Nedbank Running Club star, Irvette van Blerk defended her Spar Ladies title in Pretoria.  

On Saturday 27 August Nedbank Green Dream Team Member Irvette van van Blerk defended her title in the Spar ladies race at Supersport Park in Pretorias. The runners did start very fast and Irvette was only in 4th place after the 3km mark. She took the lead at 6km and didn't look back, finishing the race in a fast 34:55. Temperatures were very high for this time of the year and combined with the altitude took their toll on athletes coming from the cold and wet coastal areas.

Irvette was followed home in second place by Nedbank running Club team mate Rutendo Nyahora in in a time of 35:40

Zintle Xiniwe was struggling with the heat and could only manage a 10th place in the race.

There is a mathematical possibility that Irvette van Blerk can be beaten in the overall GP (the final race is in Johannesburg in October), but the chances of this happening are extremely low.  Only Zintle Xinewe can beat her, but she will have to win in a time faster than last year and Irvette will have to finish outside the top 20.

Nedbank athletes are dominating the overall standings at the SPAR Series of races.

Rutendo Nyahora and Irvette van Blerk

In the 5km, 12 year old Simonay Weitsz, a member of the Nedbank Running Club Johannesburg was 1st over all. She is already a star and an athlete to watch for the future

Irvette`s aunt and winner of the 1992 Comrades marathon was 2nd master home in the SPAR 10km.

Irvette van Blerk and Simonay Weitsz

CATEGORY WINNERS: SPAR WOMEN'S 10KM
WOMEN Name   Time Club
OPEN   
1st IRVETTE VAN BLERK 34:55 NEDBANK
2nd RUTENDO NYHORA 35:40 NEDBANK
10th ZINTLE XINIWE  37:02 NEDBANK
16th MYRETTE FILMALTER 38:27 NEDBANK
23rd LIZERIE FERREIRA  42:03 NEDBANK
40 - 49   
4th DEBBIE BREDENKAP 46:11 NEDBANK
50 - 59   
2nd FRANCIS VAN BLERK 46:26 NEDBANK
JUNIORS   
2nd LIZERIE FERREIRA  42:03 NEDBANK

13th IAAF world Championships

At the IAAF world championships in South Korea Nedbank athletes, Rene Kalmer finished in 31st place in a time of 2:38:16 and Annerien van Schalkwyk in 37th place in 2:43:59

Transnet Rail Engineering 15km

Category: Senior Men
3 MELIKHAYA FRANS 47.51
Category: Senior Ladies
3 ASANDA SOLANI 1.04.37
Category: 35 - 39 Men
3 MPUMELELO NDLUMBINI 53.56
Category: 40 - 44 Men
1 MABOYISANA MAZWAYI 51.56
2 MZUKISI KLAAS 54.22
3 AUGUST ESAU 54.55
Category: 45 - 49 Men
1 CHRISTOPHER MABENGEZA 52.15
3 COLBEN NGCUPE 57.07
Category: 50 - 54 Men
3 SIDWEL ROBOSHI 1.00.43
Category: Junior Men
1 MELIKHAYA FRANS 47.51
3 SIMPHIWE NTOMBANA 51.15
Category: 35 - 39 Ladies
3 DAVERA MAGSON 1.12.02
Wanderers 10km and 21km

Wanderers 10km and 21km

At the Wanderers 10 and 21 races on Sunday, we had a number of runners competing. In the 21km race, Odwa Tunyiswa from Soweto was 2nd overall in the men's race, while Poppy Mlambo was 1st in 1:20 and Michelle Williams was 2nd in the ladies race.

National Cross Country championships

The following Nedbank Running Club Gauteng North Athletes was selected to represent Athletics Gauteng North at the National Cross Country championships in Bloemfontein on Saturday, 17 September 2011.

SENIOR WOMEN (8 KM)  
ANNERIEN VAN SCHALKWYK
MYRETTE FILMALTER
WOMEN 30 (4 KM)   
ANITA O'BRIEN
WOMEN 35 (4 KM)  
ELOUISE DIRKSE VAN SCHALKWYK
WOMEN 45 (4 KM)  
LELANIE VAN ZYL
WOMEN 50 (4 KM)  
LOUISE NORTMAN
WOMEN 55 (4 KM)  
FRANCIS VAN BLERK

NMMU's Saasveld Halfmarathon

Lindele Tokota (Nedbank Running Club) and Allison Jordaan (Nedbank Running Club) was the two outstanding athletes in NMMU's Saasveld Halfmarathon that took place on Saturday at the George Campus in the area of NMMU

Yokota won the men's 21km race in 1:12:05, in second place from Outeniqua Harriers, Vuvo Witbooi in 1:15:42 and Sensipho Didshe, from Knysna Marathon Club taking third in a time of 1:15:52

In the woman's race, Allison Jordaan with her six straight win celebrated with a time of 1:31:33, Clarette Nienaber came in second in 1:32:51 and Eliza Kloppers of Hartenbos Drawwers in third place with a time of 1:34:52
Tokota and Jordaan was also the Veteran winners, while Peter Jacoby of Knysna took the grandmaster title in 1:43:55 and Sandria Visser of Nedbank running Club was the woman grandmaster winner in 2:18:25

Allison Jordaan

Huge demand, City2City Marathon extends deadline 

Due to overwhelming demand, the City2City Marathon is extending its entry dates.

Thursday 1 September would have been the last day for entries, but with the re-launched race attracting so much interest, organisers are giving runners an additional week to ensure they don't miss what is set to be Gauteng's premier road-running event this year.

Entries received before the original cut off deadline will still get a commemorative race T-shirt and goody bag along with your race number. For those not quick enough off the mark though, entries for the 50km ultra-marathon, the 21.1km half-marathon and the 10km race will remain open until Wednesday, 7 September. (But sorry, there'll be no T-shirt or goody bag.)

Entries for the 10km race will still be accepted on the morning of the race at the venue - from 5am on 18 September, at the James and Ethel Gray Park.

Download entry forms from www.city2citymarathon.co.za or enter online at www.entrytime.com.

For more information please contact:
Nick Bester
Premiere Sport Management
nickb@lantic.net / 082 454 2222

Daniella Shapiro
Premiere Sport Management
daniellash@iburst.co.za / 082 451 6472

Distributed on behalf of the Bonitas Medical Fund and the Bonitas City2City Marathon by:
Tracy Hyams
The Advertising Booth
tracy@theadversitingbooth.co.za / 083 414 8656 

Bruce Fordyce invites you the next Runner's World pasta party

McCarthy Volkswagen Marathon Challenge

After 12 years, the McCarthy Volkswagen Marathon Challenge will sadly not take place on 24 September. There are a number of reasons which forced the organisers, Sportsvendo to make this decision.

1. Initially, the event date was schedule for the 1st week of October, and continued to take place on the 1st Saturday of October for a number of years to follow. Surprisingly this approved AGN date for the McCarthy Volkswagen Marathon Challenge was brought forward annually, this year being 24 September 2011.This date is generally linked with a long weekend and most definitely a less popular date than the 1st Saturday in October.

2. With only a week apart from the City2City Marathon the conflicting dates became a deciding threat when Bonitas Medical Fund took over the Title Sponsorship rights of the City2City Marathon.

3. "We realize that our race received tremendous support from the road running community and we would have continued presenting the race irrespective of above mentioned. But, we were given another blow when McCarthy Volkswagen did not renew their sponsorship for 2011.

4. In light of above mentioned we accepted the contract presented to us to assist with, and to co-ordinate the Bonitas City2City Marathon this year on 18 September 2011. We also accepted the invitation from Agapé Running Club to join forces with them to present their annual road race on 22 October 2011, from now on to be known as The Jacaranda City Marathon (incorporating the Athletic Gauteng North Marathon Championship)", said Hank Bezuidenhout, Race Director.

Issued by:
Hank Bezuidenhout, Sportsvendo on behalf of Agapé Athletic Club, Alpha Centurion Club and Faranani Athletic Club.

Nedbank Om-die-Dammetjie Half Marathon & 10 km 

For Race flyer Click here

Date: 10 September 2011
Time: 07h00
Organisers: Nedbank LVCC Running Club Mpumalanga (Nelspruit)
Distance: 21.1; 10; 
Province: Mpumalanga
Start: Witklip Dam
on the Sabie/White River Road

Enquiries:
Contact 1: Beth Bloch
(C) 082-8013600
Contact 2: Gary Vincent
(C) 083-2940739

Entry Details:
Late entries are also taken at the start from 05h30. Grand Masters enjoy free entry.
Walkers are Welcome

Route Description:
Difficulty Rating: 2. Route Type: Circular
This is one of the best kept secrets in road running. Organised by the Lowveld Country Club in Nelspruit, the Nedbank "Om die Dammetjie" Half Marathon and 10 kilometre event is run on gravel roads out in the forests of Mpumalanga.

Both races start and finish on the dam wall. The 10 kilometre race is an out and back course, while the beautiful half marathon route is circular, with the first 13 kilometres run along the banks of the dam. The course takes you on a wondrous four kilometre loop into forests and back to the water's edge. This is something to savour, a PB in this race misses the point entirely. One thing is guaranteed, there are no traffic hassles.

Lizzy Hawker and Jonas Buud took first at the Swiss Alpine on 27 July 

Jonas Buud from Sweden who ran for Nedbank Running Club International and took 4th place at the Comrades this year has won the Swiss Alpine M marathon for a fifth time, finishing in a time of 6:11:02 hours for the 79.1 kilometres race. This race route is from Davos via Filisur and Bergün to the Keschhütte (2,632 metres above sea level) and further to the Sertigpass (2,739 metres above sea level) and from there back to the start.

Lizzy Hawker who has won the race in 2006 and 2007 has again won it for the third time in a time of 7:16:17.The win was even more special to her as 3 generations of Hawkers were running - Her Mother also did her very first race and her brother and niece also ran the short distance. Lizzy also competed in the Two Oceans Marathon for the Nedbank Running Club where she finished in 6th place. She was 7th in the Comrades Marathon representing the  Nedbank Running Club International.

After the Swis Alphine she immediately took on another 2 day double mountain marathon.

We hope to see the Nedbank athletes, Lizzy and Jonas back next year for the 2012 Comrades Marathon

Lizzy Hawker

Jonas Buud