South Africa's Ultra Distance Running Sensation

Ryan Sandes was the first person to win all 4 races in the 4 Desert Series and in 2013 became the first person to ever win an ultra trail race on all 7 continents. In 2011, Ryan won the Leadville 100 miler  mountain race in Leadville, Colorado, setting the 3rd fastest time in the history of the race and the fastest time by a non-American – it was his first 100 miler.

He is an ambassador of the prestigious Laureus Foundation and special mention about his phenomenal career was made at the International Laureus Awards in Abu Dhabi. Ryan’s biography, Trail Blazer, written by Steve Smit, was launched in English in 2016. In 2017 his book was translated into Spanish – the 2nd most spoken language on earth. What started out as a “passion project” turned into a best-selling book.

One of his greatest victories was in 2017 when he won the Western States 100 known as the world’s oldest 100 miler. At the beginning of 2018 Ryan and a friend, Ryno Griesel, set a new trail running record on a section of the Great Himalayan Trail through Nepal. An eye-watering time of 25 days 4 hours and 24 minutes was set on a combination of the high and cultural route on the GHT. A distance of 1 435km was covered, which the men ran virtually non-stop, climbing 63 721m in elevation gain which is the equivalent of climbing 7.5 Mount Everest’s.

Ryan is a doting father to son Max, as well as their adopted fur-child, Thandi and he has been married to his actress/ business-woman wife, Vanessa Haywood-Sandes for 5 years. People are inspired not only by Ryan’s athletic ability but also his humble and down-to-earth approach to life. He is a highly sought after motivational speaker and is considered one of the world’s leading ultra trail runners.