The fifth annual Mac Mac Ultra recently took place in Sabie, and Mbombela physiotherapist Damien Kühn claimed the race’s most prestigious title as the winner of the 200-mile distance.
Braving altitudes nearly as high as 2 000m above sea level, the runners confronted Mt Sheba in an intense trail run with distances of 50, 100 and 200 miles. They achieved excellent times in each of the three ‘milers’. Other distances, including the 25km and 48km run, were also recorded during the weekend of June 28 to 30.
Setting the pace for both the men and women in the 50-miler with 10:01:08, claiming first place in the overall 50-mile results – with a near 20-minute lead ahead of second place – was Simoné Malan. In the women’s finishers, she was followed over the line by Quinta Joubert with 10:54:31 and Simone Barrett (11:57:05), rounding off the women’s podium.
Leading the men in the 50-miler, Simon Tshabalala knocked off his race in 10:20:46. Following close behind him was Charles Pettit (10:31:19). The 50-miler men’s podium was rounded off by Craig Metherell (11:07:44).
Taking the ribbon and claiming first place on the podium for the 100-miler was Leon Roode, nearly completing a 160km run in less than a day with a time of 24:08:29. Justin Oelofsen (26:08:11) and Thomas Vermaak (27:14:11) were second and third, respectively.
Crowned champion in the women’s 100 mile was Megan Andersen with a time of 31:32:01, followed by Cornel Metcalfe (35:01:24) and Dani Coetzee (40:34:43).
Only four out of the 14 entries finished their 200-miler on Sunday. Crowned champion of the 200-miler was Kühn clocked his finish at 75:18:39. He was chuffed with his result as he achieved what he set out to do.
“The plan was to go and go hard, because I went in to win. I wasn’t there just to compete, and I guess thankfully everything went according to plan,” he said.
He previously won the Kaapsehoop Mountain Race 100-mile distance in 2022 as well.
Taking second place by a few seconds was Richard Schnitter (84:29:26), followed closely by the only 200-mile woman contender, Nicky Booyens, in third with a time of 84:29:31. The 200-miler results were closed off by Lloyd Sithole, who finished in an amazing 88:19:53.
Every Mac Mac Ultra consists of a total of five trail races, each varying in distance (and often altitude). These distances include the 25km, the 48km, the 50 mile (80km), 100 mile (161km) and the 200 mile (322km) race.
The Mac Mac Ultra was born through a shared passion of the 100-miler between Eloff Hoffman and his ‘partner in crime’, Frikkie Pienaar. It is a tough challenge in which terrain and weather play a crucial role in each run’s difficulty.
