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1 October 2011 |
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Twenty isn’t your average number
20th Anniversary | National Business Challenge Relay – Pretoria | 1992 – 2011
Two decades of Business Challenge Relay events!
To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Business Challenge Relay on 1 October 2011, a target of 2,000 teams has been
set. Companies are challenged to enter 20 teams [one for each year] or multiples of 20.
If you go by the numbers, way over two hundred thousand pairs of feet have already competed in the Pretoria leg of
the National Business Challenge Relay. However, statistics more important than the 100 000 plus people who have
competed in this relay, are how individuals, businesses and non profit organisations have benefited from
participating in this unique event. Having gotten back into exercising because of this relay, some individuals have gone on
to run epic races like the Comrades Marathon as a testimony to their good health. Businesses have, of course, used
the relay as a team building exercise and to expose their brand, the kind of advertising you can never pay for.
The most unsung part of the relay remains the charity aspect. By reaching our target of 2,000 teams, we believe
R 100,000.00 will be raised for this year’s event beneficiary.
The number 20
Twenty isn't just your average number, though. A lot is to be said of twenty. Twenty is the basis for vigesimal number
systems – whatever that means! It is the atomic number of calcium – bet you knew that! Twenty is a village in
Lincolnshire, England. In some countries, the number 20 is used as an index in measuring visual acuity. 20/20 indicates
normal vision at 20 feet, although it is commonly used to mean “perfect vision”. A group of twenty units may
also be referred to as a score. Every position of Rubik's Cube can be solved in twenty moves or less.
Many of the participants who will take part this year will be 20, thus born before the first
Business Relay Challenge was run. Isn't twenty a great age to be?
Many runners at the start line in 1992 were also twenty ... or 30. Some might even have been 40 or more. This would
make them almost 40, 50, 60 or more today! But that does not matter. It all depends on how old you are on the
inside. You just have to have the heart of a twenty year old! Forget about the “boep” and the “bles” – just take up the
challenge. Show the 20 year olds your real inner age.
Here follows some of the rich history of the event through the eyes of event producer, Leon Swanepoel
The first Business Challenge Relay in Pretoria took place on 10 October 1992 and the Relay finished on the main field
of “Loftus Versveld” [Yes, Blue Bulls, we did invade your turf]. When the first runner entered the stadium, the silence
was screaming at us. We looked at each other, then realised no one thought of organising an announcer. The next year
we went full out with SuperSport presenter, Arnold Geerdts.
Three hundred teams took part in 1992 and the entry fee was R150.00 per team. 20 Years later at R270.00 per team we
managed to keep the increase under 4% per year.
The first event in 1992 was presented without the financial support of a main sponsor as will be the 2011 event.
[Our sincere appreciation to sponsors such as Medihelp, Liberty, Accenture (previously known as Andersen Consulting), P.V.M.
Products, Beeld, Pretoria News and the City of Tshwane who sponsored past events]
The Pretoria event triggered the concept of a ” national series” and the BCR went national in 1993 with events in Durban,
Cape Town and Bloemfontein. Port Elizabeth and Namibia followed a few years later.
In 1995, the Pretoria NBCR took place on the grounds of the Sport Institute of Tuks. Mountain climbers unveiled
banners on the top of the building, Drum Majorettes' marched up and down the start line; CEO's of participating
companies ran a 100m dash against each other. O yes, and then at 06h00 the race started. With all these activities
taking place, it was no wonder that at 10h00, when the thousands of bystanders were looking up into the sky,
I noticed the skydivers [which I organised] heading straight towards the hospitality area. I realised then that I
never had an area demarcated to them. [There is a saying that a fault is only a fault when one does not learn from it.]
Free Gold Mine won the NBCR Championship event in 1996 and as part of their prize they went to participate
abroad. They won the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in Chicago and then the JPMCC Championship event in New York.
The fastest time by a team in a NBCR race [Bloemfontein] to date is, 2 hours, 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The worlds’
fastest time for a 6 men relay team over the same distance of 42,2 km is 1 hour 56 minutes 57 seconds.
In the year 2000 walking team categories were introduced.
As from the year 2001 a bronze sculpture of Nelson Mandela became the floating trophy presented to the men’s winning team.
Our hospitality sites have been one of the highlights every year since the first event. It is true, we do not give our
hospitality area street names anymore, but our enthusiasm hasn't faded. We just learned what is important to the participants.
Since the year 2008, the route for the NBCR is a single 7km course run by each team member, all passing the baton at
the same changeover. Before this, both the organisers and participating teams were exposed to a much more ambitious
course. Five different changeover areas which allowed for six different distance legs. A leg varied between 3,5km and
11km. Not as if this ambitious relay course was too much of a challenge, using one changeover point for all legs
proofed to be more spectator friendly and less congestion of traffic.
The NBCR takes place over the magical marathon distance of 42,2km, The Only Relay of its kind in South Africa. The
history of the marathon started in Athens and is worth reading about.
Legendary Origin of the Marathon
In 490 BC the Athenian army triumphed over the Persians in a battle and the messenger, Pheidippides, ran from the
Plains of Marathon to Athens to bring the good news. He burst into the ruling chamber in midtown Athens and
shouted, “Rejoice! We conquer!” He then dropped dead, after running a distance of approximately 24 miles. In
1896 the first Olympic Games took place in Athens and they incorporated the Marathon event to commemorate the
Pheidippides legend. With the Olympic Games in London [1908] the 24 miles distance was changed to 26 miles and
for the Paris Olympic Games in 1924 the official marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yard was established, which is equal
to 42.2 km [It’s worth it to Google marathon history - Athens]
Lester Mills - Pretoria News “Writer” Note: Leon Swanepoel won the International Athens Marathon in 1984. In the days
South Africa was still banned from International Sport and he participated as a West German.
Share with us your memories
We are excited and are looking forward to this 20th Anniversary, please share with us your memories of the past NBCR events which we can
then share with all by way of the website.
Contact us at any time, we are here to support you with your company’s preparation for a most enjoyable 2011 event.
Race Director: Hank Bezuidenhout
T: 086 460 906 F: 086 219 0749
E: info@sportsvendo.co.za
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