Our Two Oceans highlights: All eyes were on Steyn but Kaptein stole Cape Town's hearts

THE TotalSport Two Oceans weekend was its usual spectacle, with the Mother City's ultra-marathon renowned as 'the world's most beautiful marathon' and its half-marathon producing some intriguing runs.

- MATSHELANE MAMABOLO

For once, Gerda Steyn did not run a record time, but that should not detract from her fantastic race. Matshelane Mamabolo was in Cape Town to cover the 56km race - and even ran the half-marathon himself. Here are his five standout memories from the weekend.

Gerda the Queen of the oceans

The Smiling Assassin smiled her way to a record-extending sixth successive victory in the ultra, with a win so consummately easy it could well have been a training run.

Steyn changed her usual strategy of starting cautiously and building momentum by going hard from the outset, saying she wanted "the others to pay tax." And pay they did - Steyn beat second-placed Shelmith Muriuki by nearly nine minutes with a time of 3:29:20.

The downside?

She didn't break her own record. But Gerda wasn't fussed, describing her race as a "10 out of 10."

Mokoka is a man of steel

Stephen Mokoka's transition to ultras is proving to be a nightmare and you do wonder if it's worth it.