The vision is to firmly establish the Mossel Bay Triathlon on the international calendar within the next three years so that international athletes will need to support the event to earn points.
Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sport in the world.
At the official welcoming of the athletes on Saturday evening, the Eden District Mayor, Mr Wessie van der Westhuizen pledged his Council’s support and financial backing of the event. He said sport is an equaliser that negates all prejudice.
"I believe we need to respect each other and sport is one of those things that can bring us together" he said. He added that the District Municipality would help to grow this event so that it becomes the international event envisaged.
"We lost the IRB Sevens, and we need international events to boost the tourism and agriculture that we focus on" he said.
The next triathlon for Mossel Bay is scheduled for 5 February 2012.
More than 100 athletes, including internationals from America and the UK, competed in the very successful Mossel Bay Triathlon that took place at Santos Beach on Sunday.
is was the first triathlon in the Southern Cape in more than a decade.
The event was put together in less than a month by one of the country’s best known triathlon athletes and Ironman competitor, Ms Sonja Terblanche-Otto.
Sonja matriculated at Point High School and represented South Africa during 1998 and 1999. After a seven year stint in America, where she competed on an international basis she returned to South Africa in 2005.
Triathlon consists of swimming, running and cycling.
Sunday’s race also catered for relay teams where different contestants competed in the different events.
The standard event was won by Michael Cannon of Rhodes University in a time of 1:59:07. He is a South African duoathlon athlete and will be representing the country at the championships in Spain later this year. Cannon said he is used to running and cycling and he therefore really battled with the swimming section. Many of the competitors had never raced in the sea before.
The ladies section was won by a local athlete, Ms Tina van Wyk of Great Brak River in a time of 2:20:44. This seasoned triathlete is thrilled that she can now compete on her own doorstep.
Both the winners received a cash prize of R1 000 each.
Terblanche-Otto said according to feedback on the event and the magnificent route, athletes were extremely positive. "It was just the swimming in the ocean that most athletes, excluding those that compete in the Ironman, found very difficult" she added.
One of the international contestants, Me Betsy Tournier from Colorado in the United States has competed in Triathlons worldwide. She told the Advertiser that it was also her first swim in the ocean. "I’m used to swimming in lakes and rivers, but this was a first for me and I found it rather difficult" she said. She said she also had to break another mith namely that you cannot compete on a borrowed cycle. "I proved to myself that I can do it without any problems" she added.
In the fun relay section for the youth the Tinkerbell team from Mossel Bay won. Frances Herholdt swam, Marina Barnard cycled and Marizaan van der Mescht did the running.
The oldest competitor who did the standard course also hails from Mossel Bay. Mr Cobus du Plessis (63) is actually a cyclist and he told the Advertiser that the swimming stage was very difficult.
The oldest contestant in the relay section was the 77 year old Mr Mike Boshoff from Nelspruit. He was visiting his daughter Cia Herholdt when she told him on Saturday that she had entered them as a team. He had to cycle 20 km although the only cycle that he rides is the one in the gymnasium! After the race he smiled and told the newspaper that he did not think that he would complete the course, but was delighted that he did. He doubted, however, whether he would be able to sit for the next month!
More photos here.
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Arms were flying and colourful caps bopping whilst the men from the Fire Brigade (in the rubber duck) kept a watchful eye over contestants as they tackled the 750 m stretch as part of the Fun/Sprint event.
