ALL the top rivals in the Elite category of the Spar Women’s Challenge can still walk away with the big prize on offer.
The last leg of the challenge, the Joburg leg, will be staged on Sunday, October 9, at Wanderers Club. The event will start at 08:00.
Though top of the log, Irvette van Zyl sits nicely on 70 points earned by winning the first three of five Spar Women’s Challenge 10km Elite runs, she is being chased by the pack of the Phalula twin sisters, Lebogang and Lebo, as well as Pretoria leg winner, Ruthendo Nyahora and Christine Kalmer.
Van Zyl currently nurses a foot injury and hopes to be back to clinch the Grand Prix title.
The winner of a race can bag 20 points, and if they better the specific race record they earn valuable bonus points. The Joburg leg will be a highly contested race in the 10km Elite run and the fans can expect Van Zyl to give it her all and make a comeback.
“Her foot is still recovering, but hopefully she will start with her recuperation and will be back at training soon. But she will be competing in the last leg of the challenge,” said Nick Bester, national manager of the Nedbank Running Club.
The fans can also expect all the Rio Olympians to grace the streets of Houghton and Illovo where the 10km and 5km run will take place. Lebogang Phalula, Christine Kalmer, Ruthendo Nyahora, Zimbabawe, and Irvette van Zyl have confirmed their intended participation in the Challenge.
Spar also announced that three-times Spar Grand Prix champion, Rene Kalmer, as well as popular actress, Mel Du Bois of 7de Laan fame would be patrons of the 2016 Joburg leg of the Spar Women’s Challenge.
“Our race is not only about top athletes and social runners and walkers but also about fun and entertainment, so it’s with pleasure we have Rene and Mel as our faces of the Joburg Challenge this year” said Martin Webber, Spar South Rand marketing director.
“Rene and Mel have been great supporters of our race over the years and will interact through social media with all entrants leading up to the race and be at the race in October which will certainly add to the excitement on the day.”
Reach for Recovery will be the beneficiary of the 10th anniversary of the Spar Women’s Challenge.
For the first time this year, the organisers are also calling on the people of Johannesburg to help those who cannot afford the shoes needed to start running. During the 2015 Spar Challenge, staff from Caxton noticed that many children from disadvantaged schools ran the race barefoot. As a result, Caxton is running the Drop Off a Pair and Show You Care drive to put shoes on bare feet.
Participants in the Challenge can drop off an old pair of shoes when they collect their race numbers. The style and size don’t matter, but what is important is that the shoes should be in good condition.
Entry forms are available from all Spar stores or online at spar.co.za.
