In July 2021, Stephan May (a friend of Calling Education), developed the exceptional vision of combining three of Cape Town’s most gruelling challenges into one extreme event. This extraordinary endeavour would involve swimming 8 km from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand, completing the Cape Town Cycle Tour of 109 km directly afterwards and then tackling the Three Peaks Challenge, a 50 km trail run with a combined elevation of 3 km. The aim of completing these challenges in under twenty-four hours seemed like a superhuman feat but was achieved by the daring athletes in March 2022. Dubbed Calling Cape Town, this annual event serves as fundraiser for Calling’s cause. Visit the website of Calling Cape Town here: https://callingcpt.com

“When it comes to tackling the challenges in South African education, it is a case off all-hands-on-deck,” says Stephan. “We love the model by which Calling Education is making excellent schooling available to its learners and we want to create an extraordinary way of telling their story.” For months, friends and colleagues rallied around the Calling Cape Town vision, culminating in an incredible show of support on the slopes of Table Mountain.

Meticulous planning and dedicated training resulted in an enduring personal highlight for the athletes. Mpilo Ruka, head boy of Calling Academy who joined the adjusted 42 km Three Peaks Challenge, was amazed at the mental strength of the athletes, describing it as a source of inspiration for anyone facing challenges in life. Raoul Hamman, deputy principal, described the event as epic, while thanking everyone who supported the school by making this uniquely memorable day possible.