Attakwas Trail: Entries now open

SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Entries to the 2017 Attakwas Trail opened yesterday, 15 May at 12:00.

Event managers, Dryland, are confident that the third edition of the event will capture the imagination of trail runners like never before. The event date has been brought forward from December to 25 November and the logistics have been simplified with a brand new circular route.

The updated route for the 2017 Attakwas Trail is at the heart of the event’s refinement. Not only will the longer distance, Attakwas Trail Extreme, now start and finish at Bonniedale Holiday Farm, but the new circular route has also resulted in four kilometres added to the distance.

The updated route will include 32,5 kilometres of spectacular mountain trail running and 1650m elevation gain.

Starting at the traditional finish in Bonniedale, the Extreme route will, for the first time, feature technical hiking trail singletrack in addition to the scenic but challenging jeep track section through the historic Attakwaskloof.

The famous quad and calf testing climbs remain as steep and daunting as ever, while the remote Attakwaskloof offers more than enough reward for the trail runners willing to solider on when the going gets tough.

Dryland will be on hand though to take the edge off the challenge with their famously well stocked water points, complete with Biogen supplements, ice cold water and coke, home-made banana bread koeksisters and date balls, boiled baby potatoes, hard boiled eggs and of course Klein Karoo International ostrich meat hot off the braai at the final water point.

The three water points will be located at the eleven, twenty and twenty eight kilometre marks to ensure that trail runners can conquer the Attakwaskloof regardless of the weather conditions on the day.

For trail runners not yet up to the task of taking on the Extreme thirty two kilometre route there's the seven and a half kilometre long Attakwas Trail Mini which provides a teaser of the Attakwaskloof – in the hope of inspiring runners to train for the longer route in 2018. The Attakwas Trail Mini route is unchanged from 2016, features one water point and starts and finishes at Bonniedale.

Entries to both distances opened at 12:00 on Monday the 15th of May and online entries to the long distance include a unique race garment. The online entry fee is R750 for the Attakwas Trail Extreme and R150 for Attakwas Trail Mini with entries on the day costing R50 extra per entry.

For more information, including route profiles and the mandatory packing list, and online entries, please visit www.attakwastrail.co.za.

Pre-entries close on 10 November, but line entries will be available at registration on 25 November. To stay updated throughout the build-up to the 2017 Attakwas Trail follow @AttakwasTrail on Twitter and like Attakwas Trail on Facebook.