The Southern Storm – 6 Day Mountain Biking and Trail Running Duathlon – traverses the recently proclaimed Garden Route National Park from the Tsitsikamma Section to the Wilderness (Ebb&Flow) Section. Out of the 180 athletes that ran last Sunday the inaugural Otter African Trail Run, 84 determined athletes continued to participate in the remaining 4 days of the Southern Storm.

On the first day of the Southern Storm athletes arrived for registration and had to complete a 5 km trail run to determine their starting positions for the next day’s OTTER Run. The feeling in the camp that night was one of trepidation and anticipation as this was a first in the history of the OTTER.

Speedsters Rohan Kennedy and Bruce Arnett put in a superb effort, but local knowledge saw John Collins claiming a hard-fought second position in a brilliant time of 5hrs 01min. And in the end, Hi-Tec sponsored Iain Don Wauchope did manage to pull off the ‘impossible’, charging in to beat the magical five-hour barrier by mere seconds with a time of 4hrs 59min 02sec!

In the female category Iain’s wife Sue Don Wauchope, also sponsored by Hi-Tec, claimed the victory in an incredible time of 5 hours 58 minutes.

Comments from the athletes described the Otter Trail Run as the toughest thing that they had ever done – albeit in the most awe-inspiring SAN Parks Conservation area.

After completing the Otter Trail Run the athletes were faced, on the following morning, with another technical trail run around the famous Robberg Peninsula. With time counting down in the transition zone the competitors changed into their cycling gear to start an arduous 50km Mountain Bike Ride that climbed to the hilltop finish at Diepwalle, where thick clouds and drizzle welcomed the tired athletes.

“I couldn’t stand up – my legs had no power” said Gauteng based competitor Ryan Hodierne.

Iain also took a bit of strain which allowed fellow competitor David Labuschagne to take the stage win. Amongst the females, well known Mountainbiker Hanlie Booyens showed her cycling strength and finished 12 minutes ahead of Sue Don Wauchope. However due to their phenomenal times on the Otter Run Iain and Sue Don Wauchope both retained their overall lead and were presented with the yellow jerseys once again.

Fourth day of the Southern Storm started with a 6 km trail run through the dense Knysna indigenous forest, followed by a 65 km MTB ride to Portland Manor. Now feeling the OTTER in their legs the competitors struggled with the undulating course, but Derrick Baard got a second wind and blazed to the MTB transition almost 2 minutes ahead of Dominic Wills and Iain Don Wauchope. David Labuschagne overtook Iain on the first steep downhill but came off his bike which allowed Iain to regain the lead, only to be pulled back on the next big uphill by David, who once again took the stage victory, and Cas van Aardenne who knocked Iain into third place for the stage by 2 seconds.

Mr & Mrs Don Wauchope were awarded the yellow jersey for the third time, however a hungry pack bites at their heals.

In the Female VET Category Rhona Zonnestein dominated the field with 22 minutes over Monica Botha in second and Heike Jakins in third place. Comrades legend Nick Bester had dominated all stages in the Male Veterans Class ahead of well know runner Paul Wolff.

Day 5 greeted the competitors with clear skies and warm sunshine in stark contrast to the thick fogg of the previous morning. Although the profile of the route seemed fairly un-daunting, athletes had to negotiate large sandy patches that stopped some of them in their tracks. Pieter de Bruin buried his wheel in the sand and came away with some rather nasty cuts and bruises.

The top riders vied for the lead throughout the stage with the lead changing hands many times. Attack and Counterattack was the order of the day with Hi-Tec sponsored athletes Nick Bester and Iain Don Wauchope as well as Cas van Aardenne and David Labuschagne all leading the pack at various points.

Iain Don Wauchope’s handling of the sandy sections enabled him to make a break and allowed him to gain a 43 seconds he needed to secure the Moutain Bike leg. A fast transition and a blazing trail run secured him the stage win.

Although Hanlie Booyens won the Mountain Bike leg in the female category she was knocked down to 4^th place when Sue Don Wauchope clinched overall victory for the stage with Kirsty Scott in second and Christine Woods in 3^rd place. Kirsty’s twin sister Sarah rounded off the top of the ladies in fifth place.

Day 6 started with a 13 km Trail Run through the beautiful Goukamma Cape Nature Reserve, followed by a staggered Run-Bike-Run stage to the Ebb&Flow Camp at Wilderness.

Both Iain and Sue Don Wauchope have their rivals hot on their heals – they manage to keep their yellow jerseys and become the the male and female overall winners of the inaugural Southern Storm 2009.