Last year we went down to the Knysna Oyster Festival, mainly as support crew for friends taking part in the forest half marathon and loved every minute of it. It’s a truly world class festival, whether you’re more interested in eating oysters and having a jol or taking part in the massive array of outdoors activities on offer.
In 2014 the festival has grown again and added the Trailmania Cycle Enduro event to its impressive array of offerings. There are also the Momentum Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour Mountain Bike Race and the Totalsports Xterra events to take part in if you’re a mountain biker. Or if you’re multi-talented you could sign up for the Big 5 Challenge…
Now in its fifth year, entries to the Big 5 Sport Challenge, taking place 5 to 13 July 2014, officially opened 17 February. Fast becoming one of South Africa’s top multi-sport events, the organizers at Magnetic South say this year they are preparing for the biggest and best year yet.
Christine Collins, Magnetic South Director explains, “Following the 2013 challenge, we conducted a post-event survey and received some great feedback on how the competitors would like to see the Big Five Sport Challenge evolve. As a result we have a number of improvements in the cards for 2014 and we’re all really excited to see this event start to form its own identity, and deliver what competitors really want in a multi-sport event. For example, this year competitors will receive a high quality Big 5 Sports Challenge branded buff, a finisher’s shirt, and a finisher’s a medal – which speaks volumes about the enormous difficulty of the challenge and the prestige that comes with crossing that final finish line.”
Christine continues, “In the evening of each race day Big 5 participants will also be invited to attend the Big 5 Yellow Jersey Ceremony, where for the first time Yellow Jerseys will be handed over to the leading athletes. After the last of the 5 events, on Saturday July 13, the Big 5 and Big 5 LITE events will culminate in another new addition, a not-to-be-missed award Ceremony where podium finishers, and all other finishers, will be honoured and receive their hard earned Race Medals. With prize money totalling R35 000, the top three men and women will have even more to smile about.”
“And even bigger news for 2014 is of course the launch of the inaugural Big 5 LITE, which to opens up the playing field to more multi-sport athletes who want to compete at a (slightly) less gruelling level. Competitors to the Big 5 LITE will also have access to the daily Big 5 Scoring System rankings which has been a mainstay of the competition. All of these additions meant an increase in the cost of registration, but we hope to continue to grow the event while delivering it at world-class standards.”
| Date | Big 5 Challenge | Big 5 Lite |
| 5 July | Momentum Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour – 80km MTB | Momentum Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour – 50km MTB |
| 6 July | Choose 1 of the 3: Momentum Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour – 100km Road race
Knysna Lagoon Challenge 22 km paddle race Knysna Dragons Lagoon mile Swim |
Choose 1 of the 3:
Momentum Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour – 50km Road race Knysna Lagoon Challenge 10 km paddle race Knysna Dragons Lagoon mile Swim |
| 8 July | Salomon Featherbed Trail Run – Coelacanth 14km | Salomon Featherbed Trail Run– Seahorse 11km |
| 10 July | Totalsports XTERRA full distance | Totalsports XTERRA Lite |
| 12 July | Choose 1 of the 2:
Knysna Forest Half Marathon Knysna Forest Full Marathon |
Knysna Forest Half Marathon
|
| Entries for the Big 5 Sport Challenge are handled by Entrytickets. | Entry fee: R2 200
Includes entry & registration to all 5 events. |
Entry fee: R2 000
Includes entry & registration to all 5 events. |
For all the Knysna Oyster Festival information visit www.oysterfestival.co.za.
