Article from the 3 August 2001 edition of the Barkly East Reporter
One of the warmest ever (- 3 degrees) van Zyl & Pritchard Rhodes Marathon's, but who would have missed it. From 6:30am on 21 July the 305 registered runners held their collective frosted breaths waiting for word from the organisers if conditions would allow the run to be held over the traditional route. Nowhere else would a delay to the start be welcomed as this one was. In this case the delay was to enable the organisers and local farmers to check the route to ensure the safety of vehicles traveling to the various feeding stations and checkpoints.
Here Gerhard Henning deserves special mention for all his tireless work on the Friday night and from 4am on race day to ensure the safety of the runners and support vehicles. The reason for this, after 12 years of waiting, snow had falen on race day. Rhodes was a winter wonderland as runners had woken up to a snow covered village and countryside.
While the runners were thrilled it did give Rhodes home owner Evie Raubenheimer, the race organiser, a few anxious moments as it was extremely difficult in the pre-dawn to establish road conditions over the route.
The race started 30min late at 7:30 (after a one minute silence for Fritz Madel, a Rhodes runner & home owner and 5 times Comrades Gold medalist who passed away in June) and the runners moved off under a steamy white cloud of their own making. Frosty, cool, exciting and very different. The first few kilometres were interspersed with white flashes as runners enjoyed the snow and took photographs of each other in the novel conditions. Running alongside the Bell River the scenery was spectacular as the field climbed past "Park Gate" and moved towards the "Mavis Bank" checkpoint, which, because of the uncertain conditions had become a possible "early exit" point for runners.
In the kloof the runners were met with an incredible sight. Seven pupils and the principal from St Dominic's Priory High School (PE) outdoor club (who call themselves the "Klippies") had hiked into the kloof the previous day carrying tables, oranges, Energade and everything needed to sustain the runners, and had camped overnight in the snow. This unexpected waterpoint made the trek through the kloof and up the lung testing Mavis Bank to the 21km Lesotho Border checkpoint somewhat easier. First to the Lesotho Border checkpoint (winning the presigious King of the Kloof title) was Kobus Filmalter, and Queen of the Kloof was Cape Town runner Nancy Will.
On top, while it did get very cold at stages, there was not the usual bitter headwind and most runners made good time on their descent back to Rhodes. Sarel Steenkamp and his team were very busy at their water point near Lesotho View as a number of runners dropped out here due to the severe cold conditions. Rumour has it that the main reason why runners stop at their point is to have a few of the delicious koeksusters which Benita makes for them. From all accounts the "koeksuster station" has built up quite a reputation.
Johan Oosthuizen (Harmony Gold AC) made the trip worthwhile and built up a sizeable buffer on the field over the last section to win comfortably in a time of 4:25:24. Rhodes stalwart Mike Forshaw and Nick Kinsley who both broke the 5-hour barrier followed him home. First Lady home was Nancy Will (Pinelands AC) in a time of 5:39:43, who also won the Lady Master category. First Rhodes runner, and winner of the Gold Medal, was Fred Leask of Ugie in 132nd position with a time of 7:23:02. Fred was also awarded his permanent number (Number 437) for completing his third Rhodes Marathon.
The only Barkly runner to complete this year was Andre van Lill (155th in 7:31:02). Aliwal/Lady Grey runners were Pieter du Preez (63rd in 6:27:00), John-Michael Tawse (69th in 6:33:39), Dries de Klerk (106th in 7:02:08) and Deon du Plessis (187th in 7:52:44). There were 284 official finishers with the last man home Clive McDonald of Fish Hoek (running his third Rhodes Marathon) bringing to an end a glorious Rhodes Marathon. Each finisher received, in addition to their medal, t-shirt and bottle of Old Brown Sherry, a most beautiful locally produced gift of either a gorgeous table cloth from Sandra Reeders' Studio or a wonderful beadwork bracelet from Jess Machanik. These stunning presentations were highly prized by all who received them.
"The local community were outstanding with their support" Evie Raubenheimer told the Barkly Reporter. "The runners and their families travel long distances to visit our most beautiful region, but without the generous farming community who give of their time, the various hospitality establishments and the many residents who help in all sorts of ways the race would just not take place. It really is a massive team effort from the Rhodes community that makes this the hugely prestigious event it is."
The Rhodes Home School took care of feeding the runners and their supporters at the Rhodes Farmer's Hall, and from all accounts they looked after our visitors extremely well. Some of those who worked at the various water and feeding stations along the route were Francois Nel & family, Neil Wetmore, Gerhard Henning, Stefaans Naude, Pieter Jordaan (without whose assistance the support team would not have been able to reach the 21km checkpoint), Henry Naude, Elizma den Heyer & the Tiffindell team, Joe Sephton, Graham & Margie Frost, Hayden Green, Jan Joubert & friends, the Smit children from Maartens Hoek and the Gettliffe's and Lucien and Elize Theron. Medical support for runners, arranged by Jessie Gush, was provided by Betsy Naude, Benita Steenkamp, Barbara Gettliffe and Friedel Ekron.
While very scenic, extremely testing and cold the conditions were not quite as severe or dangerous as had been anticipated, and 2001 will be remembered as the year of the "Classic Rhodes" a privilege for those who completed it and an experience not forgotten.
