Mzansi Tenors perform at the launch of the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge

Our friends the Mzansi Tenors put on a spectacular performance at the launch of the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge 2022 in Cape Town recently.

The group of 10 tenors was formed at the end of 2021 as SA’s Covid-19 lockdowns started easing. Since then they have performed at a number of events, including the 2022 RMB Starlight Classics.

Watch the tenors performing their first song, ‘Qaqamba Nyana Wam’ (‘Shine, My Dear Son’), which was written especially for their RMB Starlight Classics debut by the tenors themselves, along with music legend Ralf Schmitt. They also performed the Andrea Bocelli classic, ‘The Prayer’, brilliantly with Monica Mhangwana and William Berger.

Celebrating its third year, the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge 2022 will return to the annual road-running calendar serving as a symbol of the country’s rise out of the ashes of the pandemic. 

The country’s top female runners will once again be competing for the prestigious SPAR Grand Prix series title across six races in five provinces. As a virtual event, there are no geographic boundaries to the race, while participants get to decide on their route, pace, and whether to do it alone, with friends, family or as a community.

This year’s theme, captured through the hashtag, #IRise, is a celebration of how South African women conquer their challenges. The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge 2022 encourages all participants to harness their power, adopt the #IRise philosophy and become part of a collaborative community that collectively rises above their challenges. 

Online entries are now open! SPAR invites women across the country to join in on Saturday, 3 September 2022, any time between 06h00 and 18h00 (subject to government lockdown regulations). Participants can run, jog, or walk their virtual challenge at their own pace anywhere in South Africa.

For every entry, a pack of sanitary pads will be donated to help keep a girl in school through the SPAR Petals Project. The Project advocates for a shame-free education for all young women, and through their contributions, participants will help these girls rise above their challenges. 

“The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge has grown beyond the boundaries of racecourses or geographical areas. It is a movement that celebrates the resilience of women across the breadth and width of the country,” said Mike Prentice, SPAR group marketing executive. “The sight of women from different walks of life taking to the streets and trails around South Africa has filled us with immense pride. SPAR looks forward to the thousands of posts to light up social media platforms.” 

Entry to the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge is R120, and as part of the entry fee, every participant will receive a virtual challenge pack. The pack includes an official virtual challenge t-shirt, access to the My Virtual Challenge digital magazine, a face buff and a medal.

This year there are even more ways to join in the fun online. Participants can visit the official race website, sparvirtualchallenge.co.za to generate their race number and finish line certificate – perfect for pre and post-race selfies! Use #IRise and #SPARVirtualChallenge when posting to join the challenge community online!

For more information and to find out how to enter, visit www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za. Entries are limited to 60 000 participants – enter now to avoid disappointment.