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Knysna's Western Head - Open at last to Trail Runners

Knysna’s Featherbed Nature Reserve has been an icon for tourism in the country’s best-known holiday town for twenty five years - but until now the only way to experience it was by joining an organised package tour.

Knysna’s Featherbed Nature Reserve has been an icon for tourism in the country’s best-known holiday town for twenty five years - but until now the only way to experience it was by joining an organised package tour.

“In the past few years, people around the world have taken to the sport of trail running at an incredible rate,” said organiser Amanda Judson of event managers Magnetic South. “It’s food for the soul compared to plodding along on a boring old tarred road - particularly when you’re tearing along a single-track path and the running becomes technical and challenging.

“For a trail runner, knowing that this kind of path exists and not being able to access it is torture - which is why we approached Featherbed Nature Reserve with the idea of setting up an annual event to allow runners onto the Reserve.”

“The result is the Salomon Featherbed Trail Run which will take place for the first time during this year’s Pick ‘n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival,” she said.

Featherbed “I think they’re nuts - why would you want to run when you could walk?” said Featherbed’s owner, William Smith. “But we understood the appeal from the moment they approached us with the idea - because this is a unique piece of land with exquisite coastal forest and unbeatable views.”

Notwithstanding his reservations about the sanity of the participants, Mr. Smith has come on board enthusiastically and thrown his company’s weight behind the organisation of the event - which promises to be the single most unusual trail run you’re likely to enjoy this year.

“We’ve decided to start the race itself at Featherbed and run through Brenton-on-Lake and across the Knysna Lagoon via the railway line to end where we began - at the Cruise Cafe restaurant at the Featherbed Ferry Terminal,” said course designer Chris Crewdson.

“That means, of course, that we’ll have to transport everyone across to the Reserve - which we’ll do on ferries that Mr. Smith will provide.

“It’ll create an incredible atmosphere and I can’t wait to experience it!”
 
In order to protect the integrity of the Nature Reserve, a maximum of only 200 entries will be accepted for the run, which will offer two courses - the 14 km Coelacanth and the 8 km Seahorse.

“Both courses take full advantage of the beauty of the area, but naturally I think the Coelacanth is the one to do,’ said Chris. “It’s much more challenging.”

Entry forms are available on line at www.magneticsouth.net and entries will be accepted on the day (July 8, 2008) if space is still available. Registration will take place at Cruise Cafe between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. on race day, and ferries will depart at 2:30. The first 150 entrants will receive goodie bags with - amongst other things - a free pair of Falke running socks, and Salomon prizes will be awarded to the first three winners in the men’s and women’s divisions of both races.

“This is a most unusual opportunity and we’ll be applying a few unusual rules - like the one that says you’ll be disqualified for littering,” said Chris.

“It’s one way to ensure that everyone - including the environment - enjoys this rare and unique event.”

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