Diemersfontein, Wellington
Monday 12 July 2010

Riding 2400 kilometres in 26 days sounds quite achievable to your average road cyclist but to ride this distance on footpaths, tracks and trails in the height of winter whilst climbing a cumulative altitude of 47000 metres is a remarkable accomplishment and one realized by the 28 riders who completed the 2010 Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa.

On Sunday, 11 July 2010 the last five riders in the field arrived at the Diemersfontein finish of the Freedom Challenge in Wellington outside Cape Town .  Gerda Gruner, one of the four women to finish, had been riding for 25 days, 13 hours and 20 minutes to narrowly beat the 26 day cut off.  She had ridden alone for 4 days through the Southern Drakensberg and Great Karoo before being caught by Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathletes Keith Little and Leon van der Nest who then rode and finished with her.  Keith and Leon, who ran the 85 km Duzi Trail Run the day before they started cycling from Pietermaritzburg, have two days to rest before taking on the 240 km 4 day Berg River Canoe Marathon in the hopes of join the ranks of 6 others who in the 7 year history of the Freedom Challenge have completed the Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathlon.

Also finishing on Sunday was Ingrid Avidon and her husband Anthony.  Despite a time penalty for a route deviation on the final run into Diemersfontein they were credited with a time 23 days and 6 hours making Ingrid the fastest women finisher of the 2010 event.  Speaking afterwards Anthony spoke of riding the 2009 Tour de France course and described the Freedom Challenge as harder.

Finishing the day before these five was the third woman finisher, Estelle Labuschagne, as well as Freedom Challenge veteran Errol Derrick.  “This was the greatest thing that I have done in my life” enthused Estelle.

The overall winner of the 2010 Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa was polar adventurer, mountaineer and track cyclist Alex Harris who finished in 14 days 8 hours and 10 minutes.  He was followed by North West mielie farmer Carl Crous who had finished three days later in a time of 14 days 19 hours and 55 minutes.  Crous’ charge to the finish, which had carried him over the last 400 kilometres with very little sleep unraveled when heading up the Stettynskloof, 40 kms from the finish, at night.  The batteries on his light failed, the moon set and he settled down to sleep in the shadow of the Shackelton that lies wrecked in the valley. Overcome by exhaustion he slept well into the morning.

The 2010 Freedom Challenge will be remembered for many things; the heavy snow and extreme cold of the first week or the race; the feats of those riders who ascended the Lehana’s Pass up the Drakensberg escarpment at night; the race at the front of the field between the self proclaimed “Boeretrain” of Carl Crous, Marnitz “sponsored by PG Glass riding for Miles for Smiles” Nienaber and August Carstens and lone rider Alex Harris; the great single speed ride of Glenn Harrison on a Giant 29er and individual incidents such as solo rider Travis Saunders staring down three white rhino at 30 yards at Spekboomberg; Justin Bouwer getting even closer to two black rhino and a herd of buffalo in the Baviaanskloof and David Bell riding 1500 kms with a broken wrist.  But ultimately the 2010 Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa will be remembered for the remarkable achievement of all 28 riders who completed the event and claimed the Basutho blanket awarded to every finisher on arrival at Diemersfontein.

Final race positions were as follows:
1.  Alex Harris                                                14 days 08 hrs 20 mins
2.  Carl Crous                                                 14 days 19 hrs 20 mins
3.  Marnitz Nienaber (PG Glass/Miles for Smiles)
     August Carstens                                        15 days 11 hrs 04 mins
5.  Glenn Harrison (Giant)                                15 days 14 hrs 20 mins (new single speed record)
6.  Trevor Ball                                                
     Ugene Nel                                                 16 days 8 hrs 20 mins
8.  Travis Saunders                                         17 days 18 hrs 40 mins
9.  Justin Bouwer                                             18 days 09 hrs 55 mins
10.Zane de Decker                                         
     Jethro de Decker                                        19 days 09 hrs 52 mins
11.Chris Morris
     Dave Bell                                                   20 days 09 hrs 05 mins
13.Gawie DuPlessis
     Scott James                                               20 days 09 hrs 38 mins
15. Ray Farrenkotten                                       20 days 14 hrs  55 mins
16. Keith Little
      Leon van der Nest                                     22 days 13 hrs 40 mins
18. Anthony Avidon
      Ingrid Avidon                                            23 days 06 hrs 00 mins
20. Estelle Labauschagne
      Errol Derrick                                              23 days 09 hrs 50 mins
22. Tim James
      Bec Caskey                                               23 days 13 hrs 16 mins
23. Blackie Swart                                              24 days 13 hrs 16 mins
24. Gerda Gruner                                             24 days 13 hrs 40 mins

Women
1.    Ingrid Avidon           23 days 06 hrs
2.    Estelle Labuschagne 23 days 09 hrs 35 mins
3.    Bec Caskey             23 days 13 hrs 16 mins
4.    Gerda Gruner           25 days 13 hrs 20 mins