A glorious spring day met the record entry of 250 trail runners who descended on the West Coast for Run West 2024, which raised more than R25,000 for Protect the West Coast (PTWC).
Airbnbs and most guesthouses in Doringbaai and Strandfontein, as well as the campsite in Strandfontein, were packed with eager runners for the Heritage Day long weekend.
The 21km race, which began near the fishing village of Papendorp up the Olifants River and wound its way along the beach, through the picturesque settlement of Strandfontein to end at Fryer’s Cove in Doringbaai, was won by last year’s winner Raydon Barret in a blistering time of 1 hour and 34 minutes. Maria Oliver smashed the ladies 21km in a time of 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Vicky van der Merwe (62:10) and Edwin van Wyk (51:39) won the ladies and men’s 10km race respectively. This route started at Strandfontein and tracked along the rocky, rugged paths of sandstone cliffs to Doringbaai, with beautiful vistas of rock formations and ocean along the way.
Race organiser Dom De Jesus, who started Run West in 2021 to raise funds for PTWC and draw attention to rampant, destructive mining, was chuffed that entries had more than doubled since last year, which vindicated the efforts of PTWC and Run West to host alternative, sustainable events beyond the extractive and single-use nature of mineral and diamond mining.
“We run for the protection of our coastline and the livelihoods of its people. All ticket proceeds will go towards holding these mining companies accountable,” he said.
At the start of the 21km race, more than 140 runners were treated to a special ceremony by indigenous fisher women from Papendorp who are famous for their net fishing technique. Several stirring songs, and even some poetry outlining the need to preserve the coast, set the tone for the start of the race.
Managing Director of PTWC Mike Schlebach said it was heartening to see the positive impact that Run West had on the local community: “We encourage events and activities in harmony with the environment to attract resources and jobs for communities. Run West does exactly that. A huge thanks to Dom and the crew at Run West for their dedication to the cause from all of us at Protect The West Coast.”
Several members of the PTWC team entered this year, with Camila Budden, Miles Masterson, Patrick Forbes and Steve Pike successfully completing the 21km.
The run took place fresh off the back of two applications by mining company Trans Hex for a mining right to dredge for diamonds from two “B” deepsea concessions (11B and 13B) offshore from the coastal section of the 21km route (from 1km to 5km out to sea).
The second application was to prospect for heavy minerals, gemstones and rare earth metals much closer to shore along the same stretch of coast in the two “A” concessions (11A and 13A) from the surf line to 1km out to sea.
Public participation is key when these applications are considered, so please sign up to the new PTWC public participation portal Ripl, register an Interested & Affected Party (I&AP) and voice your concerns. The comment window for the two applications expires on October 1.
Watch the Ripl video here.
Or go straight to www.ripl.co.za to sign up.
Please consider donating to our cause so we can continue to fight illegal and destructive mining on the West Coast of South Africa.
All images taken by Jacque Smit.
