Munga Grit Trans-Xhariep 2026

Franci Kloppers and Chrisna van Lille are just ordinary girls who like to do extraordinary things. They are not fast by any standards but have grit and love to do events that require grit. They will never win an event but will beat all the entrants who gave up.

Last year they did their first Munga Grit in the Tankwa - the Friday after the Two Oceans Ultra followed by the half marathon the following day. 

This year was the first Munga Grit Trans-Xhariep 50-hour. 85 entrants started on Friday at noon. They cycled through the most beautiful parts of the Free State. From the Gariep Dam to Colesberg, Petrusville, Vanderkloofdam, Philippolis, Springfontein and back to the Gariep. They encountered a thunderstorm, head winds, single track, farm roads and the most horrible corrugated roads. But the countryside was lush and green from an abundance of rain. They saw a pangolin, an oryx, bush pigs and warthogs.

They experienced great hospitality on the farms with the best food and drinks.

They cycled through two nights and finished as dawn broke on Sunday morning in just over 42 hours. Second and third last. But still beating the 27% who gave up along the way.

Not a story of glory and winning, but a story that may perhaps convince an ordinary someone that the extraordinary is achievable.