Obstacle Course Racing World Championships, South African OCR and The Warrior Race Partner to Create First South African Obstacle Course Racing Championships
In support of the continued growth of the South African Obstacle Course Racing community, a partnership between The Warrior Race, the Obstacle Course Racing World Championships (OCRWC), and South Africa Obstacle Course Racing was announced today to create the first South African Obstacle Course Racing Championships. The Warrior Race #5 at the Blythedale Coastal Estate Natal will host the inaugural event this July.
The event will create Age Group and Pro Championships by building upon the 10K Commando and 15K Black Ops divisions respectively, with each event to feature distinct championship obstacles, exclusive medals, and a prize purse exceeding 200,000 ZAR in cash and prizes.
Fritz Pienaar, CEO of Advendurance and The Warrior Race said, “The South African Obstacle Course Racing community has grown at an intense rate over the last couple of years, not only in numbers, but also in competitiveness. The timing is right to host a South African OCR Championship.”
Notably, there will be no additional cost beyond normal Warrior Race registration fees for athletes to participate in the event.
“The OCRWC and Adventurey team are thrilled to partner with The Warrior Race and SA OCR to develop a unique event that will further serve the South African Obstacle Course Racing community,” said OCRWC Founder Adrian Bijanada. “This partnership will allow multiple organizations to work together for the advancement of the sport in South Africa and we are honored to offer our support.”
“Kwadukuza are delighted that the Toyota Warrior #5, to be held on the 14th and 15th July 2018 at the Blythedale Coastal Estate, will also co-host the SA OCR Championships,” said Njabulo Ricardo Mthembu, Mayor of Kwadukuza. “After last year’s successful Warrior event, we at Kwadukuza are really excited about the increased event driven tourism that the dual Warrior and SA OCR Championship event will generate and look forward to extending a warm welcome to all competitors and spectators.”
Alec Avierinos, Founder of SA OCR, also applauded the partnership.
“It is truly exciting to be able to partner with OCRWC and Warrior to create a Championship event of this nature. The endorsement of the OCRWC will pave the way to South Africa hosting future OCRWC events in the not too distant future,” said Mr. Avierinos. “We trust that this event will serve as a catalyst to unite the sport in SA even further.”
Vice President of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) Glenn Crompton also voiced support of the inaugural event.
“Partnering with Warrior is a natural fit for Toyota as both entities are equally passionate about the spirit of adventure. At the core of their ethos, they have both infused “endurance” as one of the key elements of their cultural DNA. In the case of Toyota, it then comes as no surprise that we’re involved in motorsport endurance events such as the Dakar and Le Mans. So, as Toyota South Africa, we couldn’t be more thrilled to hear that Warrior – whose events put the human body to the ultimate test – will this year be hosting the inaugural OCR SA Championships.”
Event Overview:
The Pro Division championship will utilize the 15Km Black Ops Elite competition, with the top three male and female athletes being awarded cash prizes as well as free entry into the Pro division of the 15Km World Championships in London, England, made possible by The Warrior Race and SAOCR.
The Age Group championships will utilize the 10Km Commando Elite division, with top male and female athletes from each age group being awarded cash prizes, as well as free entry into the Age Group division of the 15Km World Championships in London, England, made possible by The Warrior Race and SAOCR.
Eligible Divisions:
15km Black-Ops Elite:
- Male & Female: Open, any athlete over 18 can compete in this age category
10km Commando Elite:
- Female: U19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+
- Male: U19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+
Qualifying Criteria:
15km (Black-Ops Elite)
- Athletes must be over 18 and must have completed at least one Warrior Black-Ops Elite race with his/her DQ Band intact.
10km (Commando Elite)
- Athletes must have completed at least one Warrior Commando Elite or Rookie Elite race with his/her DQ Band intact.
For more info and to register, visit: https://warrior.co.za/sachamps
About the Obstacle Course Racing World Championships
Created by Adventurey, LLC, the Obstacle Course Racing World Championships is the first and only independent championship event in Obstacle Course Racing and requires athletes to qualify for a limited number of spots through a network of qualifying events. Designed to celebrate the athletes within the sport, the 2017 competition drew over 4,000 athletes from over 67 nations to compete for cash prizes in Individual Elite, Age Group, and Team competitions, making it one of the broadest and most diverse races in obstacle course racing history.
