Team Blue (Independent Media) Stephan Jacobs (blue shirt) and Tamar Gliksman of Team Blue, representing Independent Media, compete during the Fortuner Challenge 2026 in Cape Town on Monday.
Image: Supplied
The first day of the Toyota Fortuner Challenge 2026 in Cape Town on Monday, April 20, delivered intense action, with sweat-drenched competitors battling through a series of demanding tasks.
Hosted in the Western Cape, the two-day Fortuner Challenge, powered by Quartz Engine Oil, brings together athletes from various sporting codes for a gruelling test of skill, adaptability, and mental and physical resilience.
Four members of the public are paired with four sporting heroes, with each team representing a major media house.
Team blue, representing IOL's parent company Independent Media, features Stephan Jacobs and showjumping athlete Tamar Gliksman.
Team yellow, representing Arena Holdings, includes Shaun Farrell and former professional footballer Morgan Gould, who previously played for Kaizer Chiefs and represented Bafana Bafana internationally.
Team green, representing SuperSport, sees Andre Malan paired with professional rugby player Clayton Blommetjies, known for his performances with the Toyota Cheetahs.
Team red, representing Media24, consists of Lelani Loots and rising motorsport talent Saood Variawa, who represents Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa.
The competition is led by Paul de Vos, managing director of the Dr Driving Academy.
The opening challenge proved to be anything but straightforward.
Contestants and heroes split up to complete separate but equally demanding tasks. Contestants navigated rafts on the dam to collect three blocks and return them to designated points on shore, before retrieving an additional block from a GPS location on the opposite side.
Meanwhile, the heroes had to untie a series of complex knots to release a block and complete a water-based task involving a floating device and a 20-litre container with a hidden leak.
This required multiple trips to collect water from the dam - often up to 15 runs - to generate enough buoyancy.
Team Yellow (Arena Holdings): Shaun Farrell (blue shirt) and Morgan Gould.
Image: Supplied
Once both sides completed their tasks, teams regrouped to transport blocks through a ladder system and across a balance beam using a rod.
The blocks then had to be stacked into a five-level tower on a platform stabilised by the hero.
Despite the difficulty - and an injury to Jacobs, who injured his left leg - his team secured victory in the first challenge.
The second challenge combined endurance and reaction speed in a two-phase format.
Heroes first completed a timed 5km sprint on Garmin Tacx cycling simulators, pushing at maximum intensity.
Simultaneously, contestants took part in a BlazePod reaction test, reacting to colour-coded lights in a fast-paced, Formula One-style drill.
After completing the first phase, the teams switched roles.
Although the format appeared straightforward, the physical demands were intense.
Sweat poured as competitors pushed through fatigue, encouraged by loud support from teammates.
Blommetjies emerged as the fastest cyclist among the heroes, while Jacobs recorded the best performance among the contestants.
Team Green (SuperSport): Andre Malan (black shirt ) and Clayton Blommetjies.
Image: Supplied
After two physically demanding events, the third challenge offered a lighter, more creative test.
Held at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate, teams were tasked with creating a pizza to pair with a selected wine. All teams received the same wine, ensuring a level playing field.
Winemaker Norina Cloete judged the entries, offering detailed feedback on each.
She praised Malan’s pizza for its balance of flavours, noting that the bacon’s slight sweetness complemented the salami, while the measured use of peppers avoided overpowering the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Jacobs’ pizza was described as well-balanced, with olives contributing a pleasant saltiness and a smooth overall flavour profile.
Loots’ team stood out for incorporating artichokes, which Cloete said enhanced the wine’s minerality, while maintaining a balanced use of peppers.
Farrell’s pizza impressed with its use of steak strips, which brought out the richness of the wine, alongside well-balanced seasoning.
Cloete commended all teams, noting that none produced a poor pairing.
The fourth challenge, held at Asara Wine Estate and Hotel at night, returned competitors to high-intensity action in cold and unpredictable conditions.
Teams had 25 minutes to search for 10 hidden items across the estate, including bicycles, bags and car keys.
Each item carried different point values based on difficulty and distance.
Competitors were required to retrieve and transport one item at a time to their designated Toyota Fortuner.
Once the collection phase ended, teams transitioned into the “pull” phase, using ropes to drag their fully loaded vehicles across the parking area to the finish line.
Team Red (Media24): Lelani Loots (black shirt) and Saood Variawa.
Image: Supplied
Day two of the challenge continues on Tuesday, with five more extreme tasks set to determine the overall winners.
What’s at stake?
The winning contestant will drive away in a brand-new Toyota Fortuner valued at approximately R740,000.
The prize package also includes:
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IOL