After a long, tough OCR season, Jeep Team athlete, Thomas van Tonder and Reebok athlete, Hanneke Dannhauser have claimed the South African OCR Championship Jeep Warrior OCR Series titles, powered by Reebok, at the series finale held at Legends MX Adventure Park in Pretoria on the 20th November 2016. With over 8000 warriors competing in the final 2016 Jeep Warrior OCR event, it was mud, sweat and tears from start to finish across all races.
The Jeep Warrior Series is South Africa’s oldest and largest obstacle course race that holds eight events spanning across four provinces over the year. The Jeep Warrior OCR Series Race is also used by the World OCR Championships for country competitor selection meeting World OCR Obstacle/Terrain Standards.
On Saturday and Sunday, 20th November, at Jeep Warrior Race #8 Legends MX, the racing was fierce, fast, but fun. On Sunday, in the Black Ops Elite, the toughest of all the races, the top 3 men, Thomas van Tonder, Greg Avierinos and Claude Eksteen, crawled, climbed and clambered over obstacles built for the brave, jostling for podium positions.
In the end, the bravest man won. Van Tonder used his well-honed physical and mental strength to push through to a well-deserved victory on the most important day in his OCR career.
Results for the Black Ops Elite men – Jeep Team’s Thomas van Tonder 1st in 1:57:23; Greg Avierinos 2nd in 2:07:53, Claude Eksteen 3rd in 2:10:32, Jeep Team’s Jay Jay Deysel 4th in 2:17:13. Results for Race #8 Black Ops Elite women – Hanneke Dannhauser 1st in 2:28:55, Michelle Meyer 2nd in 2:42:01, Dominque D’Oliveira 3rd in 2:45:16, and Sabrina Dalio 4th in 3:17:12. The finishing times taken to complete this epic course gives one an idea of its relentlessness.
Race #8 also concluded the final seeding for the South African OCR Championship Jeep Warrior OCR Series titles. The seeding is worked out by taking athletes’ top 5 race results out of a possible 8 races they could compete in.
Hats off to the Jeep Team managers and OCR athletes who succeeded in taking 3 of the 6 podium spots available in the Black Ops Elite Series. In the men’s Black Ops Division, Jeep Team’s Thomas van Tonder took Gold with 19 844 points and a R25 000 prize purse; Greg Avierinos took Silver with 17 253 points, followed by Jeep Team‘s Jay Jay Deysel taking Bronze with 16 550 points.
The Black Ops Elite Women‘s Series, Hanneké Dannhauser, with a perfect score of 20 000 points, took Gold and a R25 000 prize purse; Trish Bahlmann took Silver with 18 082 points, and Jeep Team’s Carina Marx took Bronze with 15 086 points.
Said Thomas van Tonder, Race #8, winner of four Black Ops Elite races, and Series winner (men), “This race was a huge one for me, the national championship title has been my goal for the past 3 years. I missed the series win last year by seconds so there was no way I could pass it up today. I am also stoked because this win at Legends MX is my 10th Black Ops Elite win. Thank you to my Jeep Team sponsor. Without you, this would not have been possible.”
Said Hanneke Dannhauser, Race#8 winner, winner of six Jeep Warrior Black Ops Elite races, and Series Winner (women), “I had so much fun at this Jeep Warrior Series Finale and I am ecstatic to have won the series with a perfect score. I am so fortunate to be able to do these races and truly blessed to race against the best athletes in South African OCR. What an awesome experience. Thank you to all my supporters and Reebok who continue to stand beside me. I really appreciate you guys.”
Pretoria will be home to the first Jeep Warrior OCR Race 2017 on the 11th and 12th February 2017.
BLACK OPS ELITE SERIES WINNERS – WOMEN
- Hanneké Dannhauser: 20 000
- Trish Bahlmann: 18 081
- Carina Marx: 15 860
- Dominique D‘Oliveira: 15 450
- Michelle Meyer: 8964
BLACK OPS ELITE SERIES WINNERS – MEN
- Thomas van Tonder: 19 844
- Greg Avierinos: 17 253
- Jay Jay Deysel: 16 550
- Bradley Claase: 16447
- Loius Smith: 15 660