The essence of true adventure racers: Absoluraid Capganguise Team 77
St Francis Bay residents, including Dune Daisies, have watched in awe as the best endurance athletes in the world have pushed their bodies, minds and souls to breaking point, all in the name of adventure racing. There have been tears, trench foot, torn muscles, technical issues and treacherous mountain traverses; not to mention sleep monsters, stormy nights and sodden equipment. Surely this cannot be ‘fun’? Which begs the question, why do they push themselves to such extremes?
It may be that adventure racers possess the ability to transform each of these challenges into life lessons. Or it could also be that many of the competitors we chatted to were remarkably humble. World-class competitors who have long since dropped their egos along a dusty road to make way for the incredible teamwork required to survive the elements. And let’s not forget the humour – wherever adventure racers are, you are bound to hear a joke or wry comment, using humour to uplift a tricky situation. Whatever the magic ingredient, it is something so vital, so alluring, that it can anoint mere mortals with the ability to go deeper, further and with more humility and wisdom than we would ever hope to possess.
Sometimes there are parameters that you cannot control in this type of race.
Chiara
Curious to gain a deeper understanding of this most unique of human species, we chatted to a team that grew close to our hearts during this event (and not only because the lone woman of the team, Chiara Casari must be the most glamourous, inspirational – read: aeronautical engineer – chick on the AR circuit!).
They first landed on our DD radar on Tuesday 26th October. The distress signal came into ARWC HQ at Cape St Francis Resort at around 14.35hrs on Day 6.
Team 77, Absoluraid Capganguise from Toulouse, France, were in trouble – 120 hours into the most gruelling adventure racing world championship. One of their teammates, Yannick Perrin, was vomiting and weak. They were unable to move from their position deep in the Kouga Mountain wilderness and were out of options. On a blustery, unforgiving windswept expanse of rock and fynbos, Team 77 made the heart-breaking decision to retire from the competition. Aiming for a top 5 podium finish, their hopes had crumbled.
Yannick told DD that by that stage, for him, it was actually a ‘really easy’ decision to stop. ‘I was ill,’ Yannick explained, ‘we waited almost 10 hours to sleep and we came back again into the race. The following night, Johann Thomas & Lionel Villeneuve also fell ill, but we still managed to ride for another 5/6 hours.’ But then, ‘Johann became really, really ill; he was shaking. We had to stop. You just cannot fight against this type of thing. When you are tired or when the track is difficult, you can handle it, you can fight, you can manage the mental toll. But when it is your health – it is too difficult.’ He joked that in the next race, they would, ‘have both an orienteerer and a doctor in the team!’
Back to the inhospitable mountain. Calls were made between emergency staff and nearby local landowners. Byron Le Roux from Baviaans Lodge headed out to their last logged location. He found Chiara, Yannick, Johann and Lionel and brought them back to the comfort we take for granted – food, shelter, safe drinking water. The next day, Anton (a Dune Daisies husband and dad), together with his three cows on their way to market, transported the team back to the Cape St Francis Resort.
The things that you remember after a trip are not standing on the summit but what went on while you were on the route.
Mo Anthoine, ‘To the summit.’
By 16.00hrs on Wednesday all three men had to be taken to a local doctor for emergency treatment. Chiara stayed behind to support Lionel’s daughter, who had flown out from France to welcome her father across the finish line. This dream was now replaced by the urgent wish that her dad would be okay.
Family back home were kept updated with pictures and reports from the doctor’s rooms. Chiara explained that they have a huge team of supporters, all on a Whatsapp group for this event. ‘Our relatives and even non-sporty friends follow the race closely. Teammates from our club in Toulouse (founded in 2016 by Lionel) who understand the topography, translate what is happening to our other supporters; why we sleep, why we have stopped and the benefits of different route choices.’
Chiara’s parents are ardent supporters, even joining the team when they competed in Croatia, whilst Yannick’s wife has faith that he, and his teammates, ‘can handle difficult situations.’ Clearly Team 77, and most other racing teams, could not manage this sport’s testing mental and physical tolls without unwavering help from friends and family.
Fortunately, by the following morning, all four team members were better, well-rested and recovered, and officially off our worry list. By that stage, they were already reminiscing about the high points of their adventure, which included spectacular sunrises and big tortoises (not often seen in and around Toulouse). One favourite was, ‘when we arrived in the dunes and saw the sea for the first time, and then ran in the sand dunes.’
They were all unanimous that the Eastern Cape had, ‘better scenery than Europe.’ They planned to end their time in South Africa enjoying the wildlife in Addo and various other game reserves. This tight-knit foursome, who not only race together but also party and holiday with each other, are clearly well-versed in making the most of every moment, race and adventure that comes their way. However, they were not quite yet ready to think about their next race. Give them a day or two and we are sure they will be back training, their sights set on yet another challenge.
You didn’t beat me. You merely finished in front of me. Hal Higdon, ‘To the summit.’
The Cape St Francis Resort - going the extra, adventurous mile.
During the ARWC 2023, the Cape St Francis Resort was a hive of activity, packed to its maximum and overflowing with foreign athletes, media teams and race supporters. Hosting an adventure race is a highly complex endeavour and without a doubt, the Resort nailed it. Having run the Expedition Africa race in 2017, they knew what was ahead and what was required. Ideally suited geographically for this type of race format, the Resort is close enough (or far enough) from the Baviaans and the Karoo, both suitably contrasting in biodiversity and terrain. Additionally, our challenging coastline with dunes and rocks also ensured that racers would have to ‘flex their muscles.’ With the Resort’s perfect facilities, restaurants and accommodation, plus their great team dedicated to promoting the area and sporting codes, it was a no-brainer for Heidi and Stefan Muller to host the event in Cape St Francis.
Arranging accommodation for all the visiting teams was easy compared with the logistics that accompany an event of this kind. Imagine housing about 400 foreigners in Cape St Francis, each of their very expensive bicycles and every team’s giant black box. This doesn’t yet include all the additional bodies – volunteers, media and supporters.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with how an adventure race works, everyone gets dropped together at the starting point of the race. Then they must make it through various legs, in this case over 800km, stopping at checkpoints along the way and ultimately finding their way to the final stop. This year’s world championship ended at the Resort. The first teams returned after about 118 hours – the last teams came 100 hours later! This meant that for those 100 hours there always had to be someone around to welcome incoming teams, even when they arrived in the wee hours of the morning. Additionally, those teams needed to be fed and shown their new accommodation (most teams checked out during the race and during that period the Resort welcomed 6 tour buses – so, it was business as usual). Yet it all worked seamlessly, thanks to the incredible staff and management of the Cape St Francis Resort.
The Resort staff were absolutely amazing and welcomed each team with heartfelt singing and dancing. For many, including Anita Lennox (CEO of the Resort since 2001), this was the highlight of the event. No matter what time of the day and night teams arrived, they were given a warm Eastern Cape reception. And the singing didn’t stop there! The Resort staff added a real South African flavour to the opening event held at the St Francis Links by singing and dancing in the flag parade as the participants walked up to be greeted by praise singers and drums. They have been a constant source of joy during this world championship event. And when the teams started returning from their epic adventure, they were there to guide them to the finish line and podium, celebrating every step of the way.
We were lucky enough to chat with Danni Shaw (née Malherbe) shortly before the race began. Her family has owned the Resort for many years and were all very much involved in this event.
DD: You have had personal experience with adventure racing?
DS: We were introduced to adventure racing in 2017 when we hosted the 500km South African Adventure Race. My sister competed in that event as part of the Resort team, so I have had personal experience with her with the sport.
DD: How long in advance did you start preparing for this event?
DS: We started preparing for it about 18 months ago, so it’s been quite a while in the making.
DD: What has been the biggest logistical challenge of hosting the ARWC?
DS: Finding enough beds and organising transport have been a challenge. We have had to overflow out of the Resort which has been tricky as most of the guests are foreign and want to be on site as they don’t have transport. Arranging everyone’s transport from the airport as well as to the village to go shopping or visit the other restaurants in town has also been a logistical manoeuvre. Stefan and Heidi’s work has been figuring out the route and liaising with the landowners and getting the necessary permission to through these properties. At the moment, their biggest concern is the transition zones and getting all the bikes and boxes to these positions.
DD: We see that your staff have been dancing and singing day and night to give the guests a warm welcome. How has the atmosphere been at the Resort and have you been surprised at your staff’s dancing abilities?
DS: We have not been too amazed by how well our staff dance – we knew this before! What has surprised us has been their charisma and how much they have enjoyed showing off South African culture and welcoming all the foreigners. Their enthusiasm has been massive and the way that they have embraced people being interested in their culture, and our African way of dressing, dancing and singing has been phenomenal.
DD: Have any menu items stood out as being more popular than others?
DS: In terms of food, people have different ways of preparing for races. Some people have been eating a lot of protein-heavy dishes such as steaks and fish and others have been carbo-loading with pastas.
DD: Have you had any unusual requests from adventure racers?
DS: Other than a few language barriers, there haven’t been anything other than people trying to figure out their logistics.
DD: How are you preparing for their return to the Resort? Are you anticipating a lot of parties? Especially with the rugby World Cup?
DS: Teams have placed orders for the food they want when they arrive back after the race. We will be dot watching so we will know when a team is about to arrive and we can have their food ready. From Wednesday or Thursday next week, the village we have created with extra tents and food trucks will be happening and should be quite festive. We have a lot of live music planned, but these guys won’t party too hard as they will be very tired. They will enjoy a bit of a celebration and some food, but they will probably want to rest.
DD: Teams have been arriving all day and night and when they return it will also be at all hours of the day. Are you getting any sleep and what are your stress levels?
DS: It has been hard work but thank goodness we have an amazing team and have worked well together. Everyone has taken turns to sleep and rest so we haven’t gotten too burnt out.
DD: Would you do it again?
DS: Definitely. It has also had an impact on the community of the St Francis area. The SPAR has had great foot traffic and I believe the biltong shop in the village was sold out. Those who helped with the overflow of guests in Cape St Francis have been fully booked. Also, many of the South African teams who have had access to transport have also stayed in the village. So I believe it has been positive for the area.
To all at the Resort: We are so proud of you and are grateful to have such a wonderful facility in our midst. Thank you for all you do for our area and for having the courage to bring an event like this to St Francis. We love you.
We have mentioned the great team at the Resort and credit must also go to Anita Lennox, who knows every aspect of managing a Resort of this size inside out. As the Resort is recognised for its sustainability practices, we chatted to her briefly about their affiliation to the Eco Atlas, Fair Trade and TravelLife Sustainability in Tourism and how they maintained their green code with an event of this size.
AL: That’s been our biggest challenge – fortunately adventure races are very aware of their environment, and this made it a lot easier (there is a zero-footprint policy in adventure racing). We have glass water bottles in the rooms as well as refill stations which helped. Obviously, the restaurants produce a lot more waste, so our earthworms are not complaining and Kouga recycling has been very busy.
A local adventure racer in our dunes! Juan Oosthuizen
ARWC 2023 fever has hit the Dune Daisies and we can’t get enough of this sport. Imagine doing multiple marathon-length trail runs, cycling (often in the dark) on gravel roads through mountain passes or bush for almost 500km, a quick 60km kayak and then, just to keep things exciting, a quick abseil of about 50m in no more than 9 days.
Competitors must provide their own food and water while on the move and may not have any contact or help from anyone. Finding drinkable water is a priority for teams as staying hydrated is vital for success. This can be quite a challenge in unfamiliar surroundings or water-deprived areas. Before the race, each team packs boxes of only 25kg – holding provisions and appropriate gear for the various legs of the race. They can access these boxes at transition points which is also where they pick up or drop off their bicycles. If something breaks, they have to work together to fix it.
As if this wasn’t enough of a challenge, teams only get the maps for the next leg of their journey once the previous one has been completed. They get a topographical map and a compass and must figure out the route as they go. There are checkpoints along the way to keep them on track and failure to stop at a checkpoint can cause a team to be disqualified. The use of technology is prohibited. The only communication allowed besides with their teammates is to talk to a shopkeeper to purchase food or water.
The teams who want to come in the top ten generally sleep on the side of the road for an hour or two when they cannot carry on any further. There is a lot of talk about ‘sleep monsters’ who visit when lack of sleep delirium kicks in. Competitors are challenged at every angle possible – physically, mentally and emotionally. All daily comforts are stripped away, and they have to reach their goal together, only as strong as the weakest team member.
As this is the world championship, teams have flown in from all over the world (about 40 countries). The top-ranked team is the Swedish Armed Forces, but the Estonian team is said to be close on their heels. French, South African, Spanish, American, Brazilian and Kiwi teams are all in the top ten.
Among all these top contenders is one of our own. A lad whose family lives in St Francis, Juan Oosthuizen from the Truffle Hunters (#15). He is a bio-kineticist and Pilates instructor who has two practices in Pretoria. Since his parents moved to St Francis in 2021, he has spent a lot of time on our trails on both bike and foot. We were lucky enough to catch up with him before he embarked on the race, and he gave us some wonderful insight.
DD: What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you in this race?
JO: Sleep deprivation will definitely be the hardest part about race, it will be the longest I have gone without a full night’s sleep. Your boundaries are really pushed without a full night’s sleep, and it is hard to maintain mental stability. I have done adventure races before of a few hundred kms and long bike races, but nothing this far before. This race is 800kms and it will be a real challenge for me. Having to deal with your eyes closing while you are cycling or when you start to hallucinate or fall asleep in the dark is scary. I am also one of the team navigators while we are cycling, so I need to keep us on track and going to the right destination, all the while staying motivated and positive. My role in the team is also as packhorse when the others are taking strain, I need to help by lightening their load and possibly carrying their packs or towing them.
DD: Do you think your knowledge of the area will give you an advantage?
JO: It will definitely help, even though I am not familiar with all the areas. Just knowing where the mountain is and where the climbs will be will help with pacing and ensuring that we are on the right track. Hopefully, this will also help keep everyone calm and peaceful. Problems start when you get agitated thinking you might be lost. One of our other team members, Andrea is from the Port Elizabeth vicinity, and I am sure that if we start in the area of the dunes up the coast as I suspect we will, her knowledge will help us.
DD: What will your last meal before the race be?
JO: My last meal will probably be a good lasagne – something warm and starchy with some protein. Most likely it will be the last warm thing we eat until after the race. On the course, we eat race bars, nuts, dried fruit, meal replacements and energy gels. We will try and eat as much wholesome food as possible, but it’s not easy when you can only pack 4.7kg of food and clothing per box. Most of the food needs to be dry as it will stand in the sun. It could also rain and dry food does better. We each have 7 packs of food for the transitions, so that should keep us going. So, I’m looking forward to my beef lasagne tonight and possibly also some malva pudding or lemon meringue.
DD: What are you most excited about?
JO: For me, it’s just about being alive and free. Having the freedom to do things like this is special. Sometimes we get stuck in the world and its materialism; grafting just to reach a certain status or level of financial well-being. Adventure racing is about being free and living in the wilderness and getting a sense of simplicity. It’s also about appreciating the other competitors and your teammates. This is an opportunity to be present.
Being out there brings me back to earth, it’s where I feel most alive. That’s why I come back to these events because you feel alive when you’re in it and afterwards you feel that you can conquer the world.
It’s a special feeling that you can’t explain to someone unless you are truly there in the moment. There might also be moments that are not so nice, like when you are ice cold and all you have is the people around you. They are the ones that are going to keep you happy and alive. We will also have the thrill of knowing that we are seeing and experiencing things that no one else has. It will be exhilarating to be in untamed places like those in the Karoo. I cannot wait to express myself out there and live like a free man.
DD: How well do you know your team members?
JO: I am pretty close to my teammates and we know each other well. Franco and I have done a few races together, we also did some volunteer work on the Sky Race. He’s the co-captain and navigator. Damon is actually living in the UK although he was born in South Africa. I haven’t really met him yet other than on Zoom calls. He’s going to be our captain and navigator and I think we are going to get along well. He’s awesome to be around and always creates a good atmosphere. They are the founding members of the Truffle Hunters. Andrea is a PE local and is an excellent cyclist. She has done some Cape Epics and came fourth in the TransBaviaans. She will really be able to help us get to the top of our game when it comes to cycling. I believe she will help keep us calm psychologically – women tend to have the ability to do that. She also knows the area quite well.
I think we are a dynamic team and will be a strong dark horse in this race. We hope to finish in the top thirty, anything above that will be a bonus. Even though I think we are strong contenders, our priority is to finish together with warm hearts.
Meet Camila Nicolau - top female adventure racer!
With the 2023 Adventure Racing World Champs around the corner, teams are gearing up to start their big challenge. Anything can happen during the race, and they need to be prepared for every scenario. Besides getting all their equipment in order, transition boxes need to be packed at 25kgs each, topography maps studied, and the area scoured on Google Earth. Strategies for coping with the intense physical and mental challenge that they are about to face have to be reviewed and absorbed – as little as possible should be left to chance.
Amidst all this activity, Camila Nicolau, one of the top female adventure racers in the world, graciously agreed to spend an hour with us to tell us more about her journey to the top of this awe-inspiring sport.
DD: Camila, adventure racing is not a common choice of sport for an athlete, what first attracted you to it and how long have you been racing?
CN: My mother! I started adventure racing twenty years ago because of her. My first sport was white-water kayaking. The owner of the rafting company did adventure racing and was always trying to get me involved. My mother had already started racing and was also tried. At the time, I didn’t enjoy aerobic exercise much so didn’t even consider it, but she persuaded me to join her on a race as part of her support crew. Back then, each team had to get their own boxes to the transitions so there were always many other people involved who had to get the boxes from one point to the next. I loved the whole experience and decided to give it a try and started training. I studied architecture at university, so had the necessary skills to navigate and read maps. As this is a big part of the race, as well as the kayaking, I just had to improve my other skills. In 2003, I did my first race and thoroughly enjoyed it. I did a short race with two of my university friends. We made the top ten (but from the bottom)! Neither of my teammates ever raced again, but I was hooked.
In 2005, I did my first expedition race and since then I have done two or three a year. There is so much to learn from this sport. This is what really attracts me to it. It’s a good way to test yourself as it’s incredibly hard. It’s like a laboratory where you put yourself into stressful situations with other people – a social challenge.
I think this reflects in your life. One becomes so much more tolerant and you know how to deal with difficult issues and other people. The mental strain is immense, and the race is so intense, all the while having to make things work with your team. They say it’s like living 5 years in 5 days because you experience so much every time you do this kind of thing.
The team that wins is not the team that doesn’t make mistakes, but rather the team that knows how to deal with problems more efficiently and can work their way through. It is impossible to spend over 100 hours together and not to slip up. No two races are ever the same. For example, Iron Man is a very hard race and to do it you create a formula to be successful. In adventure racing, you need to create 100 formulas to allow for all the variables.
The training before is not only physical but also mental. Physically, you have to be very fit. I train every day, usually alternating running with cycling. I run about 15-80 km a session and towards the end of my training period, I run more than cycle as the trekking part is more demanding. At least with cycling, you can relax a little when you go downhill, but it’s not like that with trekking.
DD: What is your strength in your team?
CN: I am the team captain, so I am very organised and take responsibility for everything except navigating. During the race, I know that the beginning of the race is always hard for me. So, during this period, I get the lightest pack and less gear. From around the middle to the end of the race, when the others may be struggling more, especially psychologically, I find my strength. It seems that in adventure racing this is a skill that more women are good at, and they can motivate their other team members and keep everyone together as things get harder towards the end. This is when I take the heavier backpack and try to support them more mentally.
DD: Is your team for this race an old team or a newly formed one?
CN: Three of us in this team have raced together for about two years. Obviously, my husband and I have been together for years, but Jonas only recently joined us even though he has been racing for more than 15 years. Jay comes from Thailand and is also an old racing friend of ours, like Jonas. We always had good synergy with both of them and they have the experience and the skills to match ours or complement our skills, so we feel very good about our team.
DD: How do you find the right team?
CN: Finding the right team is very hard and it takes years to get it right. It’s like finding four puzzle pieces that fit perfectly. The balance in the team is important and everyone needs to be good at different things. My husband and I always race together, we also train together. But Jonas lives on the other side of Brazil and Jay is from Thailand, so we don’t train together. But, because we have never all raced in this group, we decided to come to South Africa ten days early to spend some time together as a team and talk through our strategies.
DD: What is the biggest challenge in the race?
CN: The start is definitely the hardest part for me. The first two to six hours are difficult because everyone is trying to get ahead and moving as fast as they can. Personally, I don’t understand why they waste so much energy in the beginning and go at a pace they can’t sustain, but we have to keep up or else we will lose time. As I mentioned before, my team understands this and supports me through this.
DD: Have there been any race experiences that have stood out for you?
CN: Every race is different, even after twenty years of racing. I started racing very young. I am 38 now, but the average age for this kind of race is 42. I think the wisdom that comes with age and the ability to strategize really helps.
DD: Do you have any sponsors or get any funding from Brazil to do the race?
CN: We don’t have any sponsors, but we get some help from the government through various programs, these paid for our flight to South Africa. Finding funding is our biggest challenge in Brazil.
DD: We know that you and your husband also have a business together. Could you tell us more about that?
CN: We coach people to prepare them to do adventure racing. This involves getting them physically strong enough for the race and getting them mentally ready for the challenges they will face in a race. Our program is all online. We set up a daily training schedule for them based on the intensity they would like and the timeframe they have until the race. Once a month, we check in to talk about their progress and then also cover topics such as strategy, nutrition, hydration and mental approach. The other topics are as important as being physically fit.
DD: Is this your first time in South Africa?
CN: Yes, it is and we love it so far. We haven’t had much chance to see too much but I am sure we will see a lot during the race. It’s such a great way to see a country and get a taste of the culture.
DD: Is there anything that worries you about the race being in South Africa?
CN: There is nothing about the landscape or environment that we are worried about, but it’s communicating with people in shops, for example, that is different. On another race, we went into a shop to buy water and they gave us a bag of water (not a bottle). It was completely unexpected, but we had to deal with it.
DD: When you finish the race, how do you feel?
CN: First you sleep for about 16 hours, then you wake up to eat and hydrate and then you sleep again. This continues for about a week. My husband says you resort back to being a baby. This time, we have to do a presentation at the conference which is actually making me more nervous than the race. I think they will have to bring in a couch for me to speak from! Thankfully, it’s a topic we deal with every day so it will be easy for us to speak about it.
TEAM BRAZIL MULTISPORT 2022
