Race Story from Steven Granger:

UCT Applied Mathematician, Will Robinson, calculated his speed and distance to perfection at Hout Bay yesterday to win the 11^th Hout Bay Trail Challenge over 36km in record time.

The tall, long-striding Robinson is in the form of his life, back to the running speed which took him to Puffer and Hout Bay Challenge titles in 2008.

Robinson shook off the close attentions of Andre Calitz on the steep ascent of Vlakkenberg in the third and final leg and went onto win by over 12 minutes, his 4 hr 6 min 3 sec winning time improving Ake Fagareng’s 2010 record by five minutes.

26 year old Stellenbosch adventure sport athlete, Landie Visser, took line honours in the women’s competition in her race debut, finishing five minutes clear of experienced campaigner, Linda Doke to clock 5 hr 9 min 21 sec.

Over 300 runners completed the challenging circuit in the mountain amphitheatre above Hout Bay in sunny but windy conditions.

“I felt good more or less the whole way,” admitted Robinson. “I ran easily in the first leg then gradually drew away from the chasers in the second leg. Andre kept with me – I don’t think he knew the route - but seemed to tire in the third leg when I was able to get away.”

“Mountain Goat” Dion Middelkoop, Knysna-based Melakhaya Msitzi and Calitz ran with Robinson through the first leg over Karbonkelberg and Suther Peak, before the former two dropped behind on the Back Table near Grootkop.

Robinson upped the pressure near the summit of Vlakkenberg and the race was over, with Calitz unable to respond.

Both Visser and Doke suffered from their hard training regimes for overseas races ahead, and struggled over the many hill climbs, but it was Visser who proved the strongest in the latter stages, racing to an impressive victory.

Men: 1 Will Robinson 4:06:03 (race record); 2 Andre Calitz 4:18:56; 3 John Ntuli 4:25:11; 4 Ake Fagareng 4:28:13; 5 Andre Gie 4:31:16; 6 Nic de Beer 4:31:58; 7 Greg Goodall 4:35:34; 8 Dion Middelkoop 4:45:41; 9 Scarre Celliers 4:46:23; 10 Melakhaya Msiktzi 4:48:

Veterans: 1 Middelkoop; 2 Celliers; 3 Ross McGregor 5:01:09

Masters: 1 Noel Erntzen 4:49:08 (Race Record); 2 Tristan Riley 5:53:55; 3 Gerhard Visser 6:26:48

Women: 1 Landie Visser 5:09:21; 2 Linda Doke 5:14:26; 3 Melanie Porter 5:16:38; 4 Martha Koekemoer 5:58:44; 5 Sandy Russell 5:59:50; 6 Caryn Kennedy 6:03:01; 7 Caroline Balkwill 6:06:26; 8 Sue Ulyett 6:18:08; 9 Alison Ball 6:22:00; 10 Helene Rossouw 6:25:21

Veterans: 1 Doke; 2 Sue Ulyett 6:18:08; 3 Alison Ball 6:22:00

Masters: 1 Margaret Muller 7:19:03; 2 Brenda Cooner 7:43:22; 3 Michelle Priestman 7:45:08

Teams:

Men: 1 Dutch Rudders (Nicholas Barablett, Warren Owen, Eric van Vuuren) 4:18:56; 2 Team IY 4:36:03; 3 Themiddlelegisthehardest 4:56:28

Women: 1 Sporty Forty (Esther Brink, Jacqueline Haasbroek, Susanne Marais) 5:17:44; 2 Chilly 6:06:47; 3 Clarketes 6:08:58

Mixed: 1 Hout Bay Hurricanes (Roland Peens, Guy Morrell, Ingrid Peens) 4:21:35 (race record); 2 Salomon Mixed 4:21:55; 3 Two Guys and a Girl 4:26:27