Border Athletics has urged Buffs Marathon and Surfers Challenge to consider the 2026 tide schedules before finalising their race dates for next year — thwarting Buffs’ plans to have already secured their 2026 date by the end of this month.
Buffs organisers, Live Adventure, aimed to prevent future fixture clashes — such as this year’s conflict with the Discovery Surfers Challenge — by announcing March 3 as their 2026 race date. However, Border Athletics rejected this, stating that provincial and club events could only be scheduled after Athletics SA set its national calendar.
Border Athletics’ Sicelo Pongama said that this long-standing tradition guided Border’s fixture committee.
Live Adventure’s Sian O’Keeffe said: “We have engaged with Border Athletics and Surfers to ensure there is no date clash next year and conversation is ongoing but positive and constructive. I spoke to the Border Athletics president in this regard and he is committed to ensuring that we have a positive and constructive relationship.”
Despite concerns that one event might see lower participation; the 50th edition of the Discovery Surfers Challenge attracted 3,363 entrants, while the 51st SA Home Loans Buffalo Marathon and Half-Marathon had 1,611 participants.
Pongama said: “Buffs was not affected by Surfers Challenge, as both had more numbers than expected with a number of locals and visitors participating in both events.”
Easy Equities Born2Run East London manager Bob Norris said this swell in numbers for both races reflected the sport’s growing social appeal, though it has yet to translate into higher-quality competition.
Norris cited the dearth of depth nationally within running that has forced bigger provinces to poach athletes from across the country, impoverishing the limited amount of talent at local level evidenced by the loss of record-breaking Border runner Yanga Malusi last year to KwaLanga TymeBank Athletic Club in Cape Town.
He said: “The competitive spirit of the ‘80s and ‘90s has faded, with the talent pool now greatly diminished.
“We’re seeing a surge in social runners, but without stronger club-level administration, there’s a gap in development. Too few athletes are rising to the top, especially when it comes to building junior teams.”
Despite this, the last 10 years as seen the emergence and solidification of a strong nucleus of women who are cleaning out wins in the local running circuit including Caryn Lategaan, Lauren Ranger, Andrea Ranger and the infamous titan of the Discovery Surfers Challenge, Hanlie Botha.
At the weekend, Botha successfully defended her Surfers title for the 11th time — an unfathomable feat in the history of the race. Only three men and one other woman, all runners with national colours, have ever come close with a mere three wins each; putting Botha in a class of her own.
She crossed the 17.5km finish line for the 11th time after 01:21:51, eclipsing her time from last year by almost a minute. Up until the night before the race, Botha was unsure if she would enter due to health concerns.
However, once the race got underway, the rest incurred by the illness strengthened her legs and she knew she would clinch the win again.
She said: “I feel so blessed to have won it for the 11th time and the entire experience was amazing, I felt strong and it was wonderful to be competing.
“The Surfers is unlike any other race because it includes the sand, the rocks and the tides and this variety is exciting for me as I have started to gravitate more towards trail running.
“The doubts I had before the race was my only real challenge this year but once I made the decision to compete, I felt free.”
Botha credits her off-road running, cross training, endurance and speed work for her consistently exceptional performance at the Surfers and believes that the best training regimen is one with variety that does not only focus on clocking mileage but also building stronger legs and ankles.
Norris said Botha’s dominance in the Surfers Challenge is unmatched and her self-discipline and diverse training approach, despite being self-taught, have set her apart and cemented her as one of the most enduring champions in SA road running.
He added: “Beyond her racing success, Hanlie’s longevity is a testament to her unique approach in sticking to distances between 5km and 21km and training on her own terms.
“Though she dabbled in athletics at school, she resisted coaching that didn’t align with her instincts, shaping a career entirely on her own philosophy.
“Her influence extends beyond competition; she brings humanity to the sport, showing deep respect for fellow runners and freely offering guidance. She continues to inspire a generation of female athletes who thrive under her leadership.
“Her legacy is unlikely to be matched in the history of the race.”
