The Rise of the Mountain Women - How South African Women Are Conquering the K-Way SkyRun

By Flux Communications

What does it take to run 100km of unmarked, self-navigated mountain terrain - alone, overnight, and unsupported? Increasingly, the answer in South Africa is simple: it takes a woman.

It’s 3 a.m., and somewhere high in the Witteberg mountains, a woman is moving with fierce determination across ridgelines most people have never heard of. The wind bites, the terrain is unforgiving, and she’s still got 60 kilometres to go. But she’s not backing down.

This is the reality of the K-Way SkyRun - one of South Africa’s most brutal and beautiful ultra-trail races. And more than ever before, it’s women who are stepping up to the start line, rewriting the narrative on what strength, grit and endurance look like.

For decades, SkyRun has been known as one of the toughest single-stage trail races in the world. But over the past few years, a quiet revolution has been building - with more and more South African women not only participating, but dominating.

“It’s been incredible to witness,” says Adrian Saffy, event director and co-founder of Pure Adventures, which organises the race. “These women aren’t here to tick a box. They’re here to compete, to challenge themselves, and to win. And many of them are doing exactly that.”

Athletes like Nicolette Griffioen, who completed the race in 15hrs16min in 2016, Tracey Zunkel, Simone Malan, and Jessica Barrow, have not only finished the 100km route - they’ve crushed it. International runner, Ragna Debats, holds the current women’s course record with a time of 14hrs21min, and SkyRun legend, Riana van der Merwe has completed 14 races. But even more inspiring is the growing wave of first-time female entrants, tackling the race not to podium, but to prove to themselves - and the world - what they’re capable of.

So what makes female runners uniquely equipped for something like SkyRun? Saffy believes it’s a combination of strategy, resilience, and mental fortitude.

“The women who succeed at SkyRun are incredibly smart runners. They pace themselves, they plan meticulously, and they suffer in silence,” he laughs. “It’s not about ego - it’s about endurance, and women often have that edge.”

And it’s not just the race that requires strategic juggling. Many of the ladies balance hardcore training with full-time jobs, families, and caregiving responsibilities. Their stories are as inspiring off the mountain as on it.

In a country still navigating the realities of gender inequality, especially in sport, the rise of women in ultra-endurance events is powerful. It’s not just about medals or finishing times - it’s about representation. About showing what’s possible.

Trail running, and especially events like SkyRun, offer a space where success is measured in courage, not celebrity. The trail doesn’t care about gender. It demands the same grit from everyone. And in that space, South African women are thriving.

“Adventure sport is a great equaliser,” says Saffy. “And SkyRun has always welcomed women - not as a sideshow, but as central to the race’s story.”

One of the biggest barriers for women in extreme outdoor sports is often safety - particularly when training solo in remote areas. That’s where the SkyRun community steps in.

The race has built a culture of support and safety, with female trail groups forming across the country to help women train together, share knowledge, and build confidence in the mountains. From WhatsApp support groups to gear advice and route recces, the camaraderie is real.

And the result? A growing sisterhood of mountain runners who are no longer waiting for permission to chase big goals. For many women, completing SkyRun becomes a turning point - not just in their athletic journeys, but in how they see themselves.

In a world where women are still too often underestimated, the rise of female ultra-trail runners in South Africa is a story worth shouting from the peaks. And at 2,400 metres above sea level on the SkyRun route, the echoes carry far.

For more information, please visit http://www.skyrun.co.za