Howick – As the number of days to the biggest mountain bike festival counts down to single figures, cycling enthusiasts from as seven of the country’s nine provinces have added their names to the rapidly growing list of entries for the Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival, which takes place at Karkloof Country Club from 19-21 April.
Whilst some of the province’s top elite stars such as Andrew Hill (TIB Insurance) and Natalie Bergstrom (Coffeeberry Momsen) are busy preparing to challenge for this year’s highly sought-after men’s and women’s titles, thousands of recreational riders from almost every corner of the country are preparing for what promises to be another three days of classic non-stop cycling action, excitement and adventure.
Riders of all ages, sizes and abilities will soon head for the Karkloof region, just outside Howick, to tackle the plethora of events on this year’s schedule with rare opportunities such as Friday night’s Peri Night Race, Saturday’s Stihl Karkloof Enduro and the host of family-friendly and slightly more advanced events on Sunday seeing riders from the Western and Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Free State all set to join the locally based MTB fanatics for the event.
Entries are rolling in from around the country for the various events scheduled to take place at this year’s Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival from 19-21 April at Karkloof Country Club.
Impi Concept Events/ Gameplan Media
Former Springbok and Sharks rugby player Jeremy Thompson, a regular top performer at the event and huge fan of the festival, is just one of the many colourful and widely recognised faces set to take part in the weekend’s adventure.
Thompson, having been the first veteran home and finishing just outside the top 20 in 2012, will undoubtedly be hoping to once again push his often far younger fellow competitors throughout the 60km Sappi Karkloof Classic course on Sunday 21 April.
Masters World BMX champion in her age group, single speed MTB enthusiast and recent Dusi Canoe Marathon finisher Sharlene McGilvray is another sparkling personality busy gearing up for this year’s festival.
The Pietermaritzburg based cycling star is known countrywide for her weird, wacky, yet oh so wonderful hairstyles that regularly contain a multitude of bright and funky colours and patterns.
With her crowd stopping hairstyle firmly tucked beneath her helmet McGilvray will be one of the thousands of cyclists firmly focused on having a great time out on course and lapping up all the thrills and spills that hugely popular Karkloof trails have to offer.
Mountain bikers preparing for this year’s Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival will once again have the opportunity to take part a numerous different events, such as Friday evening’s Peri Night Race and Saturday’s Stihl Karkloof Enduro, when the festival takes take place from 19-21 April at Karkloof Country Club.
Jetline Action Photo/ Gameplan Media
Cam Schoeman and Damon Stamp may well be another two familiar names to the Maritzburg region due to their sublime paddling abilities. The two canoeists will however temporarily trade in their kayaks for mountain bikes next weekend as they too eagerly look forward to taking part in the festivities.
The Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival takes place from 19-21 April at Karkloof Country Club. Riders and spectators alike can stay up to speed with all the news and developments via the event’s Facebook page (Karkloof Mountain Bike Club) or on Twitter (@KarkloofMTB). More info can also be found at www.karkloofmtb.co.za
