Because  “The Race of the Gods” follows a new path every year and traverses many sections and areas not normally open to public access, the exact route of the Southern Storm is kept secret until the final race briefing. The Southern Storm will be based on an off-road style duathlon of mountain biking and trail running with short sections of kloofing.

The 2009 Route

The event will start in the Tsitsikamma Section and over a period of 5 days, weave its course through one of South Africa’s iconic hiking trails- the Otter Trail, along spectacular coastlines, through indigenous forests, into deep ravines, over majestic mountains and across open savannas, finishing in the Wilderness Section.
Participants will overnight at stunningly beautiful campsites en route.

Each day will dawn with new challenges of strenuous single track riding, concentration-commanding trail runs, breath-taking gorge traverses, magnificent river crossings and demanding uphill scrambles.

The Stages and Distances of the Southern Storm

All distances are approximate only and subject to change!

Trail Running: approx. 100 km,  MTB: 210 km

• Day 1 – 19 Sept:  Registration and Prologue (6 km)
• Day2 – 20 Sept: Otter Run – African Trail Run, Storms River to Natures Valley (42 km)
• Day 3 – 21 Sept: Plettenberg Bay – Diepwalle  (8 km Trail Run, 50 km MTB)
• Day 4 – 22 Sept: Diepwalle to Portland Manor  (8 km Trail Run, 50 km MTB)
• Day 5 – 23 Sept: Portland Manor to Buffalo Bay (65 km MTB, 6 km Trail Run)
• Day 6 – 24 Sept:  Buffalo BAy  (15 km Trail Run, 30 km MTB, 4 km Trial Run, 15 km MTB, 4 km Trail Run)