Excitement over this year’s Otter Trail Run

The launch of the 2013 Otter Trail was held at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town on 7 August

On 7 August at the Aquarium in Cape Town members of the media and athletes met contenders of the 2013 Otter Trail Run, aka “The Grail of Trail” (now in it’s 5^th year), presented by Salomon, GU Energy, Buff, Suunto and GoPro. This year's Otter Trail Run will take place on the 21/22 September and the Otter Challenge, for the more social trail runner, will take place on 23/24 September.

 

The launch of the Otter Trail provided the opportunity to showcase the latest trail running gear, perfect for the Otter Trail Run, from Salomon

Salomon S-Lab trail shoes and hydration pack were on display.

Event organiser Mark Collins, from Magnetic South and Earth Scout, as well as e.News weatherman Derek van Dam introduced 2013's Otter Trail to the crowd and athletes Kane Reilly, Landie Greyling and AJ Calitz answered questions after the introduction. 

Race Director Mark Collins introduced the Otter Trail Run

Members from the media and athletes attended this year's launch

The Two Ocean’s Aquarium in Cape Town offered the perfect backdrop for the launch of the Otter Trail Run, which follows the route of the 5-day Otter hiking trail and the Tsitsikama section of the Garden Route National Park, one of South Africa’s major Marine Protected Areas.

 

Race weatherman and meteorologist Derek van Dam (who will run his first Otter Trail Run this year) presented a breakdown of the weather patterns expected for this years race

The Otter Trail Run, a marathon distance run through the unspoilt wilderness coastline, is seen as one of the top trail runs that athletes can participate in. Part of the allure of the race is that the Otter Trail itself is off limits to trail runners outside of the event. The event is held in opposite directions (East to West and thereafter West to East) each year. Last year the event was held West to East (called Retto, Otter spelt backwards) and saw athletes finish in record-breaking times – 4hours 23min by Iain Dan Wauchope closely followed by AJ Calitz.  

This year follows the original route from East to West and the question is “Can the Otter Classic also be run in under 4hours 30minutes and the standing Otter record, currently held by Ryan Sandes, be broken?”

Kane Reilly, Landie Greyling and AJ Calitz are amongst the athletes expected to perform at this year's event 

Collins says that the event is “a celebration of one of South Africa’s coastal treasures, the Tsitsikamma National Park,” which extends through the marine protected area which reaches 5km out to sea and is of immeasurable benefit to every single South African. The organisers of the event also align themselves with the Landmark Foundation, an organisation committed to the conservation of the Cape’s Leopards. 

Published by www.sportstrader.co.za