International Stars Rate Warrior as the Toughest Obstacle Course on the Planet:
South Africa’s largest obstacle course racing (OCR) series, the Toyota WARRIOR powered by Reebok, has officially drawn to a close for the year. The eighth and final event took place in Riversands, Gauteng, on 25-26 November.
While the rain dampens the mood of most events, it was certainly welcomed at WARRIOR on Saturday morning as adventure-seekers set off in a heavy downpour.
The popular ‘Mud Monster’ came alive in the extreme conditions, and the atmosphere was filled with shrieks of excitement as participants made their way across the muddy pit.
Clear skies brought a sigh of relief on Sunday, especially for elite athletes looking to end the season on a high. Taking centre stage was Claude Eksteen and his wife, Trish Eksteen, who were crowned the 2017 WARRIOR series champions.
Victory came in a different form for other competitors this weekend too. Benjamin Gifford and Jay Flores became the first international athletes to complete the Black Ops Elite route with their DQ band fully intact.
Both athletes have been highly successful in the world of OCR – Flores recently came off a Master of the Rig win at OCR World Championships, and Gifford boasts 23 OCR podiums, the NBC Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge title, and a spot in the Tough Mudder X final.
Despite their wealth of experience, the esteemed competitors were completely blown away by their South African OCR experience: “I came to South Africa in search of the biggest OCR challenge of my athletic journey. The Warrior Race lived up to its name!” said Flores.
He went on to rate WARRIOR as “the most challenging obstacle course on the planet.”
It is clear that South Africa is fast becoming the breeding ground of OCR talent. Not only were the international stars taken back by the level of difficulty of the obstacles, but also by the depth of the local elite field.
“South Africa is renowned for having some of the most challenging obstacles in the world, and it’s a privilege to say that I’ve tested and conquered some of them. But I’m also amazed at the depth of the elite field I saw today,” said Gifford.
Another aspect of the South African OCR scene that stood out for Flores was the sprint race. The event has become a highlight since it was added to WARRIOR at the end of 2016.
As a large crowd gathered to witness the high-speed action, Flores commented: “Sprint courses need to be a key component of the future of OCR. Team racing is the best experience in the world!”
A touching moment came at prize giving, when a particular soldier was called up to join Flores and Gifford on stage. Carlos Cossa, originally from Mozambique, has been a part of the WARRIOR engineering team since 2013. Over the past four years he has helped build the obstacles and watched as other athletes put them to the test.
He made a special request to attempt the Black Ops Elite race himself this time, and had spectators in awe as he effortlessly blazed his way through Breaking Point, the toughest obstacle in the elite route.
“I build these obstacles and try them over and over again. It’s always been a dream of mine to try this race, and I decided that I had waited long enough. I got through Breaking Point in less than two minutes, and I’m very proud of that!” said Cossa.
As prize giving came to a close, competitors continued to reel their way across the finish line by the hundreds. Though different in age, size and even physical abilities, a common message was clear from them all – “If I can be a WARRIOR, anyone can be a WARRIOR.”
Excitement around the 2018 season has already started building. After a successful weekend, WARRIOR fans will be pleased to discover that the first event for the year will make a return to Riversands in January.
2018 WARRIOR DATES TO DIARISE
#WARRIOR1: 27-28 January, Johannesburg, Gauteng
#WARRIOR2: 17 February, Bloemfontein, Freestate
#WARRIOR3: 17-18 March, Johannesburg, Gauteng
#WARRIOR4: 14-15 April, Cape Town, Western Cape
#WARRIOR5: 14-15 July, Blythedale, KZN
#WARRIOR6: 11 August, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga
#WARRIOR7: 20-21 October, Cape Town, Western Cape
#WARRIOR8: 24-25 November, Pretoria, Gauteng
– MyPR
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