The Totalsports Challenge presented by New Balance and REHIDRAT® SPORT returns to Kleinmond on Saturday, 14 January 2012.  Attracting the largest gathering of professional athletes across the field, top 7-Member Women’s Teams to look out for on the day will include Team New Balance, Team My Training Day/JAG and Team Totalsports.

According to New Balance Team Captain, Sarah Malherbe, being part of a team adds a dimension of camaraderie and spirit to the race.  “The Totalsports Challenge is a fantastic event.  It is such a great way to mix disciplines, be pushed out of your comfort zone, find new inspiration and meet new people from other sporting communities.  The paddlers are a big draw card,” laughs Malherbe.  “I just love the mad chaos of dashing between transitions, the exquisite scenery, the awesome vibe and the beach run.  We’ll definitely go into the event with the aim of winning.  One must always set high goals”.

Athletes forming part of the New Balance 7-Member Women’s team will include:

• Angie Austin ~ 12km Surf Ski
• Sarah Malherbe (Team Captain) ~ 1.5km Swim
• Martha Koekemoer ~ 50km Road Bike (Gordon’s Bay to Kleinmond)
• Alae Brand ~ 13km Road Run
• Roben Henderson ~ 13km K1 Canoe
• Marleen Lourens ~ 25km Mountain Bike
• Theresa Fourie ~ 9km Beach Run

For Claire Horner, Captain of My Training Day/JAG 7-Member Women’s Team, the best part about the Totalsports Challenge is that it attracts top athletes from all sporting disciplines.  “We get to watch other athletes in their different disciplines as opposed to just being at one race where everyone is doing the same thing.  Competing as part of a team forces you to race harder as you don’t just have yourself to let down, you have six other members in the team.  We’ll definitely be going for a win.  We have a strong women’s team.  Jodie Swallow, a long distance triathlon World Champion, will give us a good lead in the road run discipline.  We also have Robyn Woodward who has recently returned from Kona, so her running is in top form at the moment for the beach run.  Sam Sanders has just recently qualified for the Olympic cross country mountain bike team, she’ll be extremely competitive on the day,” says Horner.  Team My Training Day/JAG will be racing to raise money for the JAG Foundation.

Athletes competing as part of My Training Day/JAG 7-Member Women’s team will include:

• Donia Kamstra ~ 12km Surf Ski
• Marie Rabie ~ 1.5km Swim
• Claire Horner (Team Captain) ~ 50km Road Bike (Gordon’s Bay to Kleinmond)
• Jodie Swallow ~ 13km Road Run
• Amy Hare ~ 13km K1 Canoe
• Sam Sanders ~ 25km Mountain Bike
• Robyn Woodward ~ 9km Beach Run

EVENT INFORMATION:

DATE: Saturday, 14 January 2012

VENUE:                             Start – Gordon’s Bay (Beach Front)

End – Kleinmond (Beach Front)

START: 06h00 – Totalsports Challenge

07h45 – Totalsports Terra Firma Challenge

DISTANCES:                    Totalsports Challenge - 12km surfski, 1.5km swim, 50km road bike (from

Gordon’s Bay to Kleinmond), 13km road run, 13km K1 canoe, 25km mountain bike and finally a 9km beach run

Totalsports Terra Firma Challenge – 50km road bike (from Gordon’s

Bay to Kleinmond), 13km road run, 25km mountain bike and 9km

beach run.

FORMAT:                         Totalsports Challenge - compete individually or in teams of two, three or seven (male, female or mixed)

Totalsports Terra Firma Challenge - compete individually or in teams of two or four (male, female or mixed).

WHAT’S UP FOR GRABS AT EACH EVENT ~ awesome lucky draw prizes compliments of Totalsports and New Balance.

The Totalsports Challenge presented by New Balance and REHIDRAT® SPORT will celebrate its 10^th anniversary on the day.