Former Springbok prop Marius Hurter knows a thing or two about pushing his limits.
Now 55, the 13-Test front-ranker, who was part of the 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok squad, has competed in a number of multi-day mountain bike stage races – including 14 Cape Epics – since hanging up his studs.
After this weekend, he can proudly add a new title to his CV: UTCT 100 miler finisher.
Windy and hot
Some 155 runners took to the start line at Gardens Rugby Club last Friday at 17:00.
Held in brutally windy and hot conditions, only 99 finished, with 56 calling it a day – or night – along the route ahead of the 45-hour cut-off.
Hurter was that 99th finisher in a time of 44 hours 59 minutes and 45 seconds.
The race covered 161.7km, included a elevation gain of 7 187m and had 14 aid stations as the route took runners from the northern mountain range of the Mother City to the southern mountains and along the Indian and Atlantic coastline.
The race was won by South African blueberry farmer Douglas Pickard in a time of 21 hours 49 minutes and 11 seconds, ahead of Russian Aleksei Tolstenko (22:40:48) with Zimbabwean Admire Muzopambwa (22:41:40) rounding out the podium.
The women’s race was won by South Africa’s Nicolette Griffioen in 24 hours 40 minutes and 58 seconds, with her compatriots Simone Malan (26:39:35) and Kerry-Ann Marshall (27:26:30) completing the top three.
Griffioen finished in sixth place overall.
Congratulations to all finishers of the five races which comprised UTCT 2025.
Sunday’s 35km race was called off due to high winds.
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Factfile: Marius Hurter
Test career
