{"id":15485,"date":"2019-04-15T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2019\/04\/15\/sa-enduro-champ-keira-duncan-to-ride-kap-sani2c-with-his-84-year-old-grandfather-r7805\/"},"modified":"2023-02-08T05:24:05","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T05:24:05","slug":"sa-enduro-champ-keira-duncan-to-ride-kap-sani2c-with-his-84-year-old-grandfather-r7805","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/sa-enduro-champ-keira-duncan-to-ride-kap-sani2c-with-his-84-year-old-grandfather-r7805\/","title":{"rendered":"SA Enduro Champ Keira Duncan to ride KAP sani2c with his 84 year-old grandfather"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many KAP sani2c riders know the name Arthur Duncan from the 2018 event. Arthur, then aged 83, completed the tough 283 kms over three days at last year\u2019s sani2c Adventure edition, riding from Underberg to Scottburgh with his son-in law Stuart Watson. Arthur will be back for more in 2019, this time teamed up with his 18 year old grandson, who happens to be the Men\u2019s 2018 SA Enduro Champ Keira Duncan.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-62657-0-42282500-1555077713.jpg\"<\/a>Keira Duncan (18) and his grandfather (84), all set for the KAP sani2c 2019<\/span><\/p>\n

We asked the two about their riding careers and how they plan on tackling sani2c together, while getting some insights into riding sani2c as a team from the event\u2019s official coach, Johann Wykerd from Absolute Motion in Hilton, Kwa-Zulu Natal.<\/p>\n

The pair, entered as team PYGA Infiniti, live on an organic vegetable farm in the Karkloof just a stone\u2019s throw from the outstanding Karkloof MTB trails, and while Arthur is 84 years\u2019 old, he is an accomplished road and MTB cyclist, after he took up the sport in his sixties.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarlier this year I competed in the KZN Provincial Road and TT Championships winning both titles. In February I participated in the SA Road Championships winning a silver medal,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Modest about his achievements, this extraordinary \u201cgranddad\u201d says of riding sani2c again: \u201cAt my age I understand it is a hugely challenging event and an achievement for anyone to finish, so I know it is going to be a very tough three days. I am thrilled that my son-in-law Stuart will also be riding again, this year with his son, David, so we will have three generations on the bike at sani2c.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-62657-0-24189900-1555077711.jpg\"<\/a>Arthur at the 2018 sani2c finish, here with Farmer Glen (middle) and his riding partner and son-in-law Stuart Watson<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was lucky enough to ride the first six sani2c events, and coming back last year, it was wonderful to see how Farmer Glen has grown and improved the overall experience for the riders, the comfort and service offered at the race villages, how he has retained the same basic route to get us from the Drakensberg mountains to the sea, yet he has improved the course to make it an exciting and memorable event that should be on every mountain biker\u2019s bucket list.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keira Duncan has since 2015 racked up an impressive 36 age category wins, 30 top five overall podium results, and and an astounding 13 overall wins! He won last year\u2019s Kingdom Enduro in Lesotho and will be heading to Europe in June to take part in the 2019 Enduro World Series.<\/p>\n

As you might expect, although knowing that three days of challenging MTB riding is very different to his usual short sharp downhills, Keira is amped to get out on the sani2c trails: \u201cI will be getting myself onto a Stage bike from PYGA to pace myself on, and although it\u2019s almost the opposite of what I\u2019m used to riding, being a short, snappy, steep angled bike compared to my long travel, slack Enduro bike, I\u2019ll definitely still be able to do some skids and wheelies, having as much fun as I can. I look forward to pushing my \u2018distance limits\u2019 at the sani2c. It\u2019s going to be tough but a great challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ccs-62657-0-32445400-1555077706.jpg\"<\/a>Keira Duncan is the Men\u2019s SA Enduro Champ, see here on the Hakahana Trails in Gauteng<\/span><\/p>\n

Arthur Duncan trains twice a week with Absolute Motion so Johann Wykerd, sani2c official coach, knows him well: \u201cOlder athletes have a lot of endurance, but not the explosive power to get up and over steep technical features. Keira is a very good technical rider and super fit. Knowing Arthur he might feel he is holding Kiera back and might therefore push too hard at the start..\u2026so my advice to Kiera will be to get Arthur to lead from the word go and to encourage Arthur to ride his own pace.\u201d<\/p>\n

We asked Johan about team dynamics on a stage race event like sani2c: \u201cThis is in my opinion the most important aspect to having a good race. If partners are mismatched and either or both have aspirations to achieve a good result, this can be the longest three days of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ccs-62657-0-80538100-1555077708.jpg\"<\/a>Smiling faces on Day 2 says it all: Stuart Watson (left) with Arthur Duncan at last year\u2019s KAP sani2c<\/span><\/p>\n

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Johann\u2019s tips are:<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Make very sure both partners are totally honest with regards their aspirations\n<\/li>\n
  2. If you suffer, tell your partner\n<\/li>\n
  3. If your partner is having a bad day, put him\/her in front on the climbs and help him\/her on the flats\n<\/li>\n
  4. When one of the team is suffering communication needs to improve \u2026 the more you know of each other the more you can assist … often the stronger rider on day 1 will suffer on day 2\n<\/li>\n
  5. Be patient \u2026 no one wants to be the weaker partner, but it happens and there is nothing you can do about it. Making a scene will destroy any chance of enjoying the most iconic event in SA.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

    Johan will himself be doing his 5th sani2c this year: \u201cI did the first three sani2c events and then last year I did my 4th after a 10 year break. I have ridden my bike all over the world and have done all the large and popular stage races in South Africa. Nothing beats this event when it comes to fantastic hospitality \u2026 from the start to the end you feel like you are part of a very special family. Yes the trails are awesome, the food is amazing, everything is perfect \u2026 but the thing that really stands out for me is the sense of being part of something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Keira looks forward to making special memories with his grandfather:\u201cExtremely excited for the event. Definitely going to be an experience of a lifetime riding with my legendary grandfather!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Watch Keira shredding the trails on his home turf of Karkloof:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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