The heavy downpours has left the Vaal river bursting at its banks but did little to deter the 7000 Warriors that will be taking part in the second event in the series of 8 Jeep Warrior Races this weekend. This will be the first time the largest obstacle course race on the continent takes place in the South of Gauteng.
The spectacular Emerald Casino and Resort on the banks of the Vaal river will play host to the spectacle. According to the organisers the recent rains only add to the flavour. The much talked about Slippery Dip obstacle, the biggest in the series, towering over 30 feet, will be making an appearance again to challenge participants and delight spectators.
Key to the continued success of the Jeep Warrior events is the constant innovation to challenge athletes in new and exciting ways. Rumours have been rife leading up to the event about a new obstacle including the use of a water cannon. The usual suspects like the infamous Mud Monster obstacle (a series of muddy humps and dips) and the Tower of Rage (a 7m high platform participants jump off into a muddy pool) will be keeping the crowds entertained.
The organisers went to great lengths to cater for spectators and this event has a “very cool” spectator route that puts some of the biggest and baddest obstacles within walking distance of the start / finish area. The event takes place over two days attracting over 2400 brand new competitors from the Vaal triangle with entries selling out already for the Saturday and a handful of entries remaining for the Sunday. For those who missed out on online entries and still want a chance to try and tame the infamous MudMonster obstacle, on the day entries will be available on Sunday .
The three distances on offer cater for a wide variety of fitness levels and the Bratz race specifically designed for the youngsters mean that pretty much anyone can participate. Listening to participants it becomes clear that the event is all about overcoming obstacles while having a blast with your friends. Comments like “we were strangers at the start but we were all Warriors out there” and “I just love how random strangers band together and help each other” are commonplace.
There is of course a competitive side to the event and all three distances have “elite” races on Sunday that will see the top names in South African obstacle racing go head to head on a challenging course. The main Black Ops elite event is hotly contested and it is not just the prize purse that pushes athletes on but the keys to a Jeep Renegade that the male and female winners get to drive till the next event.
For more information visit www.warrior.co.za
