Willie van Eck and Zandri Strydom, the 2021 Mpumalanga Enduro Series champions, have confirmed they will kick off their respective title defences at Round 1 of the 2022 Mpumalanga Enduro Series at Tranquilitas, Waterval Boven on Saturday 12 March.
The 21-year-old Van Eck, a former XCO specialist, raced the entire 2021 Mpumalanga Enduro Series on borrowed enduro-appropriate bikes as he ‘gave Enduro a go’ in a year disrupted by government lockdowns. He was a podium finisher at most of the rounds, winning a couple in the process and has now been drafted into the Organic Athlete gravity racing team.
“I’m really grateful to Justin Victor and everyone involved in big and small ways in the Organic Athlete team, which ensures I have a really great bike, a Pyga Slackline, and all the appropriate gear and race support,” said Van Eck, who is eager to get the gravity racing season underway.
“We are racing Downhill in Pietermaritzburg this weekend, which is exciting, and I’m looking forward to racing at the superb venues in the Mpumalanga Enduro Series. I have ridden the Tranquilitas trails before and I feel it’s the ideal venue to start the 2022 Mpumalanga Enduro Series,” said Van Eck.
“Tranquilitas is perfect for those new to Enduro as the trails are not that technical. But the runs are quite long – between 5 and 7 minutes – which should give the conditioned racers an advantage. I’ve been working on my fitness and hope to have some smooth runs and a good start to the series,” he added.
Tranquilitas is only a three-hour drive from Pretoria and Joburg, so is expected to attract a strong Gauteng contingent, in addition to the growing Mpumalanga Enduro racing community.
After a year of Enduro-racing success, including dominant victories at two rounds of the 2021 SA Enduro Cup, Strydom has shifted her focus from XCO racing to gravity and is now a member of the star-studded Commencal South Africa racing team. She will be the clear favourite on a course that will suit fitter riders.
“In Mpumalanga we have some of the best gravity trails in the country. We’re excited to be presenting a series that uses five super venues and expect to build on the success of last year’s series, which was unfortunately affected by lockdown restrictions,” said Schalk Potas of Trail Awareness Crew, the organisers of the Mpumalanga Enduro Series.
At Tranquilitas there will be five race runs for the Full Enduro and three for the Lite. There’s a mixture and hand-built and machine-cut trails, all created by trails maestro, Glenn Harrison, which are mostly wide and flowing and ideal for all levels of rider.
“The surfaces higher up at Tranquilitas are quite loose when they’re dry, so traction management is key. But because those top sections are higher than 2000m above sea level, there’s normally morning mist that adds moisture and makes the trails more grippy. And don’t underestimate the altitude – it can catch you off-guard, especially on the longer runs,” explained Potas.
Round 2 will be held on new lines in Lydenberg, while Rounds 3, 4 and 5 will be at established gravity trails venues, MTO, White River; Trailworx, Nelspruit and York, Sabie. Those doing the final round will be able to race the Mpumalanga Champs the following day. Round 4 doubles as the 2022 South African Enduro Championships as well as an Enduro World Series qualifying round.
Mpumalanga Enduro Series 2022:
12 March – Tranquilitas, Waterval Boven
7 May – Gustav Klingbiel, Lydenberg
18 June – MTO, White River
17 September – Trailworx, Nelspruit (SA Enduro Champs & EWS Qualifyier)
29 October – York, Sabie
30 October – Safcol, Sabie (Mpumalanga Champs)
For more information or to enter Round 1 online, click here.
