Drakensberg FKTs - Record of Times

I've had news of two more successful unsupported DGTs - Jonathan Newman added another time to his impressive list over the holidays, with Anita Musevenzo in 130h20m and Chi Ingledew & Stuart Fitzpatrick got across in 112h32m back in March 2024. Congrats guys! List updated below:

41h49m - Ryno Griesel & Ryan Sandes (March 2014) - overall record
45h08m - Andrew Porter (May 2015) - solo record
60h29m - Ryno Griesel & Cobus van Zyl (April 2010)
61h14m - Andrew Porter (December 2009)
63h33m - Ryno Griesel & Linda Doke (March 2015) - mixed team record
64h29m - Ryno Griesel & Cobus van Zyl (March 2013)
73h34m - Andrew King & Zoog Haynes (November 2021)
78h58m - Graham Bird, Hanno Smit, Grant Ross & Robyn Kime (November 2014)
​79h53m - Michael Baker (April 2023)
81h53m - Andrew Hagen & Stijn Laenen (December 2008)
81h55m - Luc Steens & Gideon Zadoks (February 2016)
89h01m - Michael Baker & Jo Keppler (March 2022)
91h55m - Stefan Wahl & Simon Marincowitz (October 2017)
92h15m - Brendon Ferrar (April 2016)
95h30m - Armand du Plessis (November 2019)
97h51m - Anouk Baars, Michael Baker & Sean MacFarlane (October 2020)
105h39m - Gavin Raubenheimer & Lawrie Raubenheimer (February 1999)
107h51m - Jonathan Newman & Andrew Porter (November 2015)
107h53m - Michael Baker, Micheala Geytenbeek, Scott Rogers, Michael Dickens, Arno Pouwels & Brett Campbell (March 2024)
109h08m - Anne-Mummie Kirschenman & Kaj Derks (April 2017)
110h57m - Christine Harris & Carlos Gonzales (January 2010)
112h32m - Chi Ingledew & Stuart Fitzpatrick (March 2024) *note - accidentally missed true Giant's Castle summit by 1km
114h04m - Michael Baker, Jordan Leppan, Grant Leppan & Michael Voysey (October 2023)
118h45m - Robyn Kime & Mike Owen (February 2014)
127h06m - Jonathan Newman & Mike Van Wyngaard (December 2016) - as part of Double DGT in 15 days, 7 hours, 50 mins
129h24m - Pierre Jordaan, Nicolette Griffioen, MC van Zyl & AJ Lausberg (December 2021)
130h20m - Jonathan Newman & Anita Musevenzo (December 2024)
133h31m - Murray Steenkamp & Kevin Rodwell (March 2016)
144h13m - Rodney Long & Caro Jordaan (April 2023) - as part of Double DGT in 13 days, 35 min
146h36m - Stephen Child, Rian Botes & Mark Notter (April 2017)
148h46m - Mike Owen, Rodney Long, Ryan Dix-Peek, John Faure, Mark Winter, Jean Theron, Mark MacSymon & Grant De La Mare (September 2019)
154h24m - Rodney Long, Caro Jordaan, Andrew Balnaves & Allan Lamont (April 2023) *note - accidentally missed Champagne Castle summit by 1km and summited "Starboard" instead
157h11m - Laura Bannatyne & Fiona McIntosh (November 2008) - womens' record
194h45m - Carel van Heerden, Gerrit Brink, Heather Wilson & Jonathan Slater (March 2016)

Christine Jansen van Rensburg just finished a solo unsupported DGT which makes her the first woman to have achieved this feat (to my knowledge). Her time of 144h57m hence also breaks the women's record of 157h11m, previously held by Laura Bannatyne and Fiona McIntosh, set back in 2008. Congrats Christine!

41h49m - Ryno Griesel & Ryan Sandes (March 2014) - overall record
45h08m - Andrew Porter (May 2015) - solo record
60h29m - Ryno Griesel & Cobus van Zyl (April 2010)
61h14m - Andrew Porter (December 2009)
63h33m - Ryno Griesel & Linda Doke (March 2015) - mixed team record
64h29m - Ryno Griesel & Cobus van Zyl (March 2013)
73h34m - Andrew King & Zoog Haynes (November 2021)
78h58m - Graham Bird, Hanno Smit, Grant Ross & Robyn Kime (November 2014)
​79h53m - Michael Baker (April 2023)
81h53m - Andrew Hagen & Stijn Laenen (December 2008)
81h55m - Luc Steens & Gideon Zadoks (February 2016)
89h01m - Michael Baker & Jo Keppler (March 2022)
91h55m - Stefan Wahl & Simon Marincowitz (October 2017)
92h15m - Brendon Ferrar (April 2016)
95h30m - Armand du Plessis (November 2019)
97h51m - Anouk Baars, Michael Baker & Sean MacFarlane (October 2020)
105h39m - Gavin Raubenheimer & Lawrie Raubenheimer (February 1999)
107h51m - Jonathan Newman & Andrew Porter (November 2015)
107h53m - Michael Baker, Micheala Geytenbeek, Scott Rogers, Michael Dickens, Arno Pouwels & Brett Campbell (March 2024)
109h08m - Anne-Mummie Kirschenman & Kaj Derks (April 2017)
110h57m - Christine Harris & Carlos Gonzales (January 2010)
112h32m - Chi Ingledew & Stuart Fitzpatrick (March 2024) *note - accidentally missed true Giant's Castle summit by 1km
114h04m - Michael Baker, Jordan Leppan, Grant Leppan & Michael Voysey (October 2023)
118h45m - Robyn Kime & Mike Owen (February 2014)
127h06m - Jonathan Newman & Mike Van Wyngaard (December 2016) - as part of Double DGT in 15 days, 7 hours, 50 mins
129h24m - Pierre Jordaan, Nicolette Griffioen, MC van Zyl & AJ Lausberg (December 2021)
130h20m - Jonathan Newman & Anita Musevenzo (December 2024)
133h31m - Murray Steenkamp & Kevin Rodwell (March 2016)
144h13m - Rodney Long & Caro Jordaan (April 2023) - as part of Double DGT in 13 days, 35 min
144h57m - Christine Jansen van Rensburg (March 2025) - women's record
146h36m - Stephen Child, Rian Botes & Mark Notter (April 2017)
148h46m - Mike Owen, Rodney Long, Ryan Dix-Peek, John Faure, Mark Winter, Jean Theron, Mark MacSymon & Grant De La Mare (September 2019)
154h24m - Rodney Long, Caro Jordaan, Andrew Balnaves & Allan Lamont (April 2023) *note - accidentally missed Champagne Castle summit by 1km and summited "Starboard" instead
157h11m - Laura Bannatyne & Fiona McIntosh (November 2008)
194h45m - Carel van Heerden, Gerrit Brink, Heather Wilson & Jonathan Slater (March 2016)

Yesterday, a fairly large group set off on the Northern Traverse, aiming for a new FKT. We all reached the top of Mlambonjwa Pass together.  

In the end, Arno Pouwels and Andrew Erasmus sneaked in with a new FKT of 10:05. Michael Baker came in a few minutes later with 10:08 and Paige Phillips and myself got a time of 10:30. Paige is thus the fastest female. 

It was interesting out there in that Michael and myself often took different lines. Often only 100m apart for a few minutes but on one occasion out of sight for 15 minutes. We all learnt a few useful sneaks. 

Huge thanks to Kirsty for the ever so important seconding operation.

Last week, Michael Baker (yet again) and Andrew Erasmus set out to try break the elusive 60-hour barrier on the DGT. They pushed through without any sleep for 2 whole nights and really left it all out there. They were looking very close all the way to the descent from Walker's Peak, with 20km to go, when the state of their feet, sleep deprivation and exhaustion was slowing them to the point that the 60h time slipped out of their grasp. On the way down the final Thamathu Pass descent, when crawling was becoming the only likely way forward, they opted to spend the night in Thamathu Cave, just 7km from the finish. Out of food and with minimal sleeping gear, they persevered to finish under their own (hobbling) steam in the morning, with a time of 75h40m, still the 8th fastest time ever recorded. It was great to be able to follow along on the tracker and in the lively whatsapp group. Inspirational stuff - I'm pretty sure they'll be back soon!

Btw, you'll find Bakes' name 6 times on the list below now, also making him the most prolific unsupported DGTer out there.

41h49m - Ryno Griesel & Ryan Sandes (March 2014) - overall record
45h08m - Andrew Porter (May 2015) - solo record
60h29m - Ryno Griesel & Cobus van Zyl (April 2010)
61h14m - Andrew Porter (December 2009)
63h33m - Ryno Griesel & Linda Doke (March 2015) - mixed team record
64h29m - Ryno Griesel & Cobus van Zyl (March 2013)
73h34m - Andrew King & Zoog Haynes (November 2021)
75h40m - Michael Baker & Andrew Erasmus (April 2026)
78h58m - Graham Bird, Hanno Smit, Grant Ross & Robyn Kime (November 2014)
​79h53m - Michael Baker (April 2023)
81h53m - Andrew Hagen & Stijn Laenen (December 2008)
81h55m - Luc Steens & Gideon Zadoks (February 2016)
89h01m - Michael Baker & Jo Keppler (March 2022)
91h55m - Stefan Wahl & Simon Marincowitz (October 2017)
92h15m - Brendon Ferrar (April 2016)
95h30m - Armand du Plessis (November 2019)
97h51m - Anouk Baars, Michael Baker & Sean MacFarlane (October 2020)
105h39m - Gavin Raubenheimer & Lawrie Raubenheimer (February 1999)
107h51m - Jonathan Newman & Andrew Porter (November 2015)
107h53m - Michael Baker, Micheala Geytenbeek, Scott Rogers, Michael Dickens, Arno Pouwels & Brett Campbell (March 2024)
109h08m - Anne-Mummie Kirschenman & Kaj Derks (April 2017)
110h57m - Christine Harris & Carlos Gonzales (January 2010)
112h32m - Chi Ingledew & Stuart Fitzpatrick (March 2024) *note - accidentally missed true Giant's Castle summit by 1km
114h04m - Michael Baker, Jordan Leppan, Grant Leppan & Michael Voysey (October 2023)
118h45m - Robyn Kime & Mike Owen (February 2014)
127h06m - Jonathan Newman & Mike Van Wyngaard (December 2016) - as part of Double DGT in 15 days, 7 hours, 50 mins
129h24m - Pierre Jordaan, Nicolette Griffioen, MC van Zyl & AJ Lausberg (December 2021)
130h20m - Jonathan Newman & Anita Musevenzo (December 2024)
133h31m - Murray Steenkamp & Kevin Rodwell (March 2016)
144h13m - Rodney Long & Caro Jordaan (April 2023) - as part of Double DGT in 13 days, 35 min
144h57m - Christine Jansen van Rensburg (March 2025) - women's record
146h36m - Stephen Child, Rian Botes & Mark Notter (April 2017)
148h46m - Mike Owen, Rodney Long, Ryan Dix-Peek, John Faure, Mark Winter, Jean Theron, Mark MacSymon & Grant De La Mare (September 2019)
154h24m - Rodney Long, Caro Jordaan, Andrew Balnaves & Allan Lamont (April 2023) *note - accidentally missed Champagne Castle summit by 1km and summited "Starboard" instead
157h11m - Laura Bannatyne & Fiona McIntosh (November 2008)
194h45m - Carel van Heerden, Gerrit Brink, Heather Wilson & Jonathan Slater (March 2016)