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Total Sports Challenge, RSA |
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| Date: |
07.01.2006 |
| Description: |
7 Athlete Team Event |
| More information: |
http://www.totalsports.co.za |
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| Diary:
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| 07.01.2006 |
(written by bobby behan our team manager and friend, http://www.lacticburn.com )
Total Sports Challenge
Date: 7-1-2006
Result: 1st (7 Man Team)
This event has been very different to any other event I have ever been involved in. It had to be one of the most fun, yet stressful, immotional days I have ever had! About two to three weeks prior to the event, I was sitting chatting with Christoph Sauser and Silvio Bundi, who also train here in South Africa and we decided to enter a team, for this seven man team event. Initially I was going to do one of the legs, but realised that a manager was crucial. I soon found myself designated with this role! To put the event in perspective, this event gets massive National Coverage - TV cameras were everywhere, including two helicopters, so too win is a very very good accomplishment.
The event itself consisted of: a 12km Surfski in the sea, a 1500m sea swim, a 50km Road Bike, a 13km Road Run, a 13km K1 Canoe, a 25km Mountain Bike and finally a 9km Beach Run. We had five athletes, after a little gentle persausion and many calls trying to track down the cave man himself, Conrad Stoltz, who was busy chasing leopards somewhere in Africa! Both Conrad and Tim Don, who were literally just returning to training after their winter break, commited despite the fact that they were both out of shape. Christoph Sauser opted for the Mountain Bike, while his Swiss companion Silvio Bundi opted for the road bike. Being a triathlete and thus training with Pierre De Roubaix's swim squad in Stellenbosch, left me with plenty of scope, when it came to sourcing the swimmer. There was no better kid to fill those shoes, than 14 year old Heerdeen Herman, who had just won the open / senior 800m Western Province Championships (he also broke that open / senior record).
Although, on paper we had the makings of a great team, two vital components were missing. We needed athletes for both the surf ski and canoe legs, which were two events I knew very little about. After many phone calls and explanations that we had no sponsors, but we putting together a team two top paddlers committed. Barry Lewin one of South Africa's best Surf Skiers travelled down from Durban, while local Cape Town Man Graham Solamon, who in previous years had being part of a winning seven man team commited to the canoe leg.
The lads reckon I was more nervous than they were! I had an early rise to be at the start point for 5:30am. Naturally the athletes competing later in the day had a little lie in. This was the first time I had the opportunity to meet Barry, who was busy getting ready for his surf ski leg. I quickly introduced him to both Heerden and Silvio. Barry himself finished 2nd in one of last years Surf Ski World Cup Events, so he is an acomplished competitor. Barry's first leg was solid. The surf ski itself consists of 2 laps, so after the first lap I could see that we were in contention lying in 3rd place. Team Nestle set the early pace in the shape of David Mocker. We finished the leg in 3rd position almost 1 min 30'' down. Rough water generally suits Barry, but today the water was flat. I quickly identified that the swim leg was going to be crucial. The former William Simpson Team, now without a sponsor were in second place less that one minute behind Team Nestle. If these 2 teams got close on the swim, I anticipated that their cyclists would work together on the bike, thus putting Silvio in a very vulnerable situation. I also identified at the start of the swim that the William Simpson Team had a kid who beat Heerden by 3'' in the 1500m Western Province Championships, so I never expected Heerden to make up much ground. We had a 25'' deficit to the former William Simpson Team. After the first of two laps of the swim, Heerden had not only caught the second placed team, but passed them! All this in 750m! I remember screaming "Heerden your the man, your the man". By the end of the swim we were less than 45'' down on the leaders and 25'' up on William Simpson, who I expected to be our main rivals as the race progressed. Heerden had dug very very deep and in the process had really shown who was the boss on the swim leg. I remember looking at the faces of the managers on the other teams who were in shock!
I explained to Silvio that if he could ride hard from the start of the 50km bike, AS he may catch the Nestle Team early on, which mean't that they could possibly work together. Silvio was 8th in last years Moutain Bike World Championships. He faced a fellow Irishman Bill Moore, a former Irish National Champion, who won a stage of the Rás (Tour Of Ireland) last year. Bill is widely respected in the cycling community in Ireland and I knew he would be a great man to work with. Within, 20km Silvio caught Bill and they started working well together. Meanwhile, Al Davies of the former William Simpson Team was isolated, until 2 other riders caught him. At this stage we were 1 minute 45'' ahead, but this three man group started to work hard. I remember shouting to Bill "think of Kelly and Roche ....... your hard ..... your Irish ..... dig dig dig ....... Silvio the Irish and Swiss are going to blow this thing appart!". By the end of the bike our lead was down to 55'' seconds.
We had Tim Don lined up. Tim, a two time Triathon Olympian, won three Triathlon World Cups in 2005, and finished 3rd overall in the World Cup Standings, so he is a fierce athlete, but as he said himself, he was out of shape, with specialist runners on his heals. Nestle had a solid run, but the former William Simpson Team, along with Team Total Sport were back in the action. They both had specialist fit runners. By the end of the run we were in 4th place, but thanks to Tim's efforts, were still very much in the race with only a 1min 10'' deficit to the leaders.
Tim passed over the Graham Solamon. Graham, known in South Africa as a mean paddler, managed to close the gap to 45'' seconds, which moved us up to 3rd position. Total Sports had problems, but the former William Simpson Team and Nestle Team were still very much in the race. I think the change over point from canoe to MTB was definitely the most stressful for the team as a whole. Our Mountain Biker was Christoph Sauser, who has won the overall World Cup Title for the past 2 years. He is also an Olympic Medalist. So he is World Class. Despite this background, we were all surprised at how relaxed he was! While our opponents were busy cycling up the road gaining time, our canoeist, Graham had arrived, while Christoph was busy taking a pee against a tree, 100metres away. I remember saying Susi, as he is fondly known, "Graham is here ...... hurry bloody up". The response was so relaxed - "it's ok I will be there, just let me finish"! Tim Don almost picked Susi up and carried him to the line! Meanwhile the deficit to our oponents was growing. Then Susi, went the wrong way, so we had to scream at him to turn around, which mean't coming back towards us! Eventually, he got going, before taking the time to wave to us all! I remember thinking I hope he can bike as well, as I know he can. Nestle had the top South African Mountain Biker on their team, while the former William Simpson Team had the provincial Cycling Champion.
No spectators could follow the mountain bike leg, so this was definitely the most relaxed period of the race, although we were all a little nervous as to the outcome. Susi, knew before departure that we needed a 5 minute lead. Conrad, as I said was out of shape, and facing a Russian Valdimir Kotov, who is a monster on the beach run. Kotov has won the Comrades Marathon at least 3 times. The Comrades is a very big race here in South Africa. It is not your regular marathon - this race lasts 90km! Not to let age put one off, but Kotov is 50, and only the week prior to this event ran a 15'15'' for 5km, which is an awesome time for any athlete let alone a 50 year old! To give even more perspective, 5km running is not his strong point, but beach running is. I have to be honest and say in the days preceeding the event I have never seen Conrad more nervous! But I always knew in my heart that when the pressure is on, Conrad always seems to find that extra gear and pull through. He is a tough athlete. Conrad, like Tim Don is a two time triathlon Olympian and has won 2 World XTerra Titles.
Susi, finished the MTB in a relaxed confident style, before having the time to tell Conrad that "he must run with fear"! I started the stop watch. After 5 minutes there was still no sign of the second placed team! Susi, confidently said "Bob's I promised you 5 minutes ... there you go, with a little extra!". 6min 15'' later and the former William Simpson Team had arrived and Kotov was on his way. Susi started over 1 min down, so to put this sort of time into a quality field, over 25km gives you an idea as to just how good he really is.
The beach run was an out and back course so it was difficult for us to determine the lead Conrad had at the turn around. We were given false reports by the commentators, that Conrad only had a 2min 45'' lead. I ended up having to race down the beach with Heerden, to give him some moral support. This then gave me a sense of how tough the beach run actually was - the sand was so soft and deep. I am glad I did not have to do this leg. Eventually, we found Conrad and quickly realised that Conrad had a big enough lead, to take him over the line in first place. At the turnaround he actually had 4 min 40'', and he went on to win by over 2 minutes.
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