It was just after 7:35am when the Cathedral Peak Challenge starting bell cut through the tranquillity of the crisp Drakensberg morning on July 18.

The silence of the mountains was broken further by the rumble of the adrenalin pumped runners as they set off – restless but ready to tackle the mountain that dominated the landscape.

The second in the Cathedral Peak series of five events, the Mandela Day bonus race was added to the schedule as a means to honour Madiba and in a small way, mirror and reflect the challenges he faced and overcame throughout his life.

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For many of the participants the race was just that and they had to dig deep to keep moving.

Matthew Slabbert, a 20-year old mechanical engineering student at UJ, flew out the starting blocks quickly breaking away to establish a lead; a position he maintained for the duration of the race.

Nicole Capper, Tammy Taylor Mrs South Africa 2018 was first down the mountain in the ladies’ race, finishing third overall in just over seven hours which is a new personal best. Although Capper has already participated in the series, this time was different; she was helping raise funds to purchase sanitary pads for the Caring4Girls programme.

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