For teams camping on coast, worries of altitude at World Cup

Pristine beaches, lush mountains and a mild climate have lured Japan and six other World Cup teams to base at posh resorts along South Africa’s famed Garden Route.

But their idyllic surroundings could prove a handicap as players stay at sea level between matches, but then compete on South Africa’s “highveld” in cities like Johannesburg with a mile-high altitude.

Japan has booked 50 of the 150 rooms at the Fancourt, a resort on a golf estate five minutes from the airport in the town of George.

Standard rooms start at about 500 dollars a night, and the players will have a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, three golf course, a gym — and a sushi bar.

“They’ll have their private catering,” a Fancourt official said.

“We’ve created a Japanese website, and we’re doing cultural and language classes to learn the basic words.

“They were looking for a sea-level hotel, that was their first requirement. They wanted something secure, they like the quietness of the resort and it is spacious,” she added.

France is splashing out on the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa, an hour farther down the coast at Knysna, booking all its 78 suites boasting big-screen TVs, king-size beds, and terraces overlooking the Indian Ocean or the Knysna lagoon.

Denmark is based at the nearby Simola Golf and Country Estate, a similarly lavish resort with views of the lagoon and the surrounding hills.

Nigeria, Greece, Algeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast will also be scattered along the coast up to the port city of Durban, where they’ll all face the same challenge playing their matches at much higher altitudes.

Johannesburg sits at 1,750 metres (5,740 feet), and Pretoria at 1,200 metres (3,900 feet), but FIFA medical officials say the jump from sea level shouldn’t be a problem.

“This is not really an issue. We have discussed it, and the highest spot is Joburg and it is a region which doesn’t cause any health issues,” FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak told a press conference.

“Many of the teams, they have their preparation time also in Europe… where they are going to train approximately the same level as Joburg,” he added.

But other doctors say the altitude can cause players to fatigue faster, especially in the second half, even if they stay only briefly at high elevations.

“It does have an effect. They’re not going to be at the same level of other teams,” said Jon Patricios, a Johannesburg sports physician who consults for overseas teams.

The 22 teams based around Johannesburg will have adapted better to the altitude than those staying on the coast, he said.

“They’ll have trained, have more red blood cells, they’ll be able to carry more oxygen,” he said.

“The teams that live in altitude will have a slight advantage but it does not mean they’re going to win all the games,” he added.

On the other hand, teams on the coast will benefit from the milder temperatures, as Johannesburg dips toward freezing during winter, while lows in Knysna tend to stay around 10 degrees (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

“The climate conditions are more balanced and better than the freezing cold of the highveld,” said Pezula director Claus Martin.

“Many experts say that at an altitude of 1,600 metres, the difference of the altitude does not really matter, particularly if you’re not staying more than 48 hours,” he said.

“That will be the case, they’ll leave the day before and come back after the game.”