Water release innovation to bolster Drak challenge
The race is heavily dependent on rainfall in the days before the popular two-day 70km event in the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg, and the ongoing drought has left the river running low for much of the summer.
ORGANISERS of the N3TC Drak Challenge on Saturday, 20 and Sunday, 21 January have confirmed an innovative new scheme that will, for the first time, allow for a water release to supplement the level of the uMzimkhuklu River on the first stage of the race.
The race is heavily dependent on rainfall in the days before the popular two-day 70km event in the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg, and the ongoing drought has left the river running low for much of the summer.
Local landowner, Dave Barnett, and his son Andrew, who head up the race organising committee, have completed a ground breaking project that has increased the capacity of their dam at Castleburn, allowing them to release a significant amount of water into the river to help get the entire field comfortably through the fabled Valley of a Thousand Rapids.
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The Barnetts have added a 30 centimetre high sandbag wall to the top of the Castleburn dam spillway that will add 40 000 cubic metres of extra water, which they have made available for release into the river for the first stage.
“We will have around 10 times that amount of water available for the N3TC Drak Day One,” said Andrew Barnett.
Normal entries for the race close at midnight today, (Wednesday, 10 January) after which late entries will be opened.
The N3TC Drak Challenge starts at Castleburn on Saturday 20 January with a 24 kilometre stage to Sinister Pool, just above the Swartberg Road Bridge.
The second stage on Sunday 21 January is 36 kilometres finishing at Early Mist Farm close to Coleford resort. More information can be found at www.drak.co.za
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