Trail runners Christiaan Greyling and AJ Calitz have broken the Guinness World Record for the greatest vertical distance on foot during a recent run up and down Table Mountain.
The pair covered the most vertical distance on foot by completing the highest number of ascents and descents by a team in 24 hours at the mountain’s Platteklip Gorge.
Greyling and Calitz beat the previous record of 12 ascents in 24 hours by completing a gruelling 14 ascents in 20 hours, with 19,376m climbed.
The record had previously been held by 11 members of The Reek Challenge at Croagh Patrick in Murrisk, Ireland, on July 1 and 2 2011, who combined for 18,086m.
The runners took on the challenge to raise awareness for Edunova, a non-profit focused on the effective use of technology in disadvantaged schools throughout SA.
“We did it! New world record for the most ascents and descents by a team in 24 hours with Calitz — 14 times up and down Table Mountain,” Greyling wrote on Instagram.
“The new record now 19,398m in 19:52:10 as we were limited with curfew hours. We had to set the record in less than 20 hours. We planned it well.
“We are amazed by the support we received from friends and the community. Without this it would not have been possible to do something extraordinary! We are broken, but the effort was worth it. Raising awareness for Edunova. Now for some time off.”
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