With less than 1 month to go to the Southern Storm I hope you are feeling fit and strong and are getting ready to race. Here some final information to get ready for the race.

First of all we would like to introduce you to some new faces in our core crew – which you will all meet comes race day:

Most of you would know John and yes, he will once again be racing the OTTER and try to run it in under 5 hours. Last year he ran the OTTER in 5 hours 1 minute! NO PRESSURE!

Below you will find tons of general information to the race – once you have read this and you should still have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us on admin@magneticsouth.net.
Attached you’ll find a map with the most important venues (kmz file for google earth and pdf) These maps are only for logistics – race routes will be made available closer to the time.

Access to Nature’s Valley

Over the time period of the Southern Storm the Western Access Road to Nature’s Valley will be closed due to Road Works. All access to Nature’s Valley will have to come via the EASTERN road. The Turn-Off off the N2 is near the N2 Toll Gate.

Airport Shuttles

For those of you, who are coming by plane or are still planning to book a flight, please see below shuttle times from and to the airport in George. Please make sure you book your flights according this schedule. If you have not told us yet that you would like to make use of the shuttle – please let us know – payments for the shuttles will have to be made beforehand. (R 320.00 per one-way). Your bikes (in boxes) will be loaded onto a truck at the airport.

Southern Storm (26 Sept – 02Oct):

Arrivals 26 Sept

12pm – leave from George airport to Registration at De Vasselot, Nature’s Valley

and

14h30 – leave from George airport to Registration at De Vasselot , Nature’s Valley

Departures 2 Oct

7-7:30am – leave from Forest Hall to George airport (Arrival time at airport 9.30am)

Event Schedule:

Sunday 26^th of September:

This is the day you arrive, either by car or by plane.

As mentioned in previous emails, no overnight parking is allowed at the De Vasselot Campsite in Nature’s Valley. We had communicated that safe parking will be provided in Forest Hall. Due to the closure of the Western Access Road to Nature’s Valley we have moved this parking facility to one of 2 possible safe parking facilities closer to the race village, which is on the EASTERN Access Road to Nature’s Valley, approx. 5-8 km from Registration (we will send you the coordinates of the parking once we know which one we’ll be using).

If you arrive by car, you will have to park your vehicle at this SAN Parks Parking (safety guards will look after your cars) and from there we will provide shuttles down to registration. (this shuttle will continuously drive up and down, so please if there is no shuttle when you arrive – it will be there within 30 minutes). Your Bikes will also be taken care off at the Parking Lot and loaded into a truck. You won’t have access to your car before the 29^th of September (Day 4) so take everything that you need with you!

If you have a friend, family or supporter driving your vehicle or if you spend the night at any other accommodation than the tented village, you can drive all the way down to registration at De Vasselot Campsite, as long as the vehicle will not stay during the night. Please unload your bike, pack it safely into a Bike Box and drop it at designated location at Registration.

Once you arrived at De Vasselot Campsite, please come immediately to Registration, where you will be given your Electronic Timing Chip and your Race Bib. With timing chip and race bib equipped you can proceed to do the Prologue.

Sunday, 26^th of September, The PROLOGUE

The Prologue will be short (approx. 5 km), but technical and will give you a good idea of what to expect the following day on the OTTER. The Prologue is compulsory – as it will determine your starting time on the OTTER – with the faster runners going out in front. You can run the Prologue at any time between 11.00am and 4.30pm. Start and Finish of the Prologue will be on the beach, following the walkway from the Nature’s Valley Restaurant.

Shuttles will go back and forward between Registration and the Prologue Start/Finish Venue (approx. 3 km in distance). The Nature’s Valley Restaurant and Shop is the only place where you can buy a few things such as cool drinks or snacks or have a cup of coffee – so we suggest take some money along.

Dinner & Briefing 6.00pm

Once you finished your Prologue there is nothing else required for you to until the Briefing and dinner that same night at 6.00pm. Starting Order for the Otter- African Trail Run will be made available after dinner.

Monday, 27^th of September

The day of the OTTER- African Trail Run.

You will be served breakfast before the sun comes up – as you will have to be ready to hop onto the provided shuttles by 4.30am. Shuttles will leave at 4.45am for Tsitsikamma. (approx. 1 hour drive). Those athletes that opted to spend the night in the Protea Hotel will be picked up at the Hotel at 5.30am to be dropped at the Start in Tsitsikamma.

The next 5 -12 hours depending on your race pace are for you to enjoy. Don’t forget that you are racing on one of the most stunning trails in the entire world. It is whale season, so if you are not on a mission to beat the 5 hours do yourself a favour and stop every now and then and enjoy the beauty of this trail!

Tuesday, 28th of September

We will leave De Vasselot Campsite for your first remote Start. Once everything is packed, you will board the Nomad Trucks and they will take you to a remote location where you will find your Bike Boxes. You will have 1 hour to assemble your bikes.

Thereafter you will get back onto the trucks and be shuttled to the start of the trail run/kloof. You finish at your bikes a go straight into a cycing leg with a remote finish.

Wednesday, 29th of September

The start & finish location will be at the same parking venue where some of you would have left their vehicles before the OTTER. This is a Cycling Leg only. Once you finished your ride, those of you who left your cars at this parking can take their car back to Forest Hall.

The trail running leg for the day will take place in the afternoon with a finish & start at Forest Hall.

Thursday, 30th of September

Yet another remote Start & Finish. You will be given 1 hour to assemble your bike before the start, but you will go straight into a circlular run with no transition time between the two disciplines.

Friday, 1st of October

The last day’s races will again be remote starts and finishes with a venue change between your cycling and your running leg. So the final race of the Southern Storm 2010 will be a longish trail run finishing in Plettenberg Bay. Thereafter the Nomad Trucks will bring you back to the Forest Hall Private Nature Estate for your well deserved shower and prize giving dinner on the estate that same night. (if you wish to bring a partner, please let us know: admin@magneticsouth.net). Tented accommodation that night is included in your entry fee.

Nomad Trucks:

The Nomad overland trucks will be your base and hub in which you store all your goods throughout the event. Each truck is equipped with 23 lockers, the size of which is 375 mm x 460 mm x 900 mm. Please bring your own lock, if you wish to “lock” it. The lockers can only take soft backpacks and weight of your luggage has been restricted to 20kg per person. There is a safe on each truck in which you can lock away your valuables.

Each person will be allocated to one of the 4 Nomad trucks where you will then be further allocated a specific tent- to be shared with the person you’ve indicated in the survey (if you have not indicated a person we will allocate you with another competitor of the same gender). Please bring your own sheet, sleeping bag, pillow and towels.

Nomad will be providing an on-board ‘tuck shop’ with items such as chips, nuts, biltong, chocolates, jelly babies, cooldrinks as well as Beers and Ciders (there is a fridge on board of each truck). This will work on an ‘Honesty system’ whereby you’ll sign for whatever you take and then pay the truck host accordingly on Friday 1st of October. Please note this system can only work if those making use of it are HONEST!! Please bring cash as no credit cards can be accepted.

Please feel free to bring your own alcohol – the greatest reward after a hard days racing can be a cold Beer or Cider!!

Race Buffs:

Each athlete will receive an original Southern Storm BUFF (see below). If you wish to purchase an additional Southern Storm or Otter Buff for yourself or friends and family – you can do so at the normal Buff retail price of R 165.00. We don’t have a huge quantity of extra limited edition Buffs. If you would like to order one, please email quantity and Race Logo to belen@magneticsouth.net . Alternatively you can purchase at registration (if stocks last).

Medals

The Otter on day 2 of Southern Storm is a race on its own. As you might know – you could have opted to only race the Otter! (In the morning of day 3 some of you will wish to have opted for the OTTER on its own ).  Well, for you the Otter-African Trail Run is a big race within an even bigger race and we will honour both these races with a medal.

This year the time you take to finish the OTTER will be honoured by a medal whith different colour ribbons for:

Sub 5 hours
Sub 6 hours
Sub 7 hours
Sub 8 hours
Sub 9 hours
“Otter in a day”

Accommodation

Some of you might still consider to upgrade your accommodation from a tent to a nice soft bed.

We still have accommodation available at the Protea Hotel in Tsitsikamma or the Forest Huts at De Vasselot Campsite during the days of the OTTER.

For the remaining days of the Southern Storm,  the cottages at Forest Hall have been all booked, but give Colleen and Clive Noble from the Redford House in the Crags a call (based very close to Forest Hall). They have accommodation available and will be happy to host you.

REDFORD HOUSE
(t) +27 (0)44 534 8877
(c) +27 (0)76 9071019
redfordhouse@mweb.co.za
www.redfordhouse.co.za

Final Prize Giving Dinner (1st of October)

Final Prize Giving and Dinner will happen on the night of the 1st of October at Forest Hall. If you wish to bring your partner to the final prize giving ceremony & dinner, please contact us on admin@magneticsouth.net as only limited space is available

Massages

Advanced Massage Therapy will be offering Massages. The massages after the Otter run will be at the de Vasselot campsite in Nature’s Valley. For the remaining days of the Southern Storm we will be set up in a cosy indoor venue at Forest Hall.

If you are interested in booking massages please send an email to Nicolle on plettmassage@gmx.net with the dates you would like a massage.

We will be offering – hour and 1 hour massages.

Half hour         R150
1hour          R300

List to bring

Compulsory Equipment

• Space Blanket
• Whistle
• Light Outer Shell (raincoat)
• Race Nutrition
• Camel Bak, Bladder and/or Hydration Belt
• Helmet (on MTB legs)
• Cellphone (every other leg but the OTTER (no cellphone coverage))

Recommended Race Equipment:

• Puncture Repair Kits & Pump
• Sun Tan Lotion
• Energy sustainence for each day
• 2 pairs of Trail Running Shoes

Recommended Camp Equipment:

• Small padlock to lock lockers on the trucks
• Tin/plastic coffee mug
• Sleeping bag
• Single sheet
• Pillow
• Towels
• Torch/ Headlamp
• Cash to purchase tuck, drinks etc en route
• Swimming costume
• 1 heavy Fleece for the evenings
• Long pants for the evenings

Bike Legs

Your first MTB leg will start on race day 3 (28th of September). All bicycles will be loaded onto a truck at your arrival on Sunday 26th of September and you will see your bike only on Tuesday 28th of September.

Most of the Bike legs will have either a remote start or finish and assembling/packing of your bike will be required. You will be responsible to assemble your MTB personally within one hour. A Bike Mechanic will be available to assist you if need be.

A Bike Mechanic is also available in each campsite. If you wish to book a Bike Service in advance, please contact ULTIMATE BIKES and speak to Trevor Marshall on the following number: 082-7827829 or email him: bearmech@gmail.com

Bike Boxes

We had many queries about the Bike Boxes – we recommend a hard cover Bike Box as our main concern is to transport your Bike without any damages. If you don’t see the necessity – we will transport your Bike in a soft Bike Bag with great care – however at your own responsibility.

Transitions

Some of the transitions will be part of your race time. A run or a MTB will lead straight into the next discipline. (however no bicycles have to be assembled in your race time!)

Water-, Gu- & Munchie Points

The Gu- and Munchie Points are for additional support for the athletes, but will not be sufficient to sustain one’s energy levels throughout each day. Make sure you come prepared and use the Munchie Points just as an extra bit to help. We will ensure there are enough Gels & sachets available to the athletes.

The race organisers will provide fresh drinking water at Start-, Transition-, and Finish Venues. There are NO Water Points along the course. Each athlete has to be self sufficient with drinking water. We will indicate on your race maps where you will find natural water sources.

Otter Run: There will be 1 Munchie point at Oakhurst Hut (approx. 20 km into the race).

Day 3- 6: Munchie, GU & Water Points will be either at the Transitions or Half Way trhough your race day.

Use of GPS during the Race:

The use of GPS during the race will be allowed (it is not compulsory -the routes will all be marked). We will have the GPS track logs available on the Southern Storm Webpage for you to download onto your GPSs from Monday 20^th of September.

Land traversing and trespassing:

Please be advised that while the Southern Storm traverses the most beautiful sections of the Southern Cape – most of its trail Runs and MTB Rides are on land that belongs to SANParks and Cape Nature – other sections are on land that belongs to MTO Forestry and private landowners.  Most of this land is generally NOT open to trail running or mountain biking and athletes that trespass at any time of the year will receive a lifetime ban from participating in the Southern Storm or Otter Event. Trespassers can expect the justified wrath of landowners and the law and their names will be forwarded to the race office for us to implement this lifetime ban.

However some of the routes are accessible to the public for hiking, trail running and mountain biking with a valid permit.  For permits, please contact MTO Forestry, Cape Nature and South African National Parks directly.

Forest Hall Private Nature Estate – Southern Storm Host

As you are aware we, as  organisers of the Southern Storm, have  been incredibly proud to be able to announce the magnificent Forest Hall estate as our host venue for the final 4 days of the event (28th of September – morning of the 2nd of October). Nestled on the cliff tops between the Outeniqua Mountains and the rugged coastline of the beautiful bay, Forrest Hall is rated as one of South Africans premium  real-estate properties. The estate boasts one of the most splendored extents of indigenous coastal forests under conservation in Africa awaiting your exploration. Not only will Storm participants have the privilege of being able to storm on the enticing network of trails at Forest Hall but on each night of the event one lucky competitor will be upgrade from the tented accommodation to spend a night in the 6 Star luxury of the newly renovated manor house with a complementary massage. The Lucky draw will take place at the after dinner awards ceremony on each evening for the following night.

That’s it for now.
Should I have forgotten anything, please drop me a note,
And before I forget – Belen and I will be testing the OTTER tomorrow – we’ll let you know how those legs feel after doing it without any preparation!

Christine