SMILES, SUNSHINE & SATISFACTION AT GLACIER STORMS RIVER TRAVERSE

The Glacier Storms River Traverse featured the best run of weather in the race’s 14-year history for the 2024 edition. Stages 1 and 2, on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 August, boasted sunshine and clear skies – before a cold drizzle brought the race to its conclusion on Sunday, 11 August. The showers did little to dampen spirits however, as the 180 analogue and e-bikers enjoyed the classically muddy Tsitsikamma trails.

“Today was my favourite stage, because of the mud!” Megan Scribante, who won the women’s team competition alongside Nicola Freitas, laughed. “It’s been a great event – the riding, the food, and the whole vibe – I’ve really loved it. It might be my first team stage race, but I had the best partner too. I’d have to speak to my family, but I think we’ll be back next year and I’d like to ride the Glacier Storms River Traverse with my father-in-law.”

“If my mom gets an e-bike I think we’d be able to ride it together next year,” Freitas added. “The routes aren’t too technical so it’s very ridable for most people and it would be great to do it with my mom.”

While the women’s winners are keen to return in 2025 with their families there were already many couples riding together in 2024. The Mixed Category, both in the e-bike and traditional bike divisions, were well populated by husbands and wives. This meant that the race village was also bustling with young riders on balance bikes, first-pedal bikes with training wheels, and little mountain bikes. To keep them entertained the Storms River NPC hosted forest hikes and the Dryland Event Management team led outrides to the edge of the Storms River Village to enable the children to ride the final kilometre with their parents.

Families crossing the line together is part of the event’s charm. As is its all-inclusive spirit. Naledi Fodo and Precious Dimba took part in their first stage race as a team, with Dimba making her mountain bike event debut. The pair rode e-bikes, which was also a first for them, and grew in confidence through the three days.

“The mechanics loosened my pedal clips a bit this morning, so I didn’t fall over every time I stopped today,” Fodo grinned. “We were so well looked after and were made to feel part of the family. It’s so lovely to be welcomed like old friends, despite being newbies.”

A Glacier Storms River Traverse old hand is e-bike champion Anel Strampe (main image). In 2023 Strampe crossed the finish line first on all three days, defeating all the solo men and men’s teams in the process. This year she misjudged her Stage 1 efforts, running out of battery power on the 3 kilometre climb out of the Storms River Valley. Then on Stage 2 she suffered a mechanical, but was still able to win the stage. On the final day she crossed the line first, and took the general classification victory with the fastest time overall across the three days.

Strampe topped the solo women’s e-bike podium too. Paul Andries de Vos was the fastest of the solo men’s e-bikers, while the MTB Goats, Paul Serrao and Eckhard Visser, won the men’s team race. Cobus Potgieter and Midee Buizer, of Potties, were the best Mixed Team while Liezel van Niekerk and Herman Hattingh were the top solo woman and man, respectively. #Sheovita’s Freitas and Scribante were crowned women’s team champions to round out the 2024 Glacier Storms River Traverse.

Mountain biking fans can recap on the action from the event by liking the Storms River Traverse Facebook page, or following @stormsrivertraverse on Instagram, more information can be found at www.stormsrivertraverse.co.za.

2024 Glacier Storms River Traverse Results

Women’s Teams General Classification | After Stage 3:

1. #Sheovita: Nicola Freitas & Megan Scribante (6:53:59)
2. Swans Agrofors: Yolande & Chantel de Villiers (7:26:01)
3. Skud Skud Daai Bene: Iliska Verwey & Tanja Schutte (8:21:00)

Men’s Teams General Classification | After Stage 3:

1. MTB Goats: Paul Serrao & Eckhard Visser (7:00:17)
2. Not Here To Find Spiders: Roelof Schutte & Janos Kaszas (7:32:43)
3. Double Trouble: Jacques Steenkamp & Marais Pienaar (8:05:22)

Mixed Teams General Classification | After Stage 3:

1. Potties: Cobus Potgieter & Midee Buizer (7:30:13)
2. Chemchamp Africa: Biance Bekker & Daniel Tenner (7:53:56)
3. Invicta Mixed: Gerhard Luther Hattingh & Elizma Kock (7:58:31)

Solo Women General Classification | After Stage 3:

1. Liezel van Niekerk (8:31:02)
2. Brigitte Aubery (10:34:46)
3. Tanya Hill (11:23:50)

Solo Men General Classification | After Stage 3:

1. Herman Hattingh (6:40:40)
2. Hardus Jansen van Rensburg (6:40:57)
3. JN Smit (6:44:25)

Solo Women’s e-bike | After Stage 3:

1. Anel Strampe (5:38:28)
2. Ciske Turner (6:46:37)
3. Wendy Coetzer (9:22:55)

Solo Men’s e-bike | After Stage 3:

1. Paul Andries de Vos (5:42:22)
2. David Schalk Pienaar (7:29:29)
3. Roy Hirsch (7:46:44)

For the full results from the 2024 Glacier Storms River Traverse, click here.