Steep competition at Big Hill 2015

The stage was set for the Dolphin Coast Striders’ final race of the year on Sunday morning, December 20, as 950 brave runners rose with the sun to take on the Big Hill run.

The race was also the platform for the 2015 KZN Athletics Championship, so the stakes were high as the 6am gun prompted the runners into the 10 and 21km events to charge forward.

The shorter 10km run required entrants to run half way up the tiring Esenembe Road hill and back down to the finish, while the half marathon pushed participants all the way to the top.

Not long after setting off, the leading male in the 10km, Bonginkhosi Zwane could be seen sprinting down the final stretch to win the race in an electric time of 28:42, followed a minute later by Nkosinathi Sibiya in a time of 29:15 and then Sikhumbuzo Seme in 30:10 in third place.

“I am very happy to have won, it was a tough race but I am glad I did what I came here to do,” said Zwane, who runs for Phantane Athletics Club and hopes to make the national selection sometime in the near future.

Hot on the men’s heels was the Bluff’s Caylee Ellero, who took the win in the ladies race in a time of 39:30.

The 18-year-old built up a significant lead over her competitors, with second-place Elaine Gundry finishing in 44:22 and Geraldine von Fintel taking third in 46:54.

The main event of the day was the challenging uphill half marathon, which drew a pool of incredible long-distance talent to battle it out for gold.

The course winner, Siyabonga Nkonde stormed to the finish in a lightning quick time of one hour and six minutes (1:06), with Slindile Gubese taking home the silver in 1:07 and Sipho Mbanjwa clinching the bronze in 1:08.

The first of the ladies was Slie Chili, who won the gold medal with her final time of 1:31. She was quickly followed by silver medalist Megan McKenzie in 1:32, and in third place Lisa Collett with 1:33.

The event also included a five kilometre trail run, which about 100 people of all ages took on. First over the finish line was 12-year-old holidaymaker from Rustenburg, Lourens Bester, who left all adults coughing in his dust.

Dolphin Coast Striders chairman, Barry Holland, said the event was a resounding success and he looks forward to next year’s Big Hill Run.

“It was really a fantastic day, with a wonderful turnout and a field of incredibly talented runners. A massive thank you is owed to Seeff and Aquelle for their sponsorship and for making the day possible,” said Holland.

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