Ed Fernon, 29, our Olympic pentathlete from Sydney Australia, is set to battle it out in the 2017 Mongol Derby.

 © Julian Herbert @ Mongol Derby 2017

South Africans and Aussies look set to battle it out for the 2017 Mongol Derby!

Of the 42 strong field that set out, 35 are still going in the 2017 Mongol Derby, the world’s longest, and errr, did we mention, toughest, horse race at 1000 kms across the Mongolian steppe.

The team on the ground report that they’ve had “four seasons in a week with the Mongolian weather - day two saw borderline hypothermia; snorkels and x-ray vision were highly recommended. Day five saw blazing sun; the mercury may not read sky-high, but when you’re kitted out riding for 13 hours with zero shade, it’s scorching.”

The leading group look set to finish later today - Tuesday 15th August - and battling it out at the front for Derby glory are:

Jakkie Mellett, 40, our potato farmer from Lyndon in South Africa who has displayed incredible riding skills throughout, bringing his horses in at every urtuu (horse station) in brilliant condition – he leads the field at 880 kilometres (and is doing the the Derby “to prove to his kids their dad is no sissy boy”). 

Ed Fernon, 29, our Olympic pentathlete from Sydney Australia, and another South African, Barry Armitage, 51 (who was first past the post in 2012 but thwarted by a vet penalty), are currently in joint second, approx. 25 kilometres behind Jakkie.

Following them another 40kms behind are William ‘Dingo’ Comiskey, 29 from Long Reach, Australia and joint winner in 2016, and Warren Sutton, 45 from Victoria, Australia.

Despite a number of riders retiring, alll the Australian entrants are still in the race.

Source: Press release

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