Buffelspoort (North West Province) – Up and coming multi-sport star Ruan Van Zyl (17) will start the New Year with a bang by aiming for a hattrick win at the Fedhealth XTERRA Buffelspoort Lite on Sunday, 24 January 2016.
According to Van Zyl, it’s the vibe and excellent event organisation that attracts him to the sport of XTERRA. “XTERRA is tough from the start to the finish. I’m not yet old enough to compete in the XTERRA Full individual category as you need to be 19 or older. The XTERRA Lite, however, is a good introduction to the sport of XTERRA. Claiming victory earlier this year felt extremely good. It gave me a confidence boost for the remainder of the year. My advice to newcomers to the sport is to stay calm in the water. Just repeat what you do in training, but most of all remember to have fun.”
“I have two XTERRA heroes, Conrad Stoltz and Dan Hugo,” continues Van Zyl. “They are both SA athletes that have achieved worldwide respect, proving that SA can compete with the best in the world. When I was in Italy I saw how the people adored Conrad Stoltz. He is a legend. This year I took part in the Cross Triathlon World Championships in Italy where I finished 6th. My goal is to work towards a gold medal at either the Cross Triathlon or XTERRA World Championships one day. I would also love to take part in the Olympics one day.”
XTERRA returns to Buffelspoort in January 2016. Adventure enthusiasts that are not yet ready for the challenge of the XTERRA Full or that are under the age of 19 can still be part of the action by taking on the XTERRA Lite as part of a team or as an individual entry.
Event Information: Fedhealth XTERRA Buffelspoort
| Date: | Event: |
| Friday, 22 January 2016 | Fedhealth XTERRA Kids |
| Saturday, 23 January 2016 | Fedhealth XTERRA Full |
| Sunday, 24 January 2016 | Fedheatlh XTERRA Lite |
The Fedhealth XTERRA consists of a series of events taking place countrywide (Buffelspoort, Port Elizabeth and Grabouw). Taking the form of the South African Championship, the Fedhealth XTERRA Grabouw forms part of the XTERRA World Tour. Athletes competing at this event stand the chance to qualify for the world championship final in Hawaii later in the year.
WIN with Fedhealth and XTERRA South Africa:
Fedhealth Champions Challenge: XTERRA Full Warriors that partake in all three races (Buffelspoort, Port Elizabeth and Grabouw) stand the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the XTERRA World Championships. XTERRA Lite Warriors that partake in all three races stand a chance to win a spectacular TREK Mountain Bike.
Fedhealth Ultimate Warrior Challenge: XTERRA Warriors taking part in both the XTERRA Full and the XTERRA Lite races over one weekend will stand a chance to take home spectacular sponsor prizes.
Calling all trail runners! Share in the excitement of XTERRA by taking part in the PUMA Trail Run. This event features the trail run routes of XTERRA.
| Date: | Sunday, 24 January 2016 |
| Venue: | Buffelspoort Dam |
| Distance & Entry Fee: | 6km / R120 |
| 12km / R180 |
Follow us on Twitter: @XTERRASA / @Fedhealthmed
Like our FaceBook page: XTERRA South Africa / Fedhealth Medical Aid
For further information or to enter the Fedhealth XTERRA visit www.stillwatersports.com
