Women prevail in tough challenge

Press Release / 15.07.2011

It has been described as the toughest race in South Africa. It is mentally and physically demanding and in 2011 40 percent of those who left Pietermaritzburg at the start of the 2300km Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa failed to reach the finish at Diemersfontein outside Cape Town. On Friday, 7 July 2011, three women completed this tough challenge.

Finishing early on Friday morning and setting a new race record of 19 days 07 hours and 55 minutes in the women’s category was Tatum Prins of Merrell Adventure Addicts. Not only did Tatum break the five year old women’s record but she is now on course to become the first woman to complete the Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathlon. On 18 June, the day before she started her record breaking mountain bike ride, Tatum participated in the 75km Umgeni River Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, finishing in a remarkable 4th place overall. On Wednesday Tatum will start the third leg of the Extreme Triathlon when she leaves Paarl as a participant in the 240km 4 day Berg River Canoe Marathon.

Also finishing on Friday was Knysna resident Joan Louwrens. Turning 60 later this year Joan becomes the oldest female finisher in the Freedom Challenge and one of the oldest all time finishers. Leaving Pietermaritzburg 6 days before Tatum in one of the earlier batches, Joan finished 11 hours and 50 minutes inside the 26 day cut off. “It was huge” she said.

The third woman to finish on Friday was Di Thomas of Daytrippers. Participating in the event for the second time, Di spoke of how wonderful it had been to be able to complete the journey with her 20 year son, Ricky. The two left Pietermaritzburg the day after Joan and finally caught her at the last overnight stop.

With all remaining riders now at the Diemersfontein finish attention turns to Tatum Prins and Graham Bird of Team Merrell Adventure Addicts to see whether they are both able to complete the Berg River Canoe Marathon and claim the Basutho blankets that have been awarded to all other Freedom Challenge finishers.