Sponsors and organisers of the inaugural Auto & General Cross Triathlon are pleased that the event was a huge success.
The triathlon, held at the glitzy and glamorous Steyn City in Johannesburg on Saturday, was the first of its kind in South Africa, and plans are already under way to make the second one next year bigger and better.
“We are very proud of the winners and all those who participated in this very exciting first event,” enthused Ricardo Coetzee, head of Auto & General Insurance.
“We were counting down the days until we could prove what experience looks like with our proud partner Steyn City, and we certainly didn’t disappoint. We thank all those who took part to make this an extremely successful event. We’re already looking forward to next year’s edition.”
Shaun Wolfaardt and Hannah Newman made history when they were crowned the overall winners of the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. Former Springbok Breyton Paulse was one of hundreds of people who took part in the inaugural event.
The triathlon’s setting also played a big role in making this a unique event. Steyn City’s beautiful setting is the ideal location for athletes to test their mettle because of the facilities offered by the parkland residence, including a mountain bike track that has been used for several cycling events; the clear crystalline waters of its 300m lagoon; and the 45km floodlit promenade that traverses all areas of the parkland.
Giuseppe Plumari, CEO of Steyn City Prpperties, said: “We believe that there are few other residential developments in South Africa with the infrastructure to host an event of this scale in a secure setting.
“The magnificent 2 000-acre parkland, which forms Steyn City’s backdrop, certainly contributed to the event’s atmosphere, with the music vibes of HOT 102.7FM adding a decidedly festive note.”
This host venue no doubt helped attract some of South Africa’s best known triathletes, including Hannah Newman, Nico Sterk, Armand du Toit, Shaun Wolfaardt and Adriaan Myburgh. Seven-time XTERRA World Champion Conrad Stoltz and Emma Pallant, two-time world duathlon champion, also took part.
Prizes for the winners included R10 000 for both men and women who came first, with second-place winners taking home R6 000 each, and R2 500 awarded to third-place holders.
The event was greatly enjoyed by those who took part. “It was an incredible day for the cross-triathlon community. I had so much fun and look forward to being back here at Steyn City this time next year,” said Stoltz.
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