Virgin Active Warrior #1 | Prime View 25 March 2023

March 25, 2023

Racing Heats Up at Taroko Trail Park

Taroko Trail Park, 19 September 2026

A fresh morning greeted the Warrior Race family at Taroko Trail Park for Warrior Race #2. The sun teased competitors with the promise of warmer rays later in the day, but the wind was cool, the trails were still wet underfoot and the stage was set for another exciting day of obstacle course racing.

With the Black-Ops Elite athletes off the line, Brandon Hulley wasted no time taking control. Unbeaten in his last five Warrior Race races, Hulley’s international racing experience was evident from the start as he led the field out into the surrounding trails.

Black-Ops Elite Race

The wet conditions made the running sections slippery and technical, but Hulley remained composed. Through Potholes and onto Steel Pipe Shimmy, he made the obstacles look effortless, executing each one cleanly and extending his advantage over the chasing pack. Behind him, Mxolisi Zondi held firmly onto second, while Syanda Gwamanda, Hlelani Radebe and Louis Smit battled for position. At Mud Monster, the thick mud did its best to slow the leaders down. Hulley kept his body low and worked his way through efficiently, while Zondi fought for firmer ground underfoot as the mud sucked at every step.

There would be no catching Hulley. He crossed the line in 54:31, securing yet another Warrior Race victory. Zondi followed in 56:19, with Gwamanda completing the podium in 59:18.

The queen of Warrior Race strikes again in the Black-Ops Elite women’s race, Sabrina Daolio showed exactly why she remains such a force in South African obstacle racing. Returning from a successful international season, Daolio attacked the course from the start. Her strength was particularly evident through the long carries, including Canister Carry, where she continued to dominate. By the time she reached Mamba, Daolio was racing among the leading elite men. She took the plunge, powered through the water and up the net, even overtaking Radebe on her way through.

Daolio finished in an impressive 1:00:12, placing among the leading athletes overall and winning the women’s race by more than 11 minutes. Nerine Tecklenburg claimed second in 1:11:15, with Cindy Wills third in 1:14:12. Once again, Hulley and Daolio stood on the top step of the Black-Ops Elite podium.

Commando Elite Race

The Commando Elite women’s race came alive with some exciting and closely fought racing over the fast, free-flowing 8km course. Chizelle Benson took the victory in 58:15, with Shay-Lee Hulley hot on her heels, crossing the line just 41 seconds later in 58:56. Elizabeth Buys completed the podium in 1:04:29.

Marnu Vermaak, who had trained specifically for the event, delivered a strong performance to take the men’s title in 45:53. Kyle Fisher followed in 47:59, while only seven seconds separated him from third-placed Daniel Siller in 48:06. With more younger athletes progressing from the 5km Rookie category into Commando, the category is quickly becoming one of the most competitive at Warrior Race. At just two kilometres shorter than Black Ops, Commando provides an exciting step up for developing athletes and a clear pathway towards taking on the ultimate Warrior challenge.

Another Day to Remember

The new Taroko Trail Park venue delivered everything expected from a Warrior Race: beautiful trails, tricky conditions, technical obstacles and plenty of mud. More importantly, it brought the Warrior family back together. From elite athletes chasing podiums to competitors simply taking on the course for the fun of it, the day was filled with determination, camaraderie and that unmistakable Warrior gees. Couples, friends and families tackled the obstacles together, proving that Warrior Race is as much about the shared experience as it is about competition.

Relive the action and head over to our Instagram page and watch the Warrior Race #2 highlights, from the mud and obstacles to the moments that made race day unforgettable. With Warrior Race #2 done, the mud will wash off and tired muscles will recover, but the racing is far from over. The question now is: who will challenge Warrior Race #3 Cradle at Syringa park on 28 November 2026?

2700 Warriors determined to slay obstacles despite pouring rain.

The Virgin Active Warrior #1 at Prime View on 25 March 2023 was met with heavy skies and pouring rain. After a delayed start to see if the rain would let up, undaunted Warriors nevertheless stormed off enthusiastically to conquer a wet and slippery course.

Warrior Ric motivated every wave of Warriors in true Warrior spirit, and the energetic Virgin Active team got everyone’s blood pumping with a proper warm-up to prepare for the race.

Sure, the rain made the obstacles more challenging, but our Warriors were not easily deterred. They stormed walls, swung on monkey bars, climbed ropes and crawled through the mud with unwavering determination.

A scenic trail run through fields of wildflowers linked the various obstacles on the respective routes, and participants were energised by the incredible beauty all around them.

The Black-Ops Elites Men’s Race was close and hugely exciting. A faultless execution of every obstacle on the Black-Ops course earned Thomas van Tonder a well-deserved win today. On his heels were Claude Eksteen in second and Brandon Hulley in third. Both Claude and Brandon lost a DQ band when they dropped from Commando Killer, causing them to lose time when they had to perform a penalty loop to win back their DQ band before finishing. Nail-biting stuff.

Sabrina Daolio put in a solid performance in the Black-Ops Elite Ladies’ race finishing almost 9 minutes ahead of Trish Eksteen, with Cindy Wills in third place. Sabrina and Trish were neck and neck until they reached the big rigs. Sabrina sailed through without losing any of her DQ bands. Trish lost a DQ band and had to win it back by performing a penalty loop, putting her in second place. A huge effort by Cindy Wills saw her fighting her way from fifth position to clinch third place on the day.

Elite Results

Black-Ops Elite Men:

Thomas van Tonder | 01:23:00
Claude Eksteen | 01:23:37
Brandon Hulley | 01:24:17
Hlelani Radebe | 01:25:49
Tian Basson | 01:31:01

Black-Ops Elite Ladies

Sabrina Daolio | 01:42:01
Trish Eksteen | 01:51:22
Cindy Wills | 03:00:02
CJ Clarke | 03:02:31
Ashley Button | 03:04:46

Commando Elite Men

Etienne van der Merwe | 00:57:15
Noah Marlin | 01:02:15
Werner Geel | 01:05:24
Caleb Hendriks | 01:06:41
Conrad van Jaarsveld | 01:07:16

Commando Elite Ladies

Simone Loannides | 01:32:49
Claudia Rheeder | 01:33:45

Rookie Elite Men

Keagan Bahlmann | 00:29:23
Marjuan Pienaar | 00:31:26
Daniel Bahlmann | 00:33:28
Jonathan Dutton | 00:33:29
Duncan Joubert | 00:33:30

Rookie Elite Ladies

Amelie Moolman | 00:34:40
Desiree Lourens | 00:37:59
Liza-Ann Pienaar | 00:38:43
Kiara Hugo | 00:38:57
Aviyah Hendriks | 00:39:30

Go to Results

Every Warrior crossing the finish line, exhausted but proud, knew that they had accomplished something great. They faced adverse weather conditions and conquered obstacles with bravery and tenacity.

In the end, the rain did not defeat our warriors. Instead, it served as a reminder of their strength and courage in the face of adversity.

Rest up. We need you fresh for Virgin Active Warrior #2 Seaton, KZN, on 22 July 2023.

Enter Warrior #2 Seaton KZN

#BeBrave

Virgin Active Warrior #1 | Prime View 25 March 2023

Racing Heats Up at Taroko Trail Park

Taroko Trail Park, 19 September 2026

Black-Ops Elite Race

Commando Elite Race

Another Day to Remember

2700 Warriors determined to slay obstacles despite pouring rain.

Elite Results

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