Busiswa, Kings of the Weekend and The Kickstands for Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium: Sunday 23 June

Save some energy to celebrate in the finishing area at Hollywood Bets Kings Park Stadium outer fields, after participating in this year’s Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge on Sunday 23 June.

SPAR KZN has organised a fantastic line up of entertainment for runners with three acts penned to perform – dynamic duo The Kickstands, songstress Busiswa and Kings of the Weekend DJs SPHEctacula and Naves.

The Kickstands

Kicking off the after-race merriments, The Kickstands take to the stage with the dynamic duo of lead singer Ross Charles and lead guitarist Josh Swanson. Their infectious vibes have been tearing up stages since 2010, and they are renown as a top-notch opening act having warmed up the crowd for many a major act. The Kickstands covers a multitude of genres from Funk, Soul, Classic Rock to Folk.

Busiswa

Featuring after the local ban is songstress Busiswa. Hailing from the Eastern Cape, the singer, songwriter and performer combines her poetry with energising, irresistible beats. Making musical waves both at home and across the borders, she has collaborated with both African and American musicians, including American singer Beyonce Knowles Carter on the song My Power from The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. Her tracks have featured in hits like the Black Panther and "Lahla" was used in the American dance film Honey 3.

Kings of the Weekend

Wrapping up the event, Kings of the Weekend will rock out the festivities. Comprising of DJs SPHEctacula and Naves, the two performers are rumoured to be party starters and huge crowd pullers. Their beats will begin shortly after the much-anticipated lucky draw give away.

To enter and be a part of this year’s SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge, visit www.sparwomensrace.co.za/durban/

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Dates Announced for Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge Sunday 23 June

Entries are open for the 34th running of the Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge that takes place in and around the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium on Sunday 23 June. 

The success of South Africa’s Most Beautiful Road Race strides ahead, with entries for 2024 capped at 12000. The uplifting theme for this year’s race is #ChooseYou with the underlying message of motivating oneself, encouraging women to prioritize self-care, both for their mental and physical well-being. 

Sharing moments: Revealing the colour and theme for the 2024 Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge that takes place at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Durban on Sunday 23 June. The theme, #ChooseYou encourages self-empowerment. Wearing this year’s race shirts at an intimate function at the Grand Exotic are SPAR KZN Retail Ops Advisor, Cindy Watridge with 2024 Race Ambassadors Former Protea’s Netball star, Baby Proteas coach and teacher, Precious Mthembu and Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist, Dr Marise Subrayan.

"Our theme “Choose You” amplifies our commitment to inspire a healthier community,” says Menelisi Luthuli, Marketing Executive, SPAR KZN. “In a world where external pressures often overshadow personal well-being, we encourage women to embark on a journey of self-care and self-discovery. SPAR advocates a balanced lifestyle where individuals prioritize their own needs alongside external demands, finding fulfillment in both. Ultimately, our theme this year emphasizes that self-care isn't selfish but rather crucial for lasting well-being and happiness.”

Two phenomenal strong local women are the 2024 Race Ambassadors. Inspiring youth wherever she goes, sporting star and role model Precious Mthembu is the current Baby Proteas Coach, she is an educator at Danville Park Girls’ High School and was a Protea Netball player, notching up 97 caps for South Africa. Joining her is Dr Marise Subrayan, an award-winning Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist based at Durban’s St Augustine’s Hospital, who is passionate about educating and empowering women and girls about female-related health.

The Challenge route remains unchanged from the 2023 event, with the fast and flat ‘out-and-back’ course starting under the shadow of the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium, on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishing on the outer fields of this iconic Durban landmark. The 10km race begins at 8am and the 5km race at 9am. 

Entries for the 2024 edition of the Durban event are online at https://www.sparwomensrace.co.za/durban/. Online entries close at midnight on 16 June. The online entry for the 10km run is R180, with a KZN Athletics licence, or R230 with a temporary licence, and for the 5km is R180. Entries at race registration are R200 (with licence) and R250 (without licence) for the 10km and R200 for the 5km. Bulk entry collections are also available.

At this Durban Challenge, a field of highly competitive runners will compete in the national SPAR Grand Prix Series that travels around South Africa. The total Series Prize Purse is sitting at over R1,68 million this year.

Prize money for the first female athlete crossing the line in Durban is R33,000 with the runner-up earning R25,000 and third place winning R20,000. The first South African woman across the line will also earn R10,000. There are also prizes for top age category runners.

A variety of lucky draw prizes will be awarded at prize giving, including a chance to win a car. All participants (18 plus and T&C’s apply) can enter the lucky draw where one race number will advance to the main draw for a Proton X50 valued at R449,000. Seven ladies from the seven races around the country must attend the glitzy SPAR Grand Prix prize-giving to qualify to win this car.

For more information visit the race website, like the SPAR Women’s Race KZN Facebook page (SPARWomens10and5kmRace), or follow on Instagram (sparwomenskzn) or Twitter (sparladiesrace).

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Namibian Helalia Johannes wins SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in fastest time ever recorded in Africa.

SPAR Women’s 10km/ 5km Challenge

Durban, 23 June 2019

NAMIBIAN Helalia Johannes (Nedbank International) ran an incredible race in Durban on Sunday 23 June to win the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in 30 minutes 59 seconds (30:59), the fastest time over this distance ever recorded in Africa.

In doing so she also smashed the Namibian record for the third time in a matter of two months leaving junior international runner, 19-year-old Tadu Teshame (Ethiopia, Nedbank International), over one-and-a-half minutes (01:37) in her wake in 32:36 with former winner Irvette van Zyl (Nedbank) in third place a further 21 seconds adrift in 32:57.

Johannes added the Durban Challenge to the first two in the series of six races making up the SPAR Grand Prix, those in Port Elizabeth (May 4) and Cape Town (May 29), smashing the course records for these and also for the Durban Challenge course record of 31:38 that was set in 2000 by Colleen de Reuk.

The 38-year-old Johannes did not take long to assert her domination over the field of 14 751 runners after the start in front of the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Masabalala Yengwa (NMR) Avenue taking the Ethiopian junior Teshame and Van Zyl with her but gradually leaving them behind as she continued to dominate the race going through the opening first kilometre in 3min 05sec.

By the 3km mark Teshame and Van Zyl no longer posed her a problem as she swept along the Snell Parade alongside the Durban beachfront and headed south towards the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium racing through the halfway mark (5km) in 15:26.

Johannes appeared to be enjoying her entourage of motorcyclists from the Steelwings Club on their Harley Davidsons ensuring her a safe passage throughout the 30th anniversary of the race which was the first one of the SPAR races to be held in 1989 and which carried a prize purse this year of R30 000 to commemorate it.

Johannes said afterwards that she had revelled in the perfect conditions that prevailed over the fast, flat 10km course and that she was happy to have done a personal best time.

She said she was sure more records would follow, but that she did not have any set plans for the immediate future. “We’ll  just have to wait and see where and when I will be running again. I have been improving my times steadily.”

Runner-up Teshame said: “We all knew Helalia would go out front and set a fast place and so I was prepared for it but it was impossible for anyone running yesterday to beat her.”

Van Zyl said: “She (Johannes) has raised the standard of women’s middle distance racing in a matter of a few weeks. It will be interesting to see what happens with the last three SPAR Grand Prix races being held at altitude, in Pretoria (August 3), Pietermaritzurg (August 18) and Johannesburg (October 6).

“Whatever, with bonus points offered for getting times better than last year’s winner’s time, elite runners will not want to miss any of these races if they are to be in the running for the Grand Prix overall winner’s purse of R185 000 with the runner-up receiving R65 000 and the third placed runner R40 000.

A whooping R30,000 was raised for the race charity, Cancer Association with a cheque being presented at prize giving.

Results

Open:

1.    1. Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) 30.59; 2. Tadu Nare (Nedbank) 32.36; 3. Irvette Van Zyl (Nedbank) 32.57; 4. Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) 33.22; 5. Janet Mbhele (Umzimkhulu Striders) 33.30; 6. Caroline Mhandu (Maxed Elite) 33:46 7. Kesa Molotsane (Myrray&Roberts) 33.49; 8. Betha Chikanga (Maxed) 34.04; 9. Oliva Chitate (Maxed) 34.21; 10. Patience Murowe (Umzimkhulu Striders) 34.27

Junior

1.   1.Nare Tadu (Nedbank) 32:36; 2. Tayla Kavanagh (Hillcrest Villagers Athletics club) 36:23; 3. Dipulo Mashishi (Murray & Roberts) 38:05

20-39

1. Helalia Johannes (Nedbank Namibia) 30.59; 2.Diana Lebo Phalula (Boxer) 34:59; 3. Makhosi Mhlongo (Hollywood bets Running Club) 35:15

40-49

1.   1. Bulelwa Semai (Boxer) 38:36; 2. Elizabeth Dlhiwayo (Run walk for life Rustenburg) 38:38; 3. Janene Carey (Boxer KZN) 40:22

50-59

1.   1.Judy Bird (Murry & Roberts) 41:10; 2. Michelle Sims (PDAC) 25:28; 3 Maya Lawire (Boxer) 41:26

60-69

1.Olga Howard (Nedbank) 44:54; 2. Blanche Moila (Savages) 48:14; 3. Colleen Peens (Team Vitality) 49:31

1.  

70+

1.Jackie Davis (Savages) 55:55; 2 Gillian Tregenna (Wings Athletics) 01:01:48; 3 Getrude Lottering (Boxer) 01:16:42

Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge celebrates 30 years on

Media Release

Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge celebrates 30 years on

Entries are open for the much-loved Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge, the race that started the now iconic national women’s running event, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year on Sunday 23 June.

The Challenge, has over the years, seen hundreds of South Africa’s top athletes, including a number of distinguished Olympians, take the honours. Many of the sportswomen who have appeared in the top three of the race, are written in the annals of SA road-running history, including the likes of Zola Budd-Pieterse, Poppy Mlambo, Gwen Griffiths (van Lingen), Carlien Cornelissen, Nicole Fuller, Tanith Maxwell, the Kalmer sisters –Rene and Christine, the Phalula sisters – Lebogang and Lebo-Diana,  Irvette van Zyl and Nolene Conrad to name a few. 

This list, of course, includes two Durban favourites, Blanche Moila, who has appeared in the top three twice, and Grace de Oliveira who won twice (1994 and 1995) and appeared in the top three four times. Both have run all races since its inception.

The inaugural event has come a long way since it began in 1990 with field of 2,200 when the now USA-based SA athlete Colleeen de Reuck won in a time of  34:16.  Fast track to 2018, where Zimbabwean-based Betha Chikanga shaved off 1:09 from that time, bagging the win at 33:07 in a field of close to 14,000 participants.

Historically, the race route has remained fairly consistent around the Durban beachfront and CBD. The record time is still held by de Reuck who clocked in at 31:38 in 2000, followed in 2009 by Rene Kalmer with 32:27 and in 1991 by Gwen Griffiths (van Rensburg) with 32:28.

“Over 29 years more than 330,000 women and girls, including a smattering of some rather enthusiastic men, have beaten a track around the City in a show of camaraderie, and spirit,” says Max Oliva, MD of SPAR KZN.  “We look forward to continuing this wonderfully, colourful journey with thousands more like-minded fitness enthusiasts for many, many more years to come.” 

This year the race route remains the same as last year starting off in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue opposite the outer fields of Jonsson Kings Park Rugby Stadium, which is also the finish. 

To celebrate 30 years on, SPAR will award the winner of this race R30,000, as well as the usual cash category prizes.  Elite runners participating in the SPAR Women’s 10km Grand Prix Series will be vying to increase their standings on the leaderboard. Currently Namibian runner Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) is in poll position having won the Port Elizabeth race on 4 May in a regional record time of 31.50 minutes.

Participants will receive a breakfast pack upon completion of the event, and are encouraged to remain after the race and enjoy the entertainment on offer, with some big lucky draw prizes up for grabs to mark the 30th birthday.

Entry fees are R145 for a 10km non-licensed entrant, which will include a temp licence, R120 for a 10km licensed entrant and R120 for all 5km entrants. Entrants for the 10km challenge must be 14 years or older and for the 5km must be 9 years or older on the day of the competition.

Entries can be done online via the race website - EFT payments close on 10 June and Credit Card payments close on 17 June. A manual entry option is available, subject to the limit of 15,000 not having been reached, at race registration  which takes place at Hall 6 at the Durban Exhibition Centre on: Thursday, 20 June and Friday, 21 June from 10:00 to 17:00 and Saturday, 22 June from 10:00 to 15:00. All entrants will receive a promo bag at race registration. 

To enter online or for more race information, www.sparwomensrace.co.za/durban. 

For more information like the KZN SPAR Women’s Race Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram.

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Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge – Sunday, June 11

Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge – Sunday, June 11

Online entries are now open for this year’s Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge, which takes place on Sunday, June 11.

The race, which is now in it’s 28th year, is a firm fixture on the KZN event calendar in KZN and annually draws a field of around 17 500 runners and walkers, along with countless supporters that come to enjoy the camaraderie and fun along the route and at the finish.

The theme for the challenge this year is “SHEroes” celebrating the “Superhero” status of women. “Every woman has a unique story to tell about their own inner beauty, strength and determination. In short, every woman is a Super Hero in their own way,” says Max Oliva, Managing Director of SPAR KZN, “We look forward to welcoming these wonderful “SHEroes” to this year’s race where they can showcase their determination and collective energy in one of the most talked about, and certainly the most beautiful, running and walking events in town.”

Once again participants have an option of taking part in the more competitive 10km distance starting at 8am or can enjoy the shorter, half distance 5km at 9:30am.  The challenge starts in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue outside the finish venue at the Growthpoint Kings Park outer fields, where there will be live music to entertain finishers and supporters.

Entries are limited to the first 17 500 ladies and can be done either online; by using the bulk entry process, or at the race registration venue at the Durban Exhibition Centre three days prior to the event.

Prize money for the first position in the open category is R10 000, second position R7 500 and third R5 000, and there are also various other category prizes across the board.  For the professional athletes participating in the challenge as part of the nationwide SPAR Grand Prix Series, the stakes are much higher as the prize money for the series sits at an impressive R173 000 this year.

For the first time, non-South African athletes are eligible to accumulate Grand Prix points which means that the field now includes those elite non-South African athletes. Currently Louisa Leballo (Nedbank) leads the Grand Prix log having taken the honours in Cape Town on April 2 in a time of 32.58 minutes. The next race takes place in May in Port Elizabeth, followed by Durban in June.

A donation of R2 will be made per entry to this year’s official race charity CANSA Mkhuhla Care Home in Durban, a “home-away-from-home” for cancer patients receiving treatment.

Entrants for the 10km challenge are required to be 14 years or older and for the 5km must be 9 years or older on the day of the competition.

Race Registration takes place at Hall 6 at the Durban Exhibition Centre on:

•   Thursday, 8 June from 10:00 to 17:00,

•   Friday, 9 June from 10:00 to 17:00 and

•   Saturday, 10 June from 10:00 to 15:00.

All female entrants will receive a promo bag at race registration and on race day, all those who complete the race will receive a breakfast pack.

Entry fees are R110 for a 10km non-licensed entrant, which will include a temp licence, R100 for a 10km licensed entrant and R100 for all 5km entrants. 

For all the relevant race information, as well as to enter online go to www.sparwomensrace.co.za/durban 

For more information like the SPAR Women’s Race KZN Facebook page.