On 25 April 2012, the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town played host to members of the media, elite athletes and a celeb or two as part of the 2012 Otter African Trail Run media launch.

SuperSport commentator and living-room regular Arnold Geerdts was the ever-entertaining MC for the evening.

Headline sponsors Hi-Tec – which is also one of our partners, having recently become sponsors of our Hi-Tec Microscope Exhibit and having sponsored our curatorial team’s footwear – and GU Energy pulled out all the stops with snacks and drinks fit for, well, the super-fit.

Among the attendees was South African long-distance runner and 2011 Otter Trail Run winner Ryan Sandes. Elite runner Nic de Beer was also there.

But we shouldn’t be calling it the Otter, actually. For the first time, the race – which takes place along the famous Otter Trail in the Tsitsikamma National Park – will be run from west to east. Since trail runners are not allowed to train on the route itself, this new turn of events will ensure many surprises. The Otter is also affectionately known as the “Retto” this year.

Another thing trail runners are not allowed to do during this race is litter. Trail organiser Mark Collins said littering, or any other non-environmentally friendly behaviour, is considered akin to cheating on this race, which takes place in one of the most pristine parks in the world.

Mark also said that hosting the Otter/Retto media launch at the Two Oceans Aquarium was appropriate in that most of the Tsitsikamma National Park is, in fact, ocean. It is important to the organisers that the park is left in a better condition than when they first arrived.

Well-known South African actress Milan Murray will be tackling the complicated 42km Retto event this year on behalf of the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital Trust.

The last remaining entry for the 2012 Otter African Trail Run was auctioned off on the night in aid of the Landmark Foundation’s leopard and predator project. Ryan Sandes put in the winning bid of R8 100.

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