Just when you thought office workers only knew how to wrestle with spreadsheets, along comes Stephan Jacobs to prove everyone wrong. The 2026 Fortuner Challenge – powered by Quartz engine oil, because even heroes need good lube – wrapped up this past weekend in proper dramatic fashion. And boet, it was close. Like, knyp jou toe close.
After three days of pushing limits, sweating buckets, and probably asking themselves “why did we sign up for this?”, Stephan Jacobs from Independent Media walked away as the overall champ. But listen, he didn’t have it easy. He only snatched victory in the very last challenge, teaming up with showjumping ace Tamar Gliksman. Talk about leaving it for late.
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Now in its tenth year, this bash has become a proper celebration of South African grit. The idea? Pair ordinary okes and gals with top sports stars, then throw everything from bike rides to cooking disasters at them. Because nothing says teamwork like trying not to burn the pot while your legs are screaming.
This year’s sporting heroes read like a who’s who: SA rally driver Saood Variawa from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, Cheetahs bruiser Clayton Blommetjies, equestrian star Tamar Gliksman, and Kaizer Chiefs legend Morgan Gould. Each got paired with a regular challenger picked through a public comp – because let’s be honest, we all love a good underdog story.
The final pairings were:
- Shaun Farrell (Arena Holdings) + Morgan Gould
- Lelani Loots (Media24) + Saood Variawa
- André Malan (SuperSport) + Clayton Blommetjies
- Stephan Jacobs (Independent Media) + Tamar Gliksman
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Over three days in the stunning Western Cape Winelands, these teams faced a proper mixed bag: navigation puzzles that had them scratching heads, cycling until their legs turned to jelly, reaction tests that exposed who had too much coffee, cooking under pressure (flames were optional, but stress was guaranteed), and obstacle courses designed by someone with a twisted sense of humour.
From the get-go, Shaun Farrell looked like he’d been training for this his whole life. André Malan brought that disciplined energy – you know the type, probably owns matching gym socks. But Lelani Loots? She was the spirit bomb of the comp, smiling through the chaos and earning the Spirit Award for her “can-do, won’t-quit” attitude.
And then there was Stephan. Steady as a rock, sharp as a thorn, building steam stage by stage. Alongside Tamar, he kept his head down, stayed in the mix, and when the final challenge came calling – kwaai – he delivered. His prize? A Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6, plus a boot-load of goodies from Quartz, Salomon, Garmin, Oakley, Thule, and Specialized.
But even if you weren’t in the Winelands, you could still get your fix. The “Back Your Hero” campaign let fans vote for their favourite teams and win weekly prizes. Because let’s face it, we all love a freebie and a reason to shout at our phones.
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Glenn Crompton, Toyota SA’s marketing big cheese, had this to say: “At Toyota, we’re lucky to sell everything from small runabouts to Land Cruiser monsters. But the Fortuner? That’s our sweet spot. Built here, for here. We know what Mzansi wants. And seeing the grit from this year’s heroes – man, I was impressed. Even when things got tough, they didn’t moan. So Stephan, boet, welcome to the Toyota family.”
Same time next year? You bet. Start training now – and maybe learn to cook under pressure.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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