Cape Town, Monday 25 November 2024 – Against the dramatic silhouette of one of the world’s most iconic mountains, the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town, South Africa’s premier trail running festival, concluded yesterday after three extraordinary days of racing that pushed the boundaries of human endurance. As the finale of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors, this prestigious event has cemented its position as an unmissable destination for the global ultra-running elite.
The event’s spectacular growth since its 2014 inception was evident as more than 2,800 athletes from 66 nations converged on the Mother City. Elite international competitors joined local champions and passionate trail runners to tackle five challenging routes across Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula: 16km, 23km, 35km, and the flagship distances of 55km, the UT100 (100km), and the gruelling UTCT (100-miler).
PT55: A Display of Remarkable Speed and Agility
Friday’s PT55 (55km) race showcased extraordinary athletic prowess, with Britain’s Robbie Simpson achieving a remarkable hat-trick victory in 5:18:58. The stunning course, weaving through Table Mountain’s trails and rugged terrain, saw America’s Jeshurun Small demonstrate exceptional form to secure second place in 5:23:29, closing his 2024 season with an impressive fifth-place finish overall. South African trail legend Ryan Sandes, one of the country’s most decorated ultra-trail athletes, demonstrated his enduring class with a third-place finish in 5:41:23.
The women’s field delivered equally compelling performances, with Spanish veteran Anna Tarasova in first place, mastering the challenging route in 6:02:55. France’s Louise Serban-Penhoat, coming in second, continued her remarkable season, securing her third podium position with a time of 6:14:40. South African favourite Landie Greyling, the 2022 champion, claimed third in 6:27:59, adding another impressive achievement to her PT55 legacy.
UTCT: A Test of Ultimate Endurance
The flagship 100-miler began as the sun set on Friday, sending athletes into a night of extraordinary challenge across Table Mountain’s most demanding terrain. Russian athlete Aleksei Tolstenko spectacularly celebrated his 40th birthday, defending his title with an improved time of 21:06:54, remarkably shaving 40 minutes off his previous year’s winning performance. South Africa’s Matthew Bouch demonstrated remarkable resilience for second place in 22:10:06, particularly noteworthy after his disappointment in 2023 when an early fall forced his withdrawal. Germany’s Jérôme Vanderschaeghe, fresh from his triumph at the 73km Grand Raid in May, secured third in 22:33:19.
The women’s race saw local hero Kerry-Ann Marshall triumph on her beloved home trails in 25:38:16, adding to her impressive record of first, second, and fifth-place finishes in previous UT100 events and a second-place in the 2022 UTCT. South African-born Naomi Brand, now living in New Zealand, took second, shaving three hours off her time, significantly improving last year’s second-place performance; she crossed the finish line in 26:35:21, slashing over three hours off her previous time. Austria’s Cornelia Oswald showed tremendous determination to claim third in 29:38:03, successfully completing the course after withdrawing from last year’s event.
UT100: Youth Meets Experience
Saturday’s dawn welcomed the UT100 competitors, with French phenomenon Hugo Deck, 25 years old, taking first dominating his South African debut in 10:31:02. His performance was particularly impressive, maintaining a commanding pace from his initial sprint at the Llandudno starting line. Portugal’s Miguel Arsenio also celebrated his birthday with a sterling second-place finish in 10:45:23, whilst American Michelino Sunseri marked his 100km debut with a remarkable third-place finish in 11:16:08.
In the women’s division, Canadian Jazmine Lowther commanded the field in her UT100 debut, crossing the line first in 12:04:25. Russia’s Antonina Iushina secured second place with a strong performance of 12:50:01, while Germany’s Eva Maria-Sperger, already holding three ultra-distance podiums this year, added to her impressive portfolio with a third-place finish in 13:07:21.
Stuart McConnachie, RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town race director, said, “the event exemplified the extraordinary synergy between Cape Town’s breathtaking natural beauty, its warmly supportive community, and the indomitable spirit of ultra-trail running. As Table Mountain stood sentinel over the proceedings, runners from across the globe found themselves united in their pursuit of excellence against one of nature’s most magnificent backdrops.”