The atmosphere was tense at the start of the 2014 Totalsports XTERRA South Africa Championship presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT on Sunday.  Top XTERRA Warriors Dan Hugo (South Africa) and Flora Duffy (Bermuda) had the crowed on their feet as they crossed the finish line first in the men's and women's races, respectively, claiming the coveted title of Totalsports XTERRA South African Champion for 2014. 

 

According to Hugo this is his 4th, but most meaningful XTERRA SA Championship title.  "I wanted this win for a few reasons.  The event doesn't only keep growing in participants, but it keeps growing in stature too.  This year Stillwater Sport & Entertainment has upped the prize purse.  It's a global event and I assure you there are a number of international guys following the event via social media to see what's happening.  Conrad Stoltz has set the bar for many years and I really wanted to beat him on his course.  My plan was to go out aggressively on the swim.  On the mountain bike I passed Rory Downie of Scotland shortly after he got King Of The Mountain, from there I never saw anybody again.  Coming off the bike I was knackered, but my running has gotten better and I believed I could do it.  I wanted the win, I needed the win," said am emotional Hugo, who  completed the 1.5km swim, 27km mountain bike and 11km trail run in an impressive time of 2:29:25.

 

The second and third spots on the podium were snatched up by fellow South Africans Stuart Marais and Conrad Stoltz. 

 

"Classy racing @dghugo and @stuartmarais. I had a shocker - if u start cramping in the swim you know its going 2b a long day. @xterrasa #bback" posted five-time XTERRA SA winner Conrad Stoltz to his twitter account.

 

In the women's race Duffy claimed victory in a deserving time of 2:57:07.  Carina Wasle (Austria) came in second, while Carla Van Huyssteen (South Africa) finished third. "Pro wins are hard to come by," said a delighted Duffy, the Bermuda Olympian who was third at the XTERRA World Championship last year.  "I was just lucky to put a good race together today.  Although I was the first lady out the water, I was a little further behind as I usually mange to keep on Dan's feet.  The course is tough.  I struggled a bit, flatting in the beginning of the mountain bike discipline, but I managed to hold it together.  I've been working really hard on my run and was confident that I could pull it together.  When I got on the little beach section I gave a sigh of relief.  This is a fantastic event, so professional, hands down the best".

 

Of note, the two-time and defending women's amateur XTERRA World Champion Hannah Rae Finchamp from California took the ladies amateur title and placed 5th overall.  Matthew Daneel won the amateur men's race.

  

The 2014 Totalsports XTERRA South African Championship presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT attracted the interests of a number of international XTERRA Warriors including:  Bart Aernouts (Belgium), Simone Calamai (Italy), Rory Downie (Scotland), Daz Parker (England), Jan Kubicek (Czech) and Llewellyn Holmes (England).   

 

TOP 12 WOMEN

Pl Time Surname Name Category Swim Bike Run

1 2:57:07 Duffy Flora PRO F 0:20:51 1:38:55 0:54:29

2 3:05:49 Wasle Carina PRO F 0:25:07 1:41:53 0:56:23

3 3:06:03 van Huysteen Carla PRO F 0:23:52 1:42:56 0:56:52

4 3:09:08 Sloane Susan PRO F 0:26:19 1:39:18 1:01:00

5 3:12:34 Finchamp Hannah Rae 20-24Yrs F 0:24:13 1:43:37 1:01:46

6 3:17:08 Griffioen Nicolette 20-24Yrs F 0:26:52 1:48:20 0:58:55

7 3:21:41 Moolman Adrienne 35-39Yrs F 0:26:35 1:48:38 1:03:29

8 3:21:50 Weber Genevieve 35-39Yrs F 0:29:46 1:44:02 1:04:00

9 3:23:13 Parker Daz PRO F 0:28:41 1:48:13 1:03:13

10 3:25:04 Gehnböck Sylvia PRO F 0:26:15 1:52:53 1:01:35

11 3:25:36 van Heerden Natia 20-24Yrs F 0:28:14 1:53:08 1:01:15

12 3:32:24 Wilson Katharine 25-29Yrs F 0:30:32 1:54:40 1:03:52

 

TOP 15 MEN

Pl Time Surname Name Category Swim Bike Run

1 2:29:25 Hugo Dan PRO M 0:20:43 1:18:17 0:47:55

2 2:31:04 Marias Stuart PRO M 0:22:30 1:19:32 0:46:14

3 2:33:05 Stoltz Conrad PRO M 0:21:11 1:19:39 0:49:53

4 2:38:34 Weiss Bradley PRO M 0:21:14 1:22:42 0:52:13

5 2:43:08 Aernouts Bart PRO M 0:22:52 1:28:53 0:48:43

6 2:44:00 Blignaut Theo PRO M 0:20:46 1:28:31 0:52:17

7 2:44:40 Kubicek Jan PRO M 0:23:53 1:28:22 0:49:47

8 2:48:20 Holmes Llewellyn PRO M 0:24:30 1:26:12 0:54:30

9 2:49:42 Van Heerden Antoine PRO M 0:25:30 1:30:21 0:51:24

10 2:50:04 Guidelli Fabio PRO M 0:21:10 1:33:21 0:52:50

11 2:50:07 Daneel Matthew 25-29Yrs M 0:24:44 1:29:55 0:52:52

12 2:53:05 de Jongh Raoul 35-39Yrs M 0:22:12 1:31:43 0:56:06

13 2:53:20 Purtell Darryn 20-24Yrs M 0:22:50 1:33:15 0:54:27

14 2:55:01 Carleton Daniel PRO M 0:24:49 1:31:10 0:56:39

15 2:56:22 Downie Rory PRO M 0:20:46 1:36:05 0:57:03