The fourth and final round of the 2021 Sox Footwear Enduro Series takes place at Grootfontein Pretoria on Sunday and the competition will be fierce for both the event and the series podium spots as the season reaches its finale. The event incorporates some new lines as well as two blind stages for some variety.
Round 1 of the series took place at Grootfontein over seven stages, but the organisers have added two blind stages for Round 4, for a total of eight stages that will test the riders’ stamina as well as skill. Blind stages are as pure Enduro as you can get, which adds a fresh perspective to the event.
The stages for Sunday’s event are as follows:
Enduro / Sports Class / E-Bikes : 8 Stages
Stage 1 – Enduro Line #1
Stage 2 – Enduro Line #3
Stage 3 – Enduro Line #9
Stage 4 – Enduro Line #4
Stage 5 – Enduro Line #5
Stage 6 – Enduro Line #7
Stage 7 – Blind Stage
Stage 8 – Blind Stage
Sprogs / Nippers / Lite : 4 Stages
Stage 1 – Enduro Line #1
Stage 2 – Enduro Line #3
Stage 5 – Enduro Line #5 (NB – note change made from #9)
Stage 7 – Blind Stage
“Stages 7 & 8 are brand new lines that will be revealed on Race Day and will be ridden blind, in true Enduro style. All obstacles will be rollable and there will be no gap jumps or huge drops that could catch out riders,” said event organiser, Paola Damilano.
Sam Bull has won all three rounds of the Series so far and will be eager to complete a clean sweep on Sunday. But he’ll have to contend with a field that’s growing in depth in a province that’s rapidly embracing Enduro as a racing discipline. His recent bronze medal at the South African Championships though confirm he’s among the best in the country still so expect him to be difficult to beat.
The likes of Chris Pearton (Sub-Veteran), who designed the course and was overall runner-up at Round 1, will be someone to watch as will Mpumalanga Enduro Series champion, Willie van Eck, who was runner-up at Round 2. Francois Theron (Sub-Veteran), runner-up at Round 3, is also likely to be snappy on the low-risk trails, while other potential overall podium contenders include Anru Botha, Matteo Damilano (Under-23) and Ryan van der Spuy (Veteran men).
Julia Kotze missed Round 1 but won Rounds 2 and 3 and will be keen to seal the overall series win in the women’s category. Round 1 winner, Lauriesian Brett (Junior) is on the pre-entry list, as is rising star, Tahane Ehlers (Youth) from Limpopo. Both sure to feature in the overall podium battle as well as that of their respective age categories.
The weather forecast predicts rain on already damp ground, which should suit the more experienced riders. Entry is online only and closes at midnight on Friday 3 December 2021. Racing starts at 08h00 on Sunday. Entry is via the Cycling South Africa portal here or via the CSA app.
For more information, join the Gauteng Cycling Gravity Group on Telegram, here; or contact Paola Damilano on 0832523752 or paola.damilano@me.com
