Some of South Africa’s top Enduro racers will ensure that the first ever Enduro event in the Limpopo province delivers high quality racing. Summperplace Game Reserve, a popular mountain biking destination will host the event, which doubles as Round 2 of the Gauteng Enduro Series, presented by Suzuki on Sunday 24 July 2022.
Winner of the first two rounds of the 2022 South African Enduro Series, Keira Duncan, of KwaZulu-Natal has confirmed he will be among the racers at the event, as will top Western Cape racer, Jason Boulle. Gauteng’s top Enduro racer, Sam Bull, will also make his first racing appearance of the 2022 season. Limpopo’s top male Enduro racer, Tyrone Anders, will also be in the overall podium hunt following some impressive finishes in other provinces this season.
In the women, local resident, Lilian Baber, runner-up at Round 2 of the SA Enduro Series, will be the clear favourite, while Gauteng’s top Enduro racer, Julia Kotze, may also line up, depending on the recovery of her fractured arm.
Round 1 of the 2022 Gauteng Enduro Series took place at Buffelsdrift, north of Pretoria on 15 May. The event doubled as Round 1 of the South African Enduro Series and attracted a strong field. With very limited gravity venues in Gauteng, the decision was made to host Round 2 at Summperplace Game Reserve, which is a 2-hour drive from Pretoria.
Summerplace Game Reserve has hosted two rounds of the SA XCO Cup (in 2021 and 2022) and has a growing network of mountain bike trails, built by landowner, David Baber, who is a mountain biker himself.
“We have used some of our existing descending trails for the Gauteng Series Enduro, but we have done a fair bit of work on adjusting some lines to make them a bit more flowy. We have a lot of rock here and I have incorporated that where relevant. We have also extended some of the trails onto what are smooth flowline type sections lower down to add some distance,” explained Baber.
There are seven stages on the race-day schedule – they are:
Stage 1 – Wild Olive
It’s the easiest of the stages with some rock rolls and rocky sections near the top, but mostly flowy. About 3min30sec average completion time.
Stage 2 – Hillsong
This is a brand new trail with some steep rock sections and flowing, flat corners. About 4min average completion time.
Stage 3 – Fired Earth
Cut into the mountain, this trail is fast with a few drops (rollable) and off-camber corners ending with a flow and jump section. About 4min average completion time.
Stage 4 – Drop to Gully
Starts with a rocky roll into the gully followed by a short uphill pedal section into a flowline with drops and jumps. About 4min average completion time.
Stage 5 – Summerflow
A short, fast and flowy stage with fun features. About 1min 30sec average completion time.
Stage 6 – Aloe
Starts off steep and rocky, then transitions into a flow section with drops and jumps. There is a pedal section to the finish at the river. About 6min average completion time.
Stage 7 – Rooibos
Rough and rocky down at first, then into a flow section with flat corners and features. About 4min average completion time.
The full Enduro will include all seven stages and the Lite Enduro will include Stages 1, 5 and 6.
In an effort to grow Enduro as a discipline in other provinces, the event will also be Round 1 of the 2022 Limpopo and North West Enduro Series, giving riders in those provinces a fresh challenge.
“With Enduro being a relatively new discipline on the CSA calendar, it is not cost effective for the smaller provinces to host a series on their own. They piggy back on the Gauteng Enduro Series, which kicked off last year,” said Paola Damilano, Cycling South Africa MTB Director and series organiser.
“Since Gauteng, North West and Limpopo riders are competing for standings on their own provincial logs and points towards colours selection, we will have podiums for each of these provinces as well as overall podiums.”
Summerplace Game Reserve has added two prizes valued at R17 648 each. Accommodation for two nights for up to 12 people at Summerhill (period limitations apply). These will go to the overall fastest male and female at the 2022 Summerplace Game Reserve Enduro.
The event will use the Send It Time pod system, which is used at all Gauteng Enduro Series events. The stages are currently open for pre-riding. Gauteng Cycling has organised a skills session with certified coaches on Saturday for those that want to improve their confidence ahead of Sunday’s racing. You can book here.
The entry deadline is Thursday 21 July. Entries must be done online here.
New for 2022 for Gauteng riders only, will be a Schools Log and Club Log, which will run throughout the Gauteng Series across both the Enduro and Lite events.
Suzuki is the presenting sponsor the 2022 Gauteng Enduro Series. Other brands that have invested in sponsoring the Gauteng Enduro Series are EcoLogic (bike wash products), 100% (eyewear products), 32GI (performance supplements), Med Guys (medical support) and SHRED (media partner).
For updates on this event and other gravity racing in Gauteng and surrounding provinces, join the Gauteng Cycling Gravity Telegram Group here.
For any other information contact Paola on 083 2523752 or paola.damilano@me.com
