A Brackenfell resident will ride The Munga – the ultra-marathon mountain bike event known as one of the toughest races on earth – in a brave bid to raise funds for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. 

Tienie Maree will set off on the 1 100km endurance event on 30 November under the banner ‘Munga4Mutts’.

He will have 120 hours to reach the finish line at Doolhof in Wellington before 5 December and can choose to stop and rest at the five race villages along the route. However, the clock does not stop for riders – rest time is included in the countdown. In 2021, the winning time was around 60 hours. 

“At the Munga we celebrate what it is to be human. We know the fight. We know what it means to grovel, and grind, and crawl in desperation to the light at the end of the tunnel.” – The Munga Race Director, Alex Harris

Echoing Harris’s words, Maree is motivated by his own personal struggles, during which he found unconditional love and companionship in his animals.  

“Having decided to enter the event, the idea of doing something for the greater good came to mind. Being a dog father, I have experienced first-hand the positive effect of having animals around when life gets tough. Animal welfare is something that I feel really passionate about and I would like to use this opportunity to raise funds and try and make a difference,” says Maree. 

 With many kilometres of training under his cycle bib and many more go, Maree is determined to let animals gain from his pain during the gruelling race and is appealing for support to reach his goal of R25 000.