The 2018 Pretoria SPAR Women’s Challenge is challenging every member of the Tshwane community to #FindYourWingz by becoming a vehicle for change and inspiration and celebrating our community’s heroes!
The official launch of the 2018 race took place on 15th May 2018 at Sun International’s The Maslow Time Square Hotel, kicking off the opening of entries and sharing the #FindYourWingz message with media, sponsors, race partners, runners and VIP’s.
Entries are now officially open for the Pretoria Leg of the 2018 SPAR Women’s Challenge, the biggest and most popular race in the SPAR Women’s Challenge Grand Prix series, which attracts a whopping 25 000 runners each year. The race has grown immensely in popularity over the years and has won both the Rekord Best of Pretoria 2017 award for best race and second place in the Beeld Your Choice awards – just under the Comrades Marathon!
Speaking at launch, SPAR North Rand’s Marketing Director, Jerome Jacobs commented that it is thanks to the on-going support of sponsors and partners that the race has found it wings and has the power to help others find theirs. “Without our valued race sponsors, we would not be able to uplift, inspire and support the Tshwane community through the race platform,” said Jacobs. He is, of course referring to the 2018 sponsors who are: SuperSport Park, City of Tshwane, Jacaranda FM, Athletics Gauteng North, ASICS, Aquelle, Mitchum, Futurelife, Sunbake, Glade, Danone, ATKV, Sun International, Suzuki, GOSH, Satiskin, Energade, Ecobox, Follicle Hair Atelier, MiWayLife, Mighty Washing Powder and the IsiGidi Group.
#FindYourWingz
At the official launch, this year’s race theme was unveiled and just as it has in earlier years; the theme holds an important message for every lady taking part in the race and the Tshwane community at large. The 2018 race theme is a call to action to everyone in our community to #FindYourWingz. This theme is rooted in the belief that every woman finds her wings on a daily basis – whether it is at work, being a good mother, caring for those who cannot care for themselves, defending the defenseless or making a change in the lives of the disadvantaged members of our community.
“At SPAR we believe in helping those who need us to find their wings and thrive. This year we would like to celebrate those who found their wings through giving back and we would like to call on each and every one of you to join us in supporting these heroes in any way we can,” says Jacobs.
According to Jacobs, the call to action of this year’s theme is not only to find your own wingz but to help other find theirs. “Most importantly, we want to celebrate our everyday community heroes who have found their wings by helping others or through remarkable achievements. We want to tell their story and we are calling on everyone to post these stories to the SPAR Women’s Challenge Pretoria Facebook page.”
The Race is On!
The 2018 Pretoria SPAR Women’s Challenge takes place at 14:00 on Saturday, 4th August at SuperSport Park in Centurion. As always, the race will offer 25 000 women from all walks of life, and all levels of fitness the opportunity to take part in a 5km or a 10km race.
The top SPAR Women’s Challenge runners will of course be competing for the winning spot in the SPAR Grand Prix Series which is made up of six SPAR Women’s Challenge 10km races hosted across the country. The Grand Prix Series challenges South Africa’s top female athletes to earn points based on their performance in each race. Last year, a sixth leg to the series was introduced in Pietermaritzburg and the competition was opened up to international runners who are now eligible to accumulate Grand Prix points. All eyes will be on Kesa Molotsane who won the 2017 Grand Prix and who is currently at the top of the leaderboard following the PE leg.
Dressing Up to #FindYourWingz
The sight of 25 000 runners making their way along Centurion’s streets each year is often referred to as “a sea of colour”. This year, Pretoria residents will have their streets brightened up by thousands of ladies making their way along the race route in teal shirts. Along with their entry, each race participant will receive a matching foam peak and – courtesy of GOSH makeup – a GOSH lipstick.
Race participants also receive a race t-shirt in a one-size-fits-all size. At race registration in the days leading up to the race, ladies have always been welcome to pop in and exchange their shirt for a smaller size if necessary but larger sizes have not been previously available. This year, SPAR North Rand has teamed up with Plus-Fab to provide race t-shirts in larger sizes. Plus-Fab’s founder, Ouma Tema, has designed a special, stylish official race shirt in a range of larger sizes. These shirts are available from Plus-Fab studios at 596 Thabo Sehume Street, Pretoria or online at www.plus-fab.com. For more information, ladies can contact Plus-Fab on .
“We are privileged to have GOSH on board this year as race sponsor and Plus-Fab as a partner. With their help we can really treat our participants and make sure that they can all feel dressed up and beautiful on race day,” Jacobs enthuses.
Racing for a Cause
Every year, numerous Pretoria based charity and community upliftment organisations are selected to benefit from the proceeds of the SPAR Women’s Challenge. “SPAR’s donations to the race beneficiaries are proof that when a community unites, we can find our wings together,” says Jacobs. “Over the years we have built relationships with our sponsors and race partners who have become a vital helping hand in supporting all of our community and social upliftment initiatives. This year we are aiming to donate R380 000 to our beneficiaries,” says Jacobs.
The race beneficiaries for 2018 are Jacaranda Good Morning Angles, the Chrysalis Foundation, Cupcakes 4 Kids with Cancer and the Hanna Charity and Empowerment Foundation.
The Face of the Race
To help carry the race message and promote the values of the race and SPAR, each year SPAR Women’s Challenge Pretoria race ambassadors are selected based on their efforts in using their positions and success in life to help others find their wings. The official 2018 group of brand ambassadors includes: Jacaranda FM’s Morné JK, Thabiso Khambule and Rian Van Heerden; Groot FM’s Jornhé Van Huysteen; Pretoria FM’s Sarina Frauenstein; Tuks FM’s Zanele Poletwa; and Charné Bosman, Willem Botha, Lindie Strijdom, Ouma Tema, Donnalee Roberts, Ivan Botha, Letshego Zulu, Hanna Grobler, Jo Black, Bouwer Bosch and Warrior Ric They join long time race patron Annie Malan in representing the 2018 Pretoria SPAR Women’s Challenge.
How to Enter
Race entries are priced at R100 for all licensed 10km entrants, R130 for all non-licensed 10km entrants and R100 for the 5km fun run/walk entrants. There are two easy ways to enter the race. At participating SPAR and sports stores, entry forms are available to fill in and you can then immediately pay for your entry. You will be able to instantly walk out of the store with your race pack containing your race number, one-size-fits-all t-shirt, foam peak, copy of My Race magazine and GOSH lipstick. A list of participating stores is available on sparladiespta.co.za.
The second way to enter the race is online at sparladiespta.co.za. Entrants can follow the easy online entry steps (admin fee applies) and then they can collect their race pack at SuperSport Park Stadium in Centurion from 30 July 2018 – 3 August 2018 between 10h00 and 18h00 or on race day from 08h00 till 12h00. Regrettably collection is not available in-store for online entries.
For more information about the 2018 Pretoria SPAR Women’s Challenge, please like the “SPAR Women’s Challenge Pretoria” Facebook page, and follow the race on Twitter @SPARladiespta. Remember to use the hashtag #FindYourWingz and #SPARLadiesPTA to show your support, to let the social media world know how you found your wings and to tell the stories of the amazing women in your life who found their wingz by helping other or through achieving the impossible!