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Old Mutual Wild Series kick-starts endurance season

 

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The popular Old Mutual Wild Series, brought to you by Wildlands, starts 25 February with the fifth edition of the Three Cranes Challenge.

The event also signals the start of South Africa’s “endurance season”, a sports phenomenon strongly supported by Old Mutual.

Road running, trail events, mountain biking and triathlons have increased in popularity, and today South Africans are spoilt for choice, with an annual line-up of endurance events that includes the Old Mutual Om die Dam marathon, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, the Cape Epic, Old Mutual joBerg2C, Comrades Marathon and Old Mutual Soweto Marathon.

The Old Mutual Wild Series taps into this passion, while also providing participants with the opportunity to run or ride for more than their personal best times. With a focus on community and conservation, the Wild Series gives nature lovers and outdoor enthusiast who take on these challenging events the chance to make a real difference –either by supporting worthy charitable causes or providing funding to various wildlife conservation initiatives. For example, during last year just under R900 000 was raised from Wild Series events, with a significant portion contributed by Old Mutual ‘More than Yourself’ fundraisers.

The Three Cranes Challenge is a three-day track and trail run in the Karkloof area of KwaZulu-Natal, which is the breeding ground of South Africa’s endangered crane species: the blue crane, grey crowned crane and wattled crane. A portion of the entry fee of the race goes towards their conservation.

The route takes runners through beautiful misty forests and across grasslands with magnificent views along the Gilboa escarpment and the opportunity to view the magnificent cranes in their natural habitat. Other race highlights include the incredible hospitality and atmosphere of the race village, as well as the now customary “night start” on Day Three – actually, a very early morning start with headlamps.

The next event after Three Cranes Challenge on the Wild Series calendar is the Old Mutual iMfolozi Challenge, a mountain bike event in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve.

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The Old Mutual Three Cranes Challenge

Event Date: 25 – 28 February 2016
Registration: 25 February 2016
Entries: Open

Distance: Day 1: 32km, Day 2: 42km, Day 3: 32km
Format: 3-day staged trail run
Venue:  Bushwillow Camp, Karkloof Valley

Province: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

 

What is it: This 3-day track and trail run will see participants cover just over 100km in 3 days, staged out of a single base camp in the Karkloof area in KwaZulu-Natal.

What conservation species are you saving: The beautiful Karkloof valley is the breeding ground of South Africa’s endangered Cranes. Sadly, all three of South Africa’s Crane species are in decline due to man’s relentless exploitation of their delicate habitat.

 

Three Cranes 001The Old Mutual iMfolozi Challenge

Event Date: 23 July 2016

Registration: 22 July 2016

Entries for 2015 riders open: 01 March 2016

Entries for new riders open: 15 March 2016

Distance: 55km

Format: Mountain bike

Venue: Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve

Province:  KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

 

What is it: an exciting and grueling mountain bike challenge that runs its course through the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve, home of the Big Five and the African wild dog.

 

What endangered species are you saving: the ride focuses on the endangered African wild dog, a species which is in dire need of conservation assistance, with only 420 individuals remaining in South Africa.

 

Three Cranes 003Old Mutual Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge

Event Date: 10 September 2016

Entries are open

Registration: 15:00 on 9 September and 04:30 on 10 September 2016 at the Royal Natal Park soccer field

Distance: 50km

Format: Trail run

Venue: Royal Natal section of the Maloti-Drakensburg Park, KwaZulu-Natal

 

What is it: A prestigious 50km trail run takes place in the Royal Natal Park, part of the Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site and home to the endangered Bearded Vulture.

What endangered species are you saving: the Bearded Vulture, which is classified as endangered in Southern Africa, based on the small and declining population size, restricted range, range contraction and susceptibility to several threats in Lesotho and South Africa.

Kruger2Canyon Challenge

Event Date: 18 & 19 June 2016

Registration: 17 June 2016, 4pm-9pm

Distance: 70km (Day 1: 42km and Day 2: 28km)

Format: 2-day Stage Race

Venue:  Kampersrus, near Hoedspruit, Mpumalanga/Limpopo

What is it: A run through the Blue Canyon Conservancy – Day one – takes place on the Mariepskop trails in the vicinity of the Blyde River Canyon. Day two – the Kruger element takes place within the Blue Canyon Conservancy which lies adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

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The Golden Gate Challenge

Event Date: 21 – 23 October 2016

Entries open: 26 April 2016

Registration: 20 October 2016

Distance: 27km, 29km, 17km (Please do not be fooled by these distances – there are some big mountains and the altitude to deal with)

Format: 3-day staged trail run

Venue: Glen Reenen Rest Camp, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Free State

 

What is it: a three-day track and trail run through some of the most rugged yet scenic mountains of the Free State, situated in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. The race will traverse through restricted parts of the reserve rarely seen by the public, like Little Serengeti, Cathedral Caves and many other hidden gems within the park.

What endangered species are you saving: the funds raised from this event are vital for the conservation of the Bearded Vulture, as well as the threatened Cape vulture.

For all events, visits www.wildseries.co.za

Also view:

Endurance Sports, Driver Fatigue and Road Safety

Trail Running and Safety

 

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