The 2025 RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT) will long be remembered not just for its gruelling trails and elite performances, but also for the sheer force of Mother Nature that shaped the outcome of the weekend. 

…it was a showcase of resilience, courage, and unforgettable performances…

Across the three-day festival, race organisers, athletes, and spectators were tested by extreme wind, logistical headaches, and the unpredictable beauty of Cape Town’s mountains. But in the end, it was a showcase of resilience, courage, and unforgettable performances that won the day.

Winds of Change and Chaos
As the UTCT race weekend began, strong overnight gusts of up to 90 km/h battered the event’s Race Village at the Gardens Rugby Club. These were not just blustery breezes, but extreme gale-force winds that caused extensive damage to marquee structures, tearing apart the village tents that usually form the beating heart of the race for the trail-running community.

Race organisers and the City of Cape Town made a tough but clear safety call: the Race Village was closed to the public for the weekend. Participants would still start and finish there, but supporters were advised that once runners crossed the line, they would “receive their finisher’s medal and must vacate the Race Village immediately.”

The decision wasn’t made lightly. According to race director Stuart McConnachie, safety was the top priority. Although the festival atmosphere was muted, the racing itself went ahead as scheduled. Organisers kept a close eye on weather conditions along the route, communicated updates rapidly, and had contingency plans in place, all while dealing with very real logistical challenges, brought about by the howling South Easter.

A Race Weekend Like No Other
The UTCT weekend featured a full slate of races: from the PT55 (55 km) and KS16 (16km) to the elite UT100 (100 km) and the gruelling UTCT 100 Miler (about 160 km), and finally the TM35. Against the backdrop of wind-whipped tents and logistical strain, elite athletes still showed up to deliver some of the most competitive racing the event has seen to date.

Douglas Pickard: A Dominating Miler Win
In the UTCT100 – the Miler – race, Douglas Pickard turned in a masterful performance, getting progressively stronger as the race got longer. The South African veteran covered the punishing 159.5 km course in 21:49:11, securing first place and reminding everyone why he’s one of the greats in South African ultra-running. Despite the blustery conditions at race headquarters, Pickard remained unflappable, pacing strongly through climbs, descents, and technical terrain to cross the finish line first, receiving an incredible welcome from the race crew, volunteers and support crews who were gathered at Race Village.

Back-to-back UTCT miler winner, Alexie Tolstenko, hoping to make it a hat trick, put up an excellent fight, but Pickard was the stronger runner on the day. Tolstenko admitted that it was a tough day out on the trails for him. He crossed the line in 22:40:48.

Zimbabwe-born Admire Muzopumbwa quietly added another feather to his cap this weekend when he rounded off the podium, crossing the line in third in 22:41:40. He was catching Tolstenko in the last few kilometres and finished less than a minute behind him. He has posted some excellent results over the past year, and his presence at the event underscored the depth of regional ultra-distance trail talent.

Nicolette Griffioen: Record-Breaking Brilliance
On the women’s side of the Miler, Nicolette Griffioen produced a breathtaking performance. She claimed victory in a time of 24:40:58, and in doing so, smashed the previous course record – underlining her dominance in ultra-distance racing. Griffioen’s run was a powerful testament to experience, consistency, and mental strength on some of Cape Town’s toughest terrain.

Behind the record-breaking performance of Nicolette Griffioen, the strength of South African women in the 100 Miler was on full display. Simone Malan delivered a fiercely determined run to secure second place (26:39:35), navigating the brutal distance and technical terrain with composure and resilience, while Kerry Ann Marshal followed closely in 27:26:30 to claim third, rounding out an exceptional showing for local athletes.

Their podium finishes not only highlighted the depth of female ultra-running talent in South Africa but also reinforced UTCT’s status as a proving ground for world-class endurance on home soil.

UT100: A Final Sprint to the Line
The UT100 (100km) race was no less dramatic. The men’s race boiled down to a thrilling finish: Dimitry Mityaev was finishing strong and looked like he had it in the bag, but Jeff Mogavero (USA) had other plans. In the last few kilometres, Mogavero took the lead, and it was a sprint to the finish. Mityaev gave it all he had, but he could not stay with the American who took line honours in 11:04:53 and collapsed on the finish line. Mityaev posted a time of 11:05:24.

Meanwhile, South African Matt Healy showed incredible grit to claim third place (11:11:26) in the 100km field. Healy, racing on home terrain, hung on with determination through the sun, steep climbs, and technical trails, delivering one of the most heartening performances of the weekend.

Sunmaya Budha Owns the UT100 Women’s Race
The women’s UT100 saw a masterclass performance from Sunmaya Budha, who delivered a commanding and untouchable victory in a blistering 12:25:55. From the early stages, Budha asserted control over the field, extending her lead kilometre by kilometre and never looking under pressure. She finished well clear of Antonina Lushina, who claimed second in 13:33:31, while American Tara Fraga rounded out the podium with a strong third-place finish in 13:47:04. Budha’s run was a clear statement of dominance and endurance, reinforcing her status as one of the most formidable forces in ultra-distance trail running.

Two New Champions in the PT55
One of the windiest days in the event’s eleven-year history produced two new champions in the Peninsula Traverse 55km on the opening morning of the event (Friday 21 November). German Johannes Wingenfeld, Southern Cape athlete, and Rebecca Kohne upset pre-race predictions and raced home to emphatic victories. Wingenfeld raced home in 5:13:26, seven minutes clear of three-times champion Robbie Simpson of Scotland, while Kohne crossed the line at Gardens Rugby Club in 6:11:44, five minutes clear of French athlete, Olivia Duberne.

Overcoming the Elements – A Testament to Planning, Resilience, and Running Spirit
What truly defined the 2025 Ultra-Trail Cape Town was the way organisers, runners, and supporters adapted to the challenges. The closure of Race Village was a significant blow to the usual festival energy, but it underscored a commitment to safety above spectacle. The logistical challenge of high winds necessitated swift and difficult decisions, but the show went on.

On the trail, elite runners didn’t back down. Pickard and Griffioen delivered brilliant, composed wins; Mogavero and Mityaev battled in a final sprint; Healy showed tenacity on home turf. Through it all, every runner carried more than just their hydration pack; they carried the spirit of Cape Town’s wild terrain, the uncertainty of nature, and the unwavering heart of the trail community.

Find all the results here.

READ MORE ON: RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town trail-running Ultra-trail Cape Town (UTCT)