Drakensberg FKTs - Record of Times

This past week saw another fast crossing of the DGT by Andrew King & Zoog Haynes. One of the fastest we've seen in many years actually, at 73 hours, 34 minutes! These guys had some serious gees, dubbed the attempt the Mamu Loman Concrete Club DGT Tennis Tournament, and actually played each other in a tennis match within half-an-hour of finishing at Bushman's Nek (WP beat KZN 2-1 for all the sports fans out there). They only got 2 hours of sleep on the entire traverse so took the relentless forward progress thing to the next level.

Congrats guys! - really impressive effort, and very entertaining to follow along with the Whatsapp group

www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/14-drakensberg-general/55826-drakensberg-fkts-record-of-times.html?start=20

It is really cool to see this list grow! Longest push I've done on minimal sleep was my double Giants Cup Trail in 2018, which was 36h14 and I was struggling to stay awake by the end - I can't imagine doing double that without sleep! Amazing effort.

Another successful DGT from earlier this month by MC van Zyl & AJ Lausberg, guided by Pierre Jordaan & Nicolette Griffioen of Mountain Abandon. They hiked the route over 6 days, with a fast-packing approach, sleeping in caves along the way and apparently the weather was wet and testing! Congrats guys

www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/14-drakensberg-general/55826-drakensberg-fkts-record-of-times.html?start=20#65856

News just in - Michael Baker & Jo Keppler finished the DGT in 89h01m. A rather thorough recce for the race later this year. Apparently some pretty wet conditions and spicy river crossings along the way. Well done guys!

www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/14-drakensberg-general/55826-drakensberg-fkts-record-of-times.html?start=20

I thought the DGT was a hike and not a trial run or race. The two are different and it brings confusion to the reality of what the DGT actually is. Its a pity that the origins/roots of the DGT have been lost to a different meaning, culture and future...and a future that could possibly abuse our precious mountains.

wrote:

I thought the DGT was a hike and not a trial run or race. The two are different and it brings confusion to the reality of what the DGT actually is. Its a pity that the origins/roots of the DGT have been lost to a different meaning, culture and future...and a future that could possibly abuse our precious mountains.

Speed DGT times have to be unsupported, and the race has on route support - so it wouldn't count towards the FKT list in any case. But I see no problem with a DGT race - its not like 200 people are going to sign up for it. As anyone who has done a DGT knows, and as Stijn said in Travailen - its not an easy route to do, it won't suddenly have a huge influx of people just because of additional publicity. It's not like the DGT is something no one has ever heard of - I first talked about doing it some day when I was about 13 years old and had only done two very minor hikes in the Drakensberg, and knew very little about the Drakensberg. Not to mention that the race cut off is something like 100 hours - which is not an easy time to achieve. Believe me, I know - I have set off with the intention of doing sub 100 more than once, and never managed it. If you think the wall 32km into a marathon is bad, the wall 120km into a fast GT is far worse!

By any standard, the Drakensberg gets disproportionately low visitor numbers. A bit of an increase in numbers would be good for bringing funds into the area. Considering how many trails have become overgrown, the range definitely doesn't need a decrease in visitors.

wrote:

 I see no problem with a DGT race - its not like 200 people are going to sign up for it.


 

The first Comrades saw around 30 starters. In 2019, more than 21 000 ran.

Note also that part of the vision with the DGT race is to "erect permanent shelters and hiking huts along the route". See dgtrun.co.za
That, presumably, is to attract as many people as possible, 
Elsewhere on that website it says: "The DGT-Run....remains faithful to the original Drakensberg Grand Traverse as established in 1999 by the Raubenheimer brothers."
Does anyone know where the Raubenheimer brothers left the permanent shelters and hiking huts?

 

To put the record straight, the first Grand Traverse was hiked in 1986 and led by Lawrence Bates of the Mountain Backpackers Club. The club has done several more in the early 1990's and many more since. Tony Marshall did it in 1997 and 1998 according to the records. The route used was always similar and close to the escarpment, both from northerly and southerly directions. Times were counted in days back then.

And I did it over a gloriously-long 19 days back in 2004. I don't see how the DGT being done fast and light and for time records detracts from the hiking experience. People have always taken different approaches to the mountains - some will go fast, some slow, and most will enjoy both approaches, depending on the experience they're after on a particular trip.