Howick \u2013 On paper she may be considered \u2018past her prime\u2019 when it comes to being able to compete at the top any longer however for the \u2018pocket rocket\u2019 Natalie Bergstorm age is simply a number and the regular top performer in races both in KwaZulu-Natal and around the country is out to prove she still has what it takes to continue her winning ways when she tackles this year\u2019s Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival from 19-21 April at Karkloof Country Club.<\/p>\n
Having claimed the women\u2019s category of the inaugural Quattro ROAG Series in 2012 and being a big fan of the annual three day spectacle, Bergstrom (Coffeeberry Momsen) wasted little time in getting her entry in for this year\u2019s event and eagerly preparing for a bumper mountain biking weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been training hard, I’m ready and I\u2019m going to win,\u201d said a confident and excited Bergstrom. \u201cWell that\u2019s the plan anyway!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be up there on both Saturday, for the enduro, and Sunday, for the Sappi 60km Karkloof Classic and I\u2019m sure it\u2019s going to be a great weekend once again.<\/p>\n
With plenty of experience on the Karkloof trails, a new training regime and diet and the bravery and determination of a Jack Russell, Bergstrom\u2019s fellow top female competitors won\u2019t be under any illusions as to what to expect from the gritty North Coast performer.<\/p>\n
Top women’s performer Natalie Bergstrom (Coffeeberry Momsen) will be out to do well in both the Sappi 60km Karkloof Classic and the Stihl Karkloof Classic when she takes to the trails at the Sappi Karkloof Classic MTB Festival from 19-21 April.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Chris van Lennep\/ Gameplan Media<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the 60km race I\u2019ll go out there and look to enjoy myself the whole way but it should be a really good race for the women\u2019s title, especially now that the race is part of the ROAG Series.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll probably look to try put some pressure on the others from the get go if I can but its 60km so it\u2019s quite a way and it will probably be quite a tactical race too.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though I do most of my races at Cascades in Pietermaritzburg I enjoy the Karkloof area a lot. The challenge of the pretty gnarly climbs, the great single track, the technical last stretch through the endure course and the couple super fast sections too \u2013 it\u2019s got it all.<\/p>\n Despite Bergstrom\u2019s primary focus for the weekend being on Sunday\u2019s 60km event she will be a lady on a mission on Saturday afternoon as well when she looks to reclaim the women\u2019s title in the recently introduced Stihl Karkloof Enduro race which she claimed in 2012.<\/p>\n \u201cEnduro racing is still pretty new in KZN. We had the one at the All Africa Challenge and at Karkloof last year, plus we did one at the Cycle Fest at Cascades at the start of this year, but that’s it so far.<\/p>\n \u201cI really enjoy it though. Not having a downhill bike my poor mountain bike takes a bit of a pounding but for an adrenalin junkie like me it such a cool opportunity to get a taste of downhill without having to sail through the air with my wheels meters off the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m also quite technically minded so I really do enjoy the style of racing enduro requires and I hope a couple more women will start to try it.<\/p>\n \u201cI won the women\u2019s section of last year\u2019s Karkloof endure and I will definitely be back again this year to try defend my title!<\/p>\n With the Joberg2C just around the corner, an event she will tackle with Coffeeberry Momsen team mate and popular KZN MTB personality Con Malherbe, Bergstrom has plenty of kilometers in her legs at the moment and will be hoping for another solid weekend all round at this year\u2019s festival.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Masters World Championships in Pietermaritzburg in August is definitely my focus this year. I want that jersey so badly! But things like the ROAG Series \u2013 which the Karkloof Classic is a part of \u2013 nationals and a heap of other races are all still certainly on the calendar for me as well.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Facebook page (Karkloof Mountain Bike Club<\/a>) or on Twitter (@KarkloofMTB<\/a>).<\/p>\n