The Race
Auspiciously African trophies
At the end of the race, the Pro Men and Pro Women champions step forward and use their Fire Starter trophies to light the closing ceremonial fire.
The Fire Starter
A trophy to use
A bespoke, working fire starter and a work of art, handmade from titanium, brass, Karoo olienhout and ostrich leather, held together by gold. It is awarded to the winners of the general classification.
The Fire Starter was created by Cape Town fire-tool makers Donkey Long Tong, together with MetCon, South Africa's largest privately owned precious-metals refinery. It brings together two of South Africa's most iconic exports: gold and the braai. There are no replicas and no returns: every winner keeps, uses and remembers it.
Forged in fire
From molten gold to Fire Starter
Pure gold
A ring of 24-carat gold
At the heart of the Pro Men's and Pro Women's Fire Starters sits a solid ring of the purest 24-carat gold, forged by MetCon from part of the winners' prize money. Each ring weighs 42 g, inlaid with black ceramic tracing the altitude profile of the route.
The gold can be swapped for a brass ring. Winners can keep it, or redeem it at its value: art and asset in one.
Podium medals
Gold, rhodium and red gold
Designed by South African artisans and made by MetCon, each podium medal is a handcrafted work of art, plated in a precious metal: 24-carat gold for first, rhodium (rarer than platinum) for second, and red gold for third.
Finisher medal
For everyone who finishes
Every finisher receives the coveted finisher medal, on a hand-woven Xhosa ribbon, marking the full journey from the start to the Burn Celebration at Shamwari.
I've never wanted to win a race more than my age group at the Nedbank Gravel Burn. I love fires, and I passionately wanted to win the Nedbank Gravel Burn Fire Starter from Donkey Long Tong – and I've won an Olympic medal for mountain biking!