Striding to a new home

Members of Ballito’s iconic running club, the Dolphin Coast Striders, are always on the move and now its the turn of the club’s ‘home’ to take a step into the future.

The 27-year-old club has seen a dramatic growth in member numbers as the region’s population and the popularity of running as a sport sky-rocketed in recent years.

This growth led to logistical challenges and it was particularly parking problems that forced the club’s leadership to finally make the decision to move its base of operation to the Salt Rock Country Club. The move will officially take place on September 1.

“Our sport is growing at a phenomenal rate and we want to create a home for all runners in Ballito and immerse the club right into the heart of the community,” said club president Barry Holland.

Holland, a 43 (consecutive) Comrades veteran, is also particularly excited about the potential opportunities the move could hold for greater cooperation between the club and other sporting codes.

“Along with running, cycling and paddling rank among the area’s most popular sports and we would like to eventually incorporate them into the club as well.”

Holland said that he has been in talks with both the cycling and paddling communities in the hopes of establishing the Dolphin Coast Wheelers and the Dolphin Coast Paddlers in the near future.

Long time member Sarah Swainson made it clear that the Striders is not just a club for hardened Comrades runners, but also a home for all the town’s active bodies, no matter what their condition.

“It is important to us that we remove the intimidating stigma of running and running time-trials in order to get more people excited and passionate about the sport,” said Swainson.

For more information, contact Barry Holland (running) on 083 252 0691, Kevin Styan (cycling) on 084 596 1696 or Quinton Rutherford on 083 300 2401 (paddling).