As International Women's Day Weekend wraps, how fitting that Vernon, B.C.'s super woman should grab the spotlight at her latest event.

Shanda Hill is the only woman competing in the first-ever South African Deca Ultra Triathlon and as of 12 a.m. Pacific time Monday, March 10, Hill was in first place.

Hill currently leads the pack of 11 male athletes as she was the first to complete the 38 kilometres of swimming required before moving on to the cycle portion, which is 1,800kms (a ride 81 kilometres short of cycling from Vernon to Winnipeg) under the blazing South Africa sun.

"Shanda's determination is a beacon of determination," writes her partner, Jacs Spence, on social media. "She called me for the first time after swimming throughout the night to achieve such an excellent time. Her excitement was palpable as she exclaimed, 'I told you I could do this! I wanted to make everyone proud.' Her hard work is an excellent start to what she hopes will be her most successful year of racing."

Hill now faces the daunting task of climbing more than1.5 times the height of Mt. Everest over an incredible distance of 1,800 km. The race is being held in Gariep Dam, a resort area in South Africa, nearly 6 hours south of Johannesburg. The temperature is expected to be between 27 and 32 degrees Celsius, though rain is in the forecast for mid-week.

"She knows the men will be eager to try and make up the distance," said Spence. "She is the first of 12 elite athletes worldwide; her determination is a testament to her spirit."

Spence said Hill must carefully balance her rest, sleep and food intake to maintain the energy required to press forward.

"If Shanda stops to sleep, eat or rest over the next several days, she is at risk of one of the male athletes passing her," he said.

The South African Deca will conclude with a 422km run (Vernon to Vancouver).

Hill's sponsors for the race include The Starting Block, Rancho Vignola, and Eve-Volve Wellness.