 4 (Thursday 16^th Feb)

Start 06:00 at Kob Inn to Trennery’s, 40k

Day 5 (Friday 17^th Feb)

Start 05:00 at Trennery’s to Haga-Haga, 30k

Day 6 (Saturday 18^th Feb)

Start 06:00 at Haga-Haga to Yellow Sands, 33k

Start of “Surfers Challenge” at Yellow Sands 14:30 to Nahoon Beach, 18k (cut off 2h 30m)

Total Day 6 = 48k (total estimated distance = 270k)