March 4, 2024
by Press Office | Mar 4, 2024
Umdloti’s Darryn Purtell and Johandri Leichester win the first event of the 2024 Woolworths X TRI series in Karkloof, read on for all the info.
If you were tuned in to our social media channels on Sunday you would’ve caught some of the epic action from the first event of the 2024 Woolworths X TRI series.
Our journey with the series goes back to 2021 and we’re pumped to have once again been a part of this event. Encouraging people to get outside and enjoy the benefits and rewards of an active lifestyle is what we’re all about! Also, the Karkloof is just such a special venue in which to do this.
Nestled in the heart of the Karkloof Valley in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands, 12km from Howick, it’s the ideal venue for an event aimed at growing the sport of triathlon (swim, bike, run) in an inclusive, supportive community environment free of the overly competitive atmosphere often associated with the multi-discipline sport.
The X TRI Full was technical and tough and featured a 1000m Open Water Swim, 27 km Technical Mountain Bike and 12 km Trail Run. The swim took place at Barrington Dam at Fairview Dairy Farm, while the iconic trails of Karkloof played host to the mountain bike and trail run legs. This flowing network of trails is a mix of natural and hand-made tracks and offers everything from technical rock gardens and bermed singletrack corners to fast-rolling sections.
As mentioned it’s not all about racing though and the series has grown exponentially over the past three years thanks to its categories to suit all fitness and skill levels. Karkloof was no different. For those who prefer the shorter distances, there was the X TRI LITE, which comprised a 400m Open Water Swim, 10 km Mountain Bike and 5 km Trail Run. For those just looking for a nice day in the outdoors with family, there were three options: The RUN4FUN, which is a 15km Trail Run, The RUN4FUN Lite, a 5km Trail Run and the WALK FOR GOOD — a 3km nature walk suitable for all ages.
Darryn Purtell paced himself perfectly to put together a perfect tactical race to take the overall win (and defend his title) in emphatic style in the Woolworths X TRI Full. “We couldn’t have asked for better racing weather,” he commented after the race. “It was sunny but there was just enough of a breeze to cool it down.”
According to Purtell, the bike leg was great. “We had some nice singletrack right out of the water, but there were also a couple of long climbs — I think some of the guys are feeling it today.”
It wasn’t only the bike leg that proved a challenge, however. “The run was as tough as always around here, but a great adventure as always, Purtell said, before adding, “thanks to all the organisers and everybody that makes a day like this happen. Great event and can’t wait to be back next year.” Brian Martens finished second behind Purtell and was closely followed in overall third by Johandri Leichester who took out the women’s title by nearly 20 minutes.
The winners of the shorter distances echoed Purtell’s sentiments. “The mountain bike ride was great, but the first part of the run was pretty tough,” said Linda Potts who won the women’s division in the Lite.
“Racing through the trails was an absolute blast – the perfect mix of flowy sections to challenging twists, every moment was a thrill! The route was very well-marked and we got awesome goody bags. Can’t wait for the next one,” added Eljané Maré, who finished a close second to Potts.
Full results of all the distances are available, here.
As part of Woolworths’ sustainability focus athletes received a bag of bulbs as ‘medal’ at the finish line. And, All the efforts to get to that finish line were worthwhile. Proceeds from the event go to the Woolworths Trust, a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) created in 2003. The Trust is a collaborative effort and works in partnership with various organisations, to make a difference in local communities by funding programmes that improve food security, reduce child vulnerability and uplift education.
Inspired to get involved in off-road triathlon, check out the rest of the series dates here, and learn more about training for this type of event while holding down a full-time job, here.
