Our squad is made up of some of Africa’s best multisport athletes and adventurers.
Between them they have won and taken on Dusi Canoe Marathons, Camel Trophies, Ironman Triathlons, major offshore sailing races, expeditions to South and North Pole and more.
Kelvin Trautman
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
I grew up in a family where sport and pushing one's physical limits were adorned. This love was the segway to building a career as an adventure
photographer. I have a rubber arm when it comes to toeing start lines, especially for sports like adventure racing and I’m really enjoying getting the
chance to compete again, this time as a dad.
Anything you would like to say about AR?:
Nowadays, with all its creature comforts and convenience you rarely get an opportunity to learn where the boundaries of your body and mind are. AR makes you realize we can go much further
than you think.
Career highlights:
- Winner of African Adventure Race World Series
- Multiple expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica as documentary photographer and athlete
- Red Bull Photographer
- 2nd Nonstop Dusi paddling race
- Winner of Sailing World Champs - Maxi class
- Winner of Cape to Rio Sailing race
Lance Kime
Cape Town, South Africa
I grew up in a family that spent most of our weekends and holidays hiking and cycling which sparked my love for will places and exploring.
As an innately competitive person it was a natural progression for exploring to turn into racing, which led me to spend most of my teenage years
entering as many kayaking, cycling and running races as I could. Nowadays when I’m not working as an engineer, I’m in the ocean, the mountains, or dreaming about my next adventure race
Anything you would like to say about AR?:
AR combines all the sports I love most with the challenge of navigation and carries on for days on end. And you get to share it all with 3 mates!
Career highlights:
- 2x winner of the Dusi Canoe Marathon, South Africa
- Winner of Avon Descent, Australia
- 9th at World Multisport Championships 2018, New Zealand
- 3rd in Expedition Africa 500km 2019, Mauritius
Jessica Pollock
Currently living near Winterton
The combination of growing up in a small town (East London) where sport is a main attraction, having a grandfather that owned a
sports shop, parents that love all things sport, an older brother always pushing my limits meant that being out side, active, and
competing has been the norm since before I can remember. Lacking speed, endurance and team sports have always interested me more - Initially, mainly seeking type 2 fun on
the trails and in the boat, but since discovering the world of AR - well, it seems I have found the perfect package deal.
Anything you would like to say about AR?:
Warning, it’s addictive’ Still very much a newbie to the sport but from my experience so far, it really is the perfect combination of teamwork, tactics, physical
strength, mental toughness, competition, and camaraderie. There is nothing quite like it. No matter how much you
think you’ll ‘never do it again’, it keeps you coming back. It is a special experience sharing those physically and mentall y dark spaces with a bunch of mates all while
working towards a common goal - it transcends reality and is all kinds of freeing. Safe to say, the bug has bitten.
Career highlights:
- Winning team of African adventure race World Series
John Collins
Knysna
I enjoyed middle distance track running during my teenage years representing the province at a school level. Towards the end of my teens
Cross-country became my preferred running discipline with 1/2 marathons being another competitive outlet. Other schooling sports achievements included SA u18 Rockc
limbing champion & SA Schools Canoe Polo champion.
These alternative sports may not be the mainstream, however, I found them important foundations for adventure racing. Starting ‘97 teaming up with my brother, we began what would turn out to be a 2-decade
long career in Adventure Racing dominating the local races and finishing between 2nd and 5th on international championships.
Anything you would like to say about AR?:
Being the oldest in the team, I hope to bring consistency and add navigational experience.
Tracey Campbell
PE
As a Successful coach at Aspire, Tracey Campbell, is a determined and energetic woman who is no stranger to adventure racing.
This athlete has excelled in a variety of races including Triathlon, IRONMAN, Mountain biking, paddling, to name a few.
Matt Trautman
Cape Town
Matt is a professional triathlete specializing in Ironman, 70.3 and long - distance events. A former professional yachtsman, he took up
the sport of triathlonlate in life but quickly went on to excel. After two years of racing as an age group triathlete, Matt turned professional in 2014 and has won
races around the globe since. In January 2017 Matt was hit by a car at high speed whilst out riding and had to undergo a multiple level spinal fusion to repair three crushed lumbar
vertebrae. Most of 2017 was then spent recovering from the accident. A year later Matt went on to regain his 70.3 South Africa title and has gone from strength to strength since
Anything you would like to say about AR?:
I am very new to the sport of adventure racing but the format and challenge of the races has always appealed to me. Having been a competitive paddler whilst at school, the fact
that you can combine that with biking and running in a team format and in a very uncontrolled environment makes the racing so unique and enjoyable
Career highlights:
17 Half Ironman Distance wins including 5 victories at Ironman 70.3 South Africa. Two-time Ironman Wales champion and winner of the 2019 European Long - Distance Champs in course record time.
Owen Gandar
Ixopo, Kwa Zulu Natal
Growing up I was crazy about ball sports. Cricket, golf, rugby; you name it I most probably loved playing it. One thing I really loathed however
was endurance sports. I was the guy at the back of the pack when it came to school cross country. However, what started out as a bit of fun joining the school canoeing
club turned out to be a decision that planted the seed for adventure sports, and I have been captured ever since. I now find myself balancing time between dairy farming, financial planning, race
organizing and squeezing in as many adventures as I can.
Anything you would like to say about AR?:
Often with adventure sports there is a limited team element which is something I missed from days on the sports field. Adventure racing however is as big a team sport as any other sport out there.
Career highlights:
- Multiple Dusi canoe marathon top 10 finisher
- 2 x podium finisher at Drak Challenge
- 2nd in Expedition Africa 500km
Event Calendar
Adventure racing is often referred to as the hardest sporting discipline out there. For many of us the mental and physical fortitude needed to complete an Adventure Race is why we do this sport.
Our team goal for 2022 is to win the African Adventure Race World Series 2022 - winner gets a free entry to World Champs in 2023.
Expedition Africa Lesotho
3 April 2022
120km race near Wakkerstroom
13 - 15 May
Cyanosis 250km race in Mpumalanga
16 - 18 June
500km Die Ratel / Richtersveld
9 - 18 July
Transkei Tuff
29 - 31 July
Kinetic Wilderness
26 - 28 August
Race results
2021
A1 Vasbyt
2nd overall
Kinetic Bronkhorstspruit
6th overall
Kinetic Swellendam
1st overall
Kinetic Parys
1st overall
A1 Montagu
2nd overall
Kinetic Cape St Francis
2nd overall
Kinetic/Transkei Tuff
1st overall
Kinetic Drakensberg
1st overall
A1 Riverdale
1st overall
2022
A1 Vasbyt
1st overall
Kinetic Swellendam
1st overall
Team Product Reviews
Agility Peak 4
Out of the box comfortable
As a team we have been using the Agility Peak 4 shoes for the past month training for a 500km adventure race across Lesotho.
For Jess, Lance, John, and myself this was the first time using Merrell shoes. There was natural trepidation amongst us trying new shoes
so close to a big race. We made a big effort to put the Agility Peak 4’s to the test, taking them into the Cape and Drakensberg mountains,
along beaches and forest trails, and even on some tar. Now as we head to Lesotho for the start of our adventure race the consensus is we have a shoe that is up for the job.
Merrell Announces Major Sponsorship with Team Songlines
Merrell, a leading global footwear company, and Team Songlines, the recently crowned African Adventure Racing World Series Champions, today announced a partnership for the upcoming
adventure racing season in South Africa and at World Champs in Paraguay in September.
"We are very proud to be sponsoring such an incredible team," says Liezel Jooste, Marketing manager at Medicus Shoes. "We look forward to working with Team Songlines and leveraging our
products and experience in Adventure Racing sponsorship to help them take on world's best adventure races both at home and abroad."