![\"ccs-62657-0-65412300-1478778732.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-65412300-1478778732.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Photo credit: www.zcmc.co.za.<\/span><\/p>\nThe 121km point-to-point race from the Karoo town of Oudtshoorn to the coastal settlement at Groot Brak Rivier, celebrates its 11th edition on 21 January 2017 by offering more prize money, increased media coverage and a strong international field.<\/p>\n
Top international and leading South African marathon racers will also be enticed by the UCI rankings points on offer at the prestigious event, which has a reputation for being one of the toughest marathons in mountain bike racing.<\/p>\n
The race takes competitors through the Attakwas Reserve, an unforgiving wilderness area with steep gradients and rough terrain. There are over 3000 metres of accumulated vertical ascent and riders have 11 hours to complete the distance, with the top men clocking just under five hours and the leading women around 5:45.<\/p>\n
\u201cAttakwas is a truly South African endurance sports event. We have positioned it in the same league as the Comrades Marathon is for running. It\u2019s a big deal to just finish it for many of the participants, but it\u2019s also a high quality challenge for the top racers,\u201d said Henco Rademeyer of Dryland Event Management, the company that organises the Attakwas Extreme.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe timing of the race makes it the first marathon of the year and with a high number of international professionals training in South Africa then, it will be an even more attractive race for them to enter. As it is, we have had some of the best marathon racers in the world competing at \u2013 and winning \u2013 Attakwas in the past,\u201d added Rademeyer.<\/p>\n