Double Gamble

It’s been year’s since the Gamble Pharmacy Men’s team has been upstaged at the Night Relay and this month’s 2nd round of the Town Lodge Business Night Relay witnessed just the second time in over 4 years that a new winner was crowned. Whilst the honours stayed with the company, the winners medal went to the Gamble Pharmacy mixed team who pipped the Men’s team by just 30 seconds on Tuesday evening at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The unique Town Lodge Business Night Relay was well supported on Tuesday evening with 87 registered teams taking part so far this year. The only event of it’s kind hosted within one of the iconic 2010 World Cup stadiums, the evening was well enjoyed as local companies and social teams covered the 3.5km route in relay fashion within the stadium precinct. Tuesday evening also celebrated the participation of a disabled walking team as Bartho De Vries, John Marriner and Danie Steyn took part in their wheelchairs, completing the race in 1hr 44min.

Gamble Pharmacy continued their domination in the Men’s relay category winning in a time of 1 hour 49 seconds from SPAR DC and NOV 3 whilst the Gamble Pharmacy mixed team lead their category from the Transnet team and About IT. In the Ladies category it was the all female team from NOV that won in a time of 1hr 43min from team SWATT from Hoerskool Cillie with NMC Construction team in 3rd place. In the walking category, the Herbalife team made it two out of two for this year with a comfortable win in 1hr 13 minutes ahead of the Sundridge Park Walkers and the Afriboom walking team.

For most the evening offers fun social activity and a great opportunity for team building with colleagues and friends. For one of the teams, Team Kili, it’s an opportunity for some winner training as 3 of the team members prepare to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro in August. Sisters-in-law Lynne and Sandy Zoetmulder will be joined by their niece Mary-Anne Stott when they try to realise one of their dreams with the summit of Africa’s largest Mountain in mid-August.

“Using the Town Lodge Night Relay as part of our training is not only building our team spirit but also giving us the experience of running in cold weather and at night, which is definitely good preparation for our Kilimanjaro climb. ” said Mary-Anne Stott after helping her team finish 4th in the ladies category on Tuesday evening.

The Town Lodge Business Night Relay is a unique fun social team building event for local companies, sports clubs and social teams and takes place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on the last Tuesday of the month from May through to August. The event is open to running teams comprising of 5 persons or walking teams of 3 with each participant completing a 3.5km lap within the stadium precinct. Tuesday race was held in balmy May weather with a slight berg wind ensuring the evening temperatures were unseasonally warm as teams enjoyed the Red Bull music truck vibe at the Stadium. Immediately after the event participants enjoyed a brief prize giving where the top 3 teams in each of the categories received medals and a floating trophy and this followed by 13 great lucky draw prizes which included R1,000 cash, a R2,500 Asics running shoe voucher, a R500 Caltex fuel voucher, a day safari for 2 at the Amakhala Game Reserve and an awesome weekend away for 2 from the City Lodge Hotels Group.

The Town Lodge Business Night Relay takes place on the last Tuesday evening of the month throughout winter and returns to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Tuesday 26th July starting at 6pm. Entries are open to teams of 5 runners or teams of 3 walkers. Results and further information on the Series is available on the website www.NightRelay.co.za.

Summary Results:

Men Runners
1 Gamble Pharmacy (1:00:49); 2 SPAR DC Eastern (1:08:12); 3 National Oilwel (1:24:59); 4 PW HARVEY & CO (1:27:20); 5 PKF (PE) Inc (1:27:51); 6 NMMM (1:29:18); 7 National Oilwel (1:31:23); 8 NMC Pty Ltd (1:34:04); 9 Hoogland Manne (1:40:29);

Women Runners
1 NOV (1:43:11); 2 Hoërskool Cillier (1:44:23); 3 NMC (1:46:00); 4 Team Kili (1:56:26); 5 LLL Playschool (1:51:29); 6 Harvest Christian School (1:58:48); 7 Sundridge Park Runners (1:59:33); 8 MBDA (2:02:02);

Mixed Runners
1 Gamble Pharmacy (1:00:19); 2 Transnet (1:02:22); 3 About IT (1:23:20); 4 Jaytee Trading (1:24:23); 5 Rooftop Productions (1:24:25); 6 Rooftop Productions (1:24:37); 7 DHA Financial Services (1:25:01); 8 NMC Pty Ltd (1:25:06); 9 National Oilwel (1:26:04); 10 DHA Financial Services (1:27:08); 11 Mixed Legal Team (1:29:25); 12 Harvest Christian School (1:29:51); 13 Harvest Christian School (1:29:58); 14 NMMU (1:33:26); 15 WAC (1:35:09); 16 4Tech IT Solutions (1:35:21); 17 SPAR DC (1:38:09); 18 4Tech It Solutions (1:40:38); 19 Town Lodge PE (1:40:40); 20 Herbert Hurd Primary (1:41:50); 21 PWC (1:41:54); 22 Bird St Barrister (1:42:02); 23 Quality Demand Management (1:45:55); 24 PKF (1:47:17); 25 Sothebys Realty (1:51:09); 26 The City Lodge (1:51:38); 27 Polyoak Packaging (1:54:25);

Walkers
1 Herbalife (1:15:32); 2 Sunridge Park R (1:26:14); 3 Afriboom (1:27:41); 4 Town Lodge (1:31:30); 5 Rooftop Product (1:32:12); 6 Distell (1:32:30); 7 NMC Pty Ltd (1:33:05); 8 City Lodge (1:34:23); 9 PKF (PE) Inc (1:35:50); 10 PKF (PE) Inc (1:35:54); 11 PKF (PE) Inc (1:36:45); 12 Atlas Security (1:36:49); 13 Atlas Security (1:36:52); 14 4Tech It Solutions (1:36:55); 15 Polyoak Packaging (1:37:59); 16 MBDA (1:39:43); 17 Sothebys Realty (1:42:06); 18 Hot Rods (1:45:35); 19 PW Harvey & Co (1:45:40);