Happy Birthday Conrad!

Photo: Rich Cruise

Conrad has graced the pro race courses in our sport for almost two decades and is still my hero as a person and as an athlete. He is PASSIONATE and always has time for young and old. He personifies all that is good in sport!

Conrad turns 35 years old on October 23rd and races Xterra World Champs in Maui on the week-end. He is the reigning World Champ and a already legend in this format of the sport.

As Simon Whitfield said in his blog recently: (http://simonwhitfield.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html)

In my 13 years racing on the World Cup Stoltz was simply one of the nicest and most interesting guys you could ever meet.

Happy Birthday Conrad.......may you keep tearing up the trails for many years to come !

Kleinmond - the place I call 'home'

Kleinmond Lagoon
Athlete Tent Village for over night stop on Cape Odyssey

Start area for Cape Odyssey (5 days- 200 km)


Bridge over lagoon to finish area after final 11km run on beach - Day 1

I am back to regular blogging now !

After Beijing, blogging took a back seat while I caught up with life, family and friends.Returning to 'reality' was oh so sweet. Do not get me wrong, being in Beijing was amazing but the lead up to, and the process itself, was a drain on everyone involved.

Now, back on home soil, I am running madly preparing for my first marathon in years and enjoying the time in the hills around Kleinmond.

I have also have included some photos of the Kleinmond stop- over while all 'dressed up' for the Cape Odyssey -5 day Running Adventure (200km run over the mountains). What a beautiful venture and what an exciting race/challenge. I think I have been inspired to race the 2009 version of this great race.

The good news on this side of the world is - Summer is coming fast!!!! Time to enjoy even more of the outdoors again once the ITU year comes to a close.

Two more trips (Brazil and Spain) and then 2 weeks of holiday - in Kleinmond.

African Triathletes in Beijing!

Chris Felgate (ZIM) flagged by RSA's Mari Rabie and Kate Roberts

Race day is around the corner and the athletes from Africa are ready to go! Chris competes on Tuesday 19th while Kate and Mari will be diving into the waters of the Shinsaling Reservoir in Beijing , China at 10:00 on Monday 18th culminating many years of hard work to achieve their dream of becoming an Olympian.

Hats off to these fine young athletes!

Postcards from Beijing!

Mari and Kate at race venue in Beijing

Libby and Andrew (ITU media and TV) at National Stadium
Libby outside Aquatics Centre

Libby at swimming to watch Phelps take another Gold!

Libby, Sean and Daniel in Broadcast Studio

Libby, Mari and Kate at swim session on another rainy day!

Libby with Sports Presentation staff at race site

Rabie and Roberts are Beijing Bound!

Mari Rabie

Kate Roberts

For the first time ever South Africa have selected TWO women for the Olympic Triahtlon Team. Kate Roberts and Mari Rabie will join Hendrik De Villiers in Beijing in August. After a two year qualification period that literally had them circumnavigating the globe, Olympic selection is just reward for their grit and determination. We are all very proud of them and wish them well at the greatest sporting show on earth !

For Kate and Mari the wait is nearly over!

Kate Roberts and Mari Rabie will know in just 5 days if they will be part of the South African Olympic Team to compete in Beijing. Despite the official announcement still pending, they are preparing hard for the Olympic Games both very confident they have both done enough to be on the start line in Beijing.

Kate is doing her final preparation at home in Bloemfontein using the altitude factor (Bloemfontein is 1,800m above sea level) as a key part of her preparation plans.

Mari is currently in Leeds in the UK making use of the excellent running and riding opportunities there in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

They will spend 10 days in Stellenbosch doing their final sea level preparation before we head off to Beijing on 8th August!

Chris Felgate to line up in Beijing

Chris Felgate (BG scholarship athlete) will be Zimbabwe's second every Olympic triathlete.

After 4 years of commitment to his goal and loads travel to race against the best in the world Chris was given the nod by the Zimababwe Olympic Committee. He is currently training in Holland with Sander Berk and will travel from there to Korea with the Dutch Olympic Team to prepare alongside Sander and then on to Beijing.

Chris has been an example of commitment and dedication despite the odds! He is a symbol of what the Olympic Games is all about ! I am proud to be able to share this journey with him.