Page 41 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

A POR TR AIT OF SOUTH AFRIC A  39

Equestrian Sports
Horse racing, until recently
the only legal form of gambling
in the country, has been an
enormous industry for many
years. The “Met” (Metropolitan
Stakes), held in Cape Town in
January, and the Durban July
are major social events, with
fashion and high stakes the
order of the day. Show jumping
and horse trials attract crowds
The Two Oceans Marathon takes place on Easter Saturday every spring to venues such as
Inanda near Johannesburg.
Two popular local events are
Marathons and the South African Open, held
Ultra-Marathons in January, and the Alfred
Long-distance running is both a Dunhill PGA, held in December.
popular pastime and a serious
national sport. The strenuous Cycling
56-km (35-mile) Two Oceans
Marathon, which takes place Apart from various local
around the Cape Peninsula on professional events, the Cape
Easter Saturday, and the energy- Peninsula hosts the largest
sapping 85-km (53-mile) long timed cycle race in the world,
Comrades Marathon, run the annual Cape Argus Pick ‘n
between the KwaZulu-Natal Pay Cycle Tour. Over 35,000
cities of Durban and Pieter- enthusiasts, some costumed, The Cape 2 Rio race leaves Table Bay
maritzburg in June, and are race or trundle 105 km (65 miles) with huge fanfare
two of the most difficult, yet around the Peninsula on the
popular, ultra-marathons in second Sunday in March. About
the country. Both events attract one-third of the con testants Water Sports
thousands of interna tional are from overseas. The Cape Flanked by two oceans, South
and local entrants. Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge Africa enjoys a climate that
With its excellent training is run in the same week on a allows for water sports all year.
facilities and fine summer Stellenbosch wine estate. Other Surfing is very popular; the
weather, South Africa is a popular races include the Absa Mr Price Pro surfing event, held
popular place for European Cape Epic, an 8-day mountain in Ballito in July, is a major draw.
athletes to train during the bike stage race held in the Cape Town is a popular port of
winter months in Europe – Western Cape, usually in March. call for round-the-world yacht
especially at high-altitude Covering more than 700 km races, and is also the starting
venues in the country’s interior. (435 miles), it attracts amateurs point for the Cape 2 Rio event
and professionals, in teams of that takes place early in January
two, from around the world. every three years.
Golf
South Africa boasts some of the
finest golf courses in the world,
and has also produced some of
the world’s finest golfers. The
golfing prowess of Gary Player is
legendary, while Ernie Els and
Trevor Immelman rank among
the top golfers in the world.
Each December, Sun City hosts
the Nedbank Golf Challenge
(see p41), where 12 contestants
com pete for the largest prize in
the world – 1.25 million dollars.
The South African Golf Tour
attracts professional golf ers
from around the globe. Sun City’s Golf Course hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge

038-039_EW_South_Africa.indd 39 25/05/17 2:44 pm