Freedom Challenge Across South Africa (Video)

compose Lucas Winzenburg
time Jan 6, 2021
comment 3

Photos by Llewellyn Lloyd, film by Andrew Muckart

Every June/July, racers depart on the roughly 2,200-kilometer Race Across South Africa along the Freedom Trail, a network of jeep roads and singletrack trails that traverses nearly the entire country from east to west, taking participants through remote and rugged terrain in a diverse array of environments. Riders have 26 days to complete the course before the official cutoff, and must make their way between the 24 mandatory checkpoints/support stations, which provide food and accommodation to all participants. It’s a single-stage, non-stop event, and riders are required to be fully self-sufficient between checkpoints, using paper maps, a compass, and narrative directions for navigation.

Shot in the fall of 2020, this seven-minute video showcases the route, the people, and the challenges that make the Race Across South Africa quite a unique event in the world of ultra-distance racing. Nine-time finisher Tim James and six-time finished Mike Woolnough talk through their experiences, what participating means to them, and provide an idea of what to expect when riding the Freedom Trail. Watch it below:

If you’d like to see more from the Freedom Trail, be sure to read Greg Fischer’s story from the Race to Rhodes, as well as our coverage of Alex Harris’s record-setting time in last year’s Race Across South Africa. Find additional details about the Freedom Challenge on the organization’s website.