Howick – Whilst snorkels and goggles wouldn’t have been out of place it was mountain bikes instead that the near sixty participants in Saturday’s Stihl Karkloof Enduro, event two of the 2013 Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival, made use of as they circulated as best they could on the exceptionally wet and muddy course.
Hayden Brown (Varsity College) claimed a hard fought, narrow victory in the Stihl Karkloof Enduro on day two of the 2013 Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival.
Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media
With consistent rain having fallen since Friday a reworked course was implemented by race organisers and, whilst the majority took to the revised route with having fun as their sole focus and making it back home in one piece, Varsity College’s Hayden Brown overcame the elements best and managed to string together two consistently fast sectors to claim victory.
“Ah man, that was such awesome fun!” exclaimed Brown afterwards. “The flat sections were completely unrideable it was so wet and muddy but overall it was great!”
“I’ve been training hard for the downhill season so I came into the race pretty confident I could do it so I’m definitely chuffed with the win but I’m even more stoked I was able to have a really good time out there!
“It was my first ever enduro and I couldn’t wait to give it a go. Enduro is very different to downhill. It’s not as technical as downhill but if you can get your pedaling and flow going then that’s when I think you can be competitive.
The former Karkloof and Howick resident, now studying a Bachelor of Arts: Corporate Communications at Varsity College in Pretoria, lapped up the opportunity to return to a race that is close to his heart, albeit in very different circumstances to what he had imagined.
“Obviously with all the rain having fallen over the past couple of days I knew it was going to be very slippery out there today but I never quite expected it to be that wet, especially on the second run.
“It got so hectic on the flat sections that you had to get off your bike and initially I tried to push it but the mud was just so thick I eventually had to just put it on my shoulder and portage it to the next downhill section.
“It was great to be able to come take part in the festival whilst I’m on holiday, especially having lived in Karkloof before.
Gert Heyns put in a remarkable second sector, finishing almost a minute quicker than the rest of the field on that run however it was too little too late from Heyns and Brown’s first run which saw him destroyed the rest of the field in the opening sector handed Brown the win, leaving Heyns to settle for second place whilst Friday evening’s Peri Night Race winner Patrick Belton (Team Jeep) claimed third.
Team Jeep’s Patrick Belton overcame tough conditions to claim third place in the Stihl Karkloof Enduro on day two of the 2013 Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival.
Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media
Coffeeberry Momsen competitor Natalie Bergstrom was the only female to battle the elements successfully as her three other female riders fell by the wayside as the contest went on, leaving Bergstrom to claim a comfortable yet no less impressive victory.
“We were having such a great time out there on that first lap. The Gauntlet is such a great section and it was a great challenge first time around,” said Bergstrom.
“It was just such a pity it go as muddy as it did on the second lap, together with me having destroyed my gears at the end of the first lap after a bit of a tumble, leaving me to battle the tough conditions with just one gear second time around.
Leading KZN female mountain biker Natalie Bergstrom (Coffeeberry Momsen) negotiates her way through the tough Gauntlet section of the Stihl Karkloof Enduro on day two of the 2013 Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival.
Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media
With the festival’s first two events under the belt the vast majority of the massive 2500 plus field will be gearing up for Sunday’s highly anticipated events.
Sunday 21 April, day three of the 2013 Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival, sees action get underway at 07h30 when the festival’s feature race, the Sappi 60km Karkloof Classic commences and is followed by the aQuellé 40km Half Marathon, aQuellé 20km Family Ride and aQuellé 10km Kids Ride.
More info can also be found at www.karkloofmtb.co.za
A muddy, saturated track greeted the brave few who took part in the Stihl Karkloof Enduro on day two of the 2013 Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival.
Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media
SUMMARY OF RESULTS – SAPPI KARKLOOF CLASSIC MTB FESTIVAL
STIHL KARKLOOF ENDURO
Overall
1.Hayden Brown 21.01
2.Gert Heyns 21.04
3.Patrick Belton 24.17
4.Marthinus Esmeyer 30.48
5.Lee Penderis 32.42
6.Francois Ferreira 34.55
7.Leeroy Emslie 35.19
8.Christopher Pearton 37.42
9.Bradley Rowlett 37.59
10.Michael Hay 38.14
Women
1.Natalie Bergstrom 49.17
