The Cogmans 2025 delivered a big year!
The Cogmans is an event of great trails and awesome community and is quickly becoming a “bucket-list” weekend!
A perfect Karoo winters day - crisp, cloudless skies with a beautiful sunrise - welcomed hundreds of trail runners to the third annual Cogmans Trail Run on Saturday, July 19, a race that has quickly cemented its place among the Western Cape’s most-loved trail experiences. With golden light spilling over Montagu’s rugged mountains and not a breath of wind in the air, the day delivered perfect conditions for an attack on the records—cool, dry, and an absolutely electric atmosphere.
This year was extra special with the inaugural Badskloof 50 km (BD50) added to the already iconic 10 km, 17 km, and 34 km routes. Over 450 runners took to the trails, tackling some of the province’s most demanding and remote trails.
In the 34 km classic, featuring 2,000 m of vertical gain across Aasvoëlkrans, Cogmans, and Bloupunt, trail racing regular Jacques du Plessis ran a comprehensive race, winning in 3:47:47 - just 50 seconds off the record - with Gus Farara and Travis Oosthuizen rounding out the men’s podium. In the women’s race, Melissa Laing soared to victory in 4:45:54, holding off a strong performance by Daisy Myburgh.
The inaugural BD50 (the 50 km) route—dubbed “a beast” by the organisers, thanks to its 2,600 m elevation gain and technical mountain traverses—was dominated by Roelof Mostert, who crossed the line in 5:37:36, more than 12 minutes clear of second-place Skye Clark, with Marko Brandic completing the podium. The course was described by many as “raw, technical and absolutely beautiful.” On the women’s side, Verone De Bruyn smashed the course in 6:48:01 cementing her place in Cogmans history as the first-ever female winner of the BD50, she proceeded to say “Such an amazing race and so well organised, thank you Cogmans. It was an honour to explore the majestic mountains of Montagu”.
In the 17 km event, it was fireworks from the start as Tait Hearps of Australia shattered the previous record by a full eight minutes, finishing in 1:31:39, while Nicola de Villiers took the women’s title in a swift 1:53:27. The 10 km race, designed as a scenic yet testing intro to trail, saw a great mix of local runners and first-time participants revel in the spectacular Montagu views.
On a cold Saturday night, after a stunning day in the mountains, inside Montagu’s historic KWV building, your 2025 Cogmans champions, and podiums, were crowned and the infamous “Cogmans Rock’s” were given to both Roelof and Verone..
Hosted by No Frills. No Fuss. and backed by Montagu Trails, the event blended small-town charm with world-class trail running. From the laid-back Friday night burger-and-beer registration, to the laughter, grit, and shared beers at the finish line on Saturday, the event once again reminded all present why it’s considered the Western Cape’s best-kept trail secret.
“The Cogmans Trail Run is no longer just a race—it’s a celebration,” said event director Robert Le Brun. “We’ve seen it grow from a small local run into a bucket-list experience for trail athletes across the country, and this year’s energy was something special. We are beyond grateful for the support and the word of mouth that seems to be spreading the goodness of The Cogmans far and wide. The course is hard, but the rewards are far greater than any pain.”
With whispers of an ultra 100 km route being considered for 2026, the Cogmans Trail Run shows no signs of slowing down. But at its heart, the race remains a tribute to simplicity, authenticity, and the raw beauty of the Western Cape’s trail systems.
Final race results and official photo galleries will be available at www.thecogmans.run, and runners are encouraged to share their stories using the hashtag #TheCogmans2025.
With whispers of an ultra 100 km route being considered for 2026, the Cogmans Trail Run shows no signs of slowing down. But at its heart, the race remains a tribute to simplicity, authenticity, and the raw beauty of the Western Cape’s mountain beauty and incredible people.
See you in there - 18 July 2026.
Final race results and official photo galleries and info for 2026 are available at www.thecogmans.run
More media from the weekend:
Sports Network Africa - Trail athletes make merry in Montagu in ‘Western Cape’s best-kept secret’
Kamp is Lekker - Die Cogmans Trail Run, trek jou tekkies aan.
For Media Enquiries:
Email: info@thecogmans.run
