Merrell Whale of Trail

Race completed

53 km Distance

1,900 m Climbing

5.5 Grit · Challenging

34.4464° S, 20.6022° E © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 36 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Field size ~65 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (53km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, August

Daytime high 17°C

Night low 11°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 10 h 48 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for August — NASA POWER, grid elevation 66 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2025	53km	65	Kyle Bucklow · 05:02:05	Simone Malan · 05:37:22
2024	53km	67	Mvuyisi Gcogco · 05:05:29	Landie (Roelande) Greyling · 06:12:17
2023	53km	91	Mvuyisi Gcogco · 05:07:48	Landie (Roelande) Greyling · 05:43:25
2022	53km	128	Johardt van Heerden · 04:41:02	Landie (Roelande) Greyling · 05:50:25
2019	53km	39	Phillip Hird · 04:39:06	Julia Hunter · 04:33:24
2018	53km	83	Kane Reilly · 04:39:52	Megan MacKenzie · 05:50:55
2017	53km	110	Rory Scheffer · 04:49:46	Nicolette Kaylin Griffioen · 05:37:51
2016	53km	124	Mark Winter · 05:39:18	Tracey Almirall · 06:57:17
2015	51km	124	Chad Gordon · 05:50:23	Katya Soggot · 06:08:31
2014	51km	146	Melikhaya Msizi · 06:06:40	Joanna Williams · 06:27:16

The field has held steady: 67 in 2024, 65 in 2025. 46% of the 2025 field were women.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (53km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 53 km of trail with 1,900 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 36 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 53 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 1,900 m of ascent to walk up.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 53 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Adidas

Terrex Speed Ultra

RunRepeat found the Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra to have a grippy outsole and great lockdown, while iRunFar noted that the shoe works on a variety of trail conditi…

★★★★★ 4.5

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Skratch Labs