Helderberg – Duran van Eeden took out the win in Round One of the SRAM Gravity Enduro Series presented by YT Industries on Sunday 5 June 2016. Van Eeden – who is the head trail builder on the Helderberg Trails, where Round One was run – outclassed Theo Erlangsen and Darryn Stow for the overall win with a combined quickest time of 00:14:35.
The event consisted of four liaisons and four timed stages, with a total ascent of 1290m for some 990m of descent. 85 gravity riders lined up on the day, which started out at a chilly five degrees Celcius, but later heated up in the comfortable low 20’s – perfect for bike riding – and four great Enduro stages followed.
Photo: Ewald Sadie
It was a perfect, clear winters day in the Western Cape, with the usual amazing view of the whole False Bay, towards Table Mountain. The line-up even attracted the likes of since-retired multiple world Xterra champ, Conrad Stoltz (who finished last due to a puncture).
“It was an awesome day!” Commented a visibly ecstatic Van Eeden after the event. “I got to ride my favourite trail and I didn’t crash,” he joked.
According to Van Eeden he was very stoked on the win, but the biggest highlight of the day for him was seeing his friends enjoying the trails and obstacles he’d been building
“It kind of made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside,” he said.
The SRAM Gravity Enduro Series presented by YT Industries is a four-race series, with the next event taking place on the Jonkershoek trails outside Stellenbosch on 31 July.
“A big thanks to SRAM, YT Industries SA, Holdfast, Alpinestars, The Bike Park and all the families that watched the adrenaline junkies have fun on the mountain today,” said organiser Riaan du Preez from WP Gravity Enduro, of the very successful first event.
“Thanks also to Pieter Henning for helping out with the timing and giving us a new way to look at enduro events,” Du Preez concluded.
RESULTS
SRAM GRAVITY ENDURO SERIES PRESENTED BY YT INDUSTRIES #1
1 Duran Van Eeden 00:14:35
2 Theo Erlangsen 00:14:41
3 Darryn Stow 00:15:05
Source: Jazz Kuschke
