Out to pasture, Pennypinchers AR Squad Member,
Chris "Che Che" Crewdson celebrated his 10th run of the Otter on Saturday
being the Course Director, for the prestigious Otter African Trail Run organised
by the elite Magnetic South crew.
Chris was joined by fellow Otter African Trail Run
colleague, Petrus "Wingman" Maree who has been responsible for all the field
marking and event crew operating on the event. Petrus celebrated his 5th
Otter Safety Run. Plus 4 local members of the MCSA Mountain Rescue Crew joined
the vital safety scout.
Chris is again splitting this year with 7
months involved in heading up and managing the logistics of the Tour De Tuli,
which attracts mountain bikers from all over the globe who come to ride in
exquisite natural wilderness areas in the Tuli Block of Botswana, Maramani
Community of South Eastern Zimbabwe and finish in the Mapungubwe National
Park in RSA. The tour raises funds for the Children In The Wilderness program
set up and managed by the worlds largest safari operator - Wilderness
Safaris. For the other 5 months he is back home in Knysna and works with
the top class Magnetic South team on the Otter African Trail and Sabrina
Love Ocean Challenge.
"It has been a major adjustment having to share my
year between the lush incredible beauty of the Garden Route and the fast paced
big smoke existence of Johannesburg. However getting out there even in the
concrete jungle of Gauteng, you do find some gems and its these isolated spots
that keep you mindful of just how incredibly fortunate we are to live here in
the Southern Cape. I do miss being a regular member of this very passionate
group of like minded folk and the Pennypinchers AR Team has given me some
unbelievable memories over the years that I have had the pleasure of
enjoying racing with it. Now it is time for younger blood to pick up from where
I left off and take the team to places I can only dream to be ! "
"It is hard to let go and accept that circumstances
require one to move into new directions however my goal is to keep flying the
Pennypinchers AR Team brand high at the annual challenging Skyrun, which is all
I can fit into a life of living between two centres."
Working on the Otter is an absolute HIGH and what
an honour to be involved in this event. It is an exceptional trail and a
run that must rank on your "bucket list". What makes the Otter that much more
special is that the trail is open to runners ONLY once a year. Magnetic
South as part of their safety management due diligence, have put together
the most comprehensive management plan of any Trail Run in SA. Included is the
sanction by SANParks to have a specific number of safety scouting runs on the
trail with members of the MCSA Mountain Rescue Team who are called out when
hikers get into emergency situations. Two members of the Pennypinchers AR Team,
Lettuce & Jeaneatte form part of this highly dedicated Mountain Rescue
unit and shared my 10th outing. How fitting could that have been
!!!
A REMINDER that the Otter Trail is not allowed to
be run unless your are a participant in the event or a sanctioned member of the
safety team and all the necessary permissions have been given by SANParks,
Magnetic South and MCSA Mountain Rescue.
Wishing the team and its many very supportive
and loyal sponsors/supporters a year full of the GOOD STUFF.
Much appreciation to you all for making my time in
the team an absolute adventure - see you at Skyrun !
Che Che
No comments:
Post a Comment