Mud, sweat and teamwork

Sugar Rush Park became the home of warriors last weekend, as thousands flocked to the sugarcane fields to climb the “Wall of China” and to do the “Ninja Walk”.

About 5000 participants took part in the Ballito leg of the Jeep Warrior Race, South Africa’s largest obstacle course series.

According to Warrior Company director Fritz Pienaar, the addictive race is so popular because it offers great fun while exercising.

“The Warrior Race offers so many different elements and everyone from the cross fit fanatics to the semi-fit group of colleagues or friends, will get a thrill from the race,” said Pienaar.

The Bratz, Rookie, Commando and Black Ops participants arrived in teams or did it solo, some dressed up in animal print onesies and others dressed down to the bare minimum.

The Bratz were the children between the ages of four and 13, who covered a distance of about 500m and eight obstacles.

Those who were new to the Tumbler and Spiderweb went for the Rookie option, which saw anyone from 11 years and older covering about five kilometres and 15 obstacles.

Commando called for the braver folk, taking 16-year-olds and older over a 10 kilometre course with 22 obstacles.

Black Ops was reserved for the most hardcore warriors, as they had to cover 15km and 30 obstacles, which took roughly four hours to do, depending on your survival skills.

Probably a favourite from the spectators point of view, the Mud Monster saw participants climbing up slippery mud hills, only to slide down the others side into the mud pools.

Besides the mud, this year’s race was dryer than usual, because the organisers did not want to use any unnecessary water in light of the drought.

“We only had one water obstacle this year, which we changed from a high jump into a slide. We used irrigation water from a neighbouring farm’s dam, which was pumped back to the dam when the Warrior was finished,” said Pienaar.

The Black Ops Elite winners Claude Eksteen and Hanneke Dannhauser each took home a Warrior branded Jeep, which acts as a floating trophy until the next race.