Ultrarunner Sets New Solo Speed Mark On South Africa's Drakensberg Grand Traverse

Endurance athlete Andrew Porter has set an impressive new solo speed record on South Africa's tough Drakensberg Grand Traverse, a 220 km (136 mile) route through some of the most difficult and demanding terrain that the country has to offer. The trail runs up and down numerous peaks, through deep valleys, and across rugged territory that typically takes trekkers upwards of 10 days to hike. Despite those challenges however, Porter managed to do it in just 45 hours and 8 minutes.

You may recall that two South African ultrarunners took on the Traverse last year, which is when Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel managed to complete the trek in 41 hours and 49 minutes. Their attempt took just about every ounce of energy they had just to reach the finish line, and they were working together to accomplish their speed run.

In Porter's case, he not only went alone and unsupported, he also ran the route south to north, the opposite direction of Sandes and Griesel. This allowed him to be more aware of potential dog encounters along the trail, but also added 900 meters (2952 feet) of extra climbing to his run as well. Despite those challenges however, he still managed to wrap up the attempt in an incredible time.

Just how impressive was Andrew's performance? Consider this. Back in 2009 he set the first solo record on the Grand Traverse by completing it in 61 hours, 24 minutes, and 11 seconds. This time out he managed to shave more than 16 hours off that previous record. That is a serious improvement to say the least.

To get a better understanding of what this challenge is all about, check out the film that was made about Ryan and Ryno's run from last year. You'll come away with an even greater appreciation of what Andrew has accomplished. Well done and congratulations to him.

And thanks to my friend Lisa de Speville for sharing this info!

Video: The Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race

One of the toughest mountain bike races in the world has been taking place this week in South Africa, where the annual Absa Cape Epic has been unfolding. This 8-day stage race pits teams of two riders against one another on some of the most challenging terrain that the Western Cape has to offer.

Just how difficult is this event? It is so tough that the Union Cycliste Internationale has rated is as "hors categorie" – or beyond category – a status that is held by such other cycling events as the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España. In other words, it ranks right up there with the three cycling classics.

But don't just take my word for it. Check out the two-minute video below from Stage 4 of the race. It'll give you a true sense of just how challenging the Cape Epic can be. This stage was more than 111 km (69 miles) in length, and feature over 2000 meters (6561 ft) of climbing. That's a tough day in the saddle, but imagine doing that for over a week. My legs are tired just thinking about it.


Absa Cape Epic 2015 - Stage 4 - The Race from world of freesports on Vimeo.

Video: 100-Year Old Grandma Goes Skydiving

Who says that just because you get a few birthdays under you belt you need to stop pursuing a life of adventure? Take Georgina Harwood for example. This South African grandmother celebrated her 100th birthday this past weekend by going skydiving, something she first did when she turned 92. And if jumping out of a perfectly good airplane isn't wild enough for you, next she intends to go diving with great white sharks near Cape Town. She's a good inspiration to us all, and we should all be so luck to reach 100 and still enjoy these pursuits.

Video: Mountain Biking Cape Town, South Africa

As if you needed further proof that Cape Town, South Africa is an adventure destination of epic proportions, this video gives us another brief glimpse of some of the outdoor activities that are available near the city. It was put together by the team at Bike Life, who specialize in highlighting the great mountain biking opportunities that can be had in South Africa, and it provides viewers with a tantalizing look at some of the amazing trails that are available near Cape Town.

Video: Bouldering in Swaziland

South Africa is an amazing country for climbers, and over the past decade or so has become well known for its bouldering too. Apparently that reputation extends into nearby Swaziland as well, as this video takes us there to show us its amazing potential. The video was shot in the summer of 2014, when climbers Nalle Hukkataival and Jimmy Webb went to Swaziland to explore its climbing options for themselves. What they found was very impressive indeed.