Van der Merwe and Grobler take Jozi Triathlon titles

Van der Merwe won the men's race in 02:02:18, while Grobler clocked 02:18:19 for victory in the women's race.

September 30, 2025

Lebohang Pita 2 minutes read

The top three in the men's race Rudolf Naudè (third), winner Pieterjan van der Merwe and runner-up Scott Fisher. They are with Ebotse Golf and Country Estate CEO Stephan Vorster.

Pieterjan van der Merwe and Karla Grobler powered to commanding victories at the third SEESA Jozi Triathlon at CR Swart Dam on September 27, securing the men’s and women’s titles with dominant performances on the bike and run.

Van der Merwe broke clear on the bike leg and maintained his pace through the run to claim a convincing win, while Grobler used her strength on the road to outlast her rivals and cross the line unchallenged.

Men’s Race

Open water swimmer Henrè Louw set the early pace, completing two laps of the 1 500m course in 18:42. He was followed out of the water by Scott Fisher in 21:58, with Van der Merwe third in 22:10 entering the first transition.

Henrè Louw was the first athlete out of the water in the men’s standard distance race.

On the bike leg, Van der Merwe and Fisher caught Louw and pushed ahead. Van der Merwe covered the 40km course in 01:04:14, opening a 17-second lead over Fisher entering the second transition. Fisher clocked 01:04:31, while 2023 winner Rudolf Naudè finished in 01:04:56. Louw struggled, completing the bike in 01:09:12 and entering T2 in fifth place.

Van der Merwe, who also won the Triathlon South Africa sprint championships on the same course in March, dominated the run. He completed the two laps of the 10km course in 35:53 to finish with a combined time of 02:02:18. Fisher ran 37:21 to finish second in 02:03:51, while Naudè completed the course in 37:01 for a third-place finish in 02:04:51.

Pieterjan van der Merwe was in third place at the start of the bike leg.

“I was tired before this race. I only came because it’s an event organised by Glen Gore. But in the end, I’m happy I came. I’m chuffed with the win. It was a great performance overall,” said Van der Merwe.

Women’s Race

Danica van Jaarsveld was the first woman out of the water, completing her swim in 21:49 and holding a 01:58 advantage entering T1. She was followed by two-time Olympic champion Tatjana Smith in 23:07, with Grobler third in 23:47.

Grobler, winner of the SA sprint champs in March on the same course, made up ground on the bike, covering the 40km course in 01:11:46 to enter T2 with a 03:50 lead. Smith finished the bike in 01:15:36, while Van Jaarsveld was 31 seconds behind the retired swimmer.

Grobler ran comfortably, completing the 10km in 42:44 to finish first in 02:18:19. Van Jaarsveld posted the fastest run leg of the women’s race, covering the distance in 41:49, passing Smith, and finishing second in 02:19:46. Smith completed the podium in 02:23:14 with a run of 44:30.

Third-placed Tatjana Smith and runner-up Danica van Jaarsveld on the podium. Absent: Winner Karla Grobler.

Reflecting on her win, Grobler said, “I am surprised I won. I wasn’t mentally prepared for this race. I was mentally tired. But it felt good. I just came and gave it my all. The podium is a bonus.”

The event, organised by legendary triathlete Glen Gore of Triathlon Plus SA, attracted over 450 athletes, the largest turnout since its debut in 2023.

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