The South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) is excited to announce its full support for former Springbok rugby great Stefan Terblanche who is currently in training for the world’s biggest expedition type adventure event, GODZone 2018.
GODZone, held in New Zealand, runs from the 1st – 10th March 2018. Terblanche, 42, is competing as part of Team Merrell (also known as the Merrell Adventure Addicts), South Africa’s leading Adventure Racing team. Team Merrell has extensive experience competing in this event, in addition to other expedition and adventure type races globally and is currently ranked in GODZone’s Top 10, but it will be a first for the formidable rugby icon Terblanche.
Over 100 teams compete in GODZone, held in New Zealand, annually.
The event is a 450km non-stop, expedition style adventure race, known for its intensity as teams compete unsupported across challenging and often inaccessible terrain. This year the event will see competitors traverse the Southern Alps in Fiordland across snow capped mountains and glacier carved lakes as they mountain bike, climb, kayak and trek in the cold and wet.
Terblanche, played 37 tests for the South African Springbok Rugby Team between 1998-1993. He may have retired from professional rugby but has remained a true sportsman, competing in the likes of the Absa Cape Epic, Ironman 70,3, Sani2Sea and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
In addition, he is committed to his role as SARLA CEO and the VUKA rugby development programme.
Fiercely competitive, Terblanche says of his decision to join Team Merrell “Right now I am most afraid of the wet and cold! It’s going to be incredibly tough but I have learnt in my career that you are as strong as your team, and with a team like this by my side, I know we can do it and make South Africa proud.”
Terblanche has been in regular training with his four teammates on Team Merrell and upon learning more detail about the GODZone expedition event was heard saying:“This is going to be tougher than taking on the All Blacks!”
Considered to be one of the toughest endurance races in the world, success relies not only on physical fitness but attributes such as mental strength and agility, strong interpersonal skills and navigational ability.
Gavin Varejes, SARLA President, is in full support of Terblanche’s involvement in GODZone. “This event takes sport and endurance to a very different level but we have absolute faith in Stefan’s abilities and wish him the best of luck. We will be following both his and the Merrell Team’s progress, supporting him all the way.”
Follow Stefan Terblanche and Team Merrill’s progress and obtain live tracking information from the Team Website.
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