DO IT NOW Magazine article 22-08-12

inGEAR:

Words & photos by Jason Bailey

Pre-race jitters before the 10am start.

Trans s n aa i Bav undaries o B e c n a r u d n E Tests With the sport of mountain biking now being the most popular discipline of choice for South Africa’s cycling community, more and more events are springing up all over the country. Be it single day or multi-stage events, local mountain bikers are certainly spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing events these days.

But interwoven between the more mainstream races are various extreme events, some even achieving cult status among the hardy, off-road biking community. The ASG Trans Baviaans MTB Marathon certainly fits this description, and has become a 'must-do' event amongst elite and social riders alike.

The Trans Baviaans MTB Marathon is a 230 km race over dirt roads between Willowmore and Jeffreys Bay that caters for riders of all levels. Starting in the Klein Karoo town of Willowmore, the route takes in the breathtaking Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve and finishes in the surf-mecca of Jeffreys Bay. The varying terrain and surroundings provide the participant with the best that the 'Adventure Province' has to offer. From gravel mountain passes to river crossings; arid terrain to the quaint citrus towns of Hankey and Patensie: the Trans Baviaans MTB Marathon could certainly be considered as a de facto tour of the region on two wheels.

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Starting at 10 a.m. outside Willowmore's town hall, participants have 24 hours to complete the 230 km journey in teams of either two, three or four. The mid-morning start is intentional: to ensure that all participants complete at least some of the route under the cover of darkness, thus adding to the allure and adventure of the journey. So while the front runners will only experience an hour or so of night riding, the vast majority of the field spends at least a few hours in the dark.

Each participant must therefore have their own cycle-specific lighting, which is collected at one of the checkpoints along the route.

Good lighting is also essential for safety and navigation through the farmlands leading to the Eastern Cape coast. It is not uncommon to see riders with headlamps attached to their helmets in addition to the standard handlebar-mounted lights. A basic medical kit and space blanket are also mandatory items to be carried throughout the race.

Riding the Trans Baviaans requires reliable backup, with each team having a support driver who provides refreshments and extra clothing at two specific checkpoints in the latter half of the race.

All the other checkpoints are manned solely by the organisers.

Boxes are supplied to each team, in which to store their lighting and/or sustenance, and these boxes are sent to each checkpoint in advance, to prevent unnecessary traffic on the route.

The leading riders can normally expect to be on the bike for around nine hours, thus finishing around 7 p.m. Winning times have varied over the years due to weather conditions and the resultant erosive effects on the route. In fact, the 2011 edition featured an altered route due to flooding, which made parts of the Baviaanskloof unsuitable for cycling.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 1. The 10am start allows the riders ample time to prepare 2. A recurring site in the Eastern Cape, owing to the recent heavy rains 3. The calm before the storm at the Hadleigh chekcpoint 4. Checkpoint 5: the first time that the riders meet their support crews 5. The mixed pair of Jurie Krige and Jo Muller, on their off-road tandem 6. This Cape Town team has twenty Trans Baviaans finishes between them.

The 2012 edition was held in ideal conditions, albeit with a chilly start in Willowmore.

Temperatures rose later in the day, resulting in a warmer than usual race day where some competitors even experienced mild sunburn, a rare occurrence at the Trans Baviaans.

The organisers, Ecobound MTB Events, decided to change the seconding rules this year, requiring all support vehicles to only rendezvous with their respective riders from the Hadleigh checkpoint onwards. In the past, the first 20 entries were allowed to have their seconding vehicle follow them through the Baviaanskloof, but this had resulted in instances of vehicle breakdowns owing to the rugged terrain and frequent river crossings.

With the recent heavy rains in the area, there were no less than 25 river crossings, with some riders losing their balance and falling into the icy waters of the Gamtoos River. Sock changes and the intake of hot beverages were therefore the order of the day at the Zuurbron checkpoint at 203 km.

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This year’s event was won by the Team Coimbra Cycles pairing of Marcel Deacon and Vickus Boshoff, in a very fast time of 08:48. The favorable conditions included a tailwind for the remaining 60 km into Jeffreys Bay, which the Port Elizabeth-based duo used to their advantage. Team Aurecon finished in second place in a shade over nine hours.

An unfortunate incident involving 2011 champions Geddan Ruddock and Timo Cooper put paid to the Western Cape pair's hopes of defending their title. After unintentionally missing the second checkpoint, Ruddock and Cooper cycled a full 5 km uphill before realising their mistake.

Good sportsmanship prevailed and they decided to turn around and return to the missed point, losing a large chunk of time and adding an extra 10 km to their day's labor. They did however decide to retire from the event at the 176 km mark, to save themselves for their upcoming race schedule.

Andrea von Holdt and Hilana Marais of Team Merrell dominated the ladies race, finishing almost an hour ahead their nearest competitors.

An interesting pairing was that of Jurie Krige and Jo Muller, riding a specially-designed, off-road tandem.

Not to be outdone by their more conventional singlecycle counterparts, the EuropCar mixed duo impressed with their top 12 finishing position.

A steady stream of cyclists made their way into Jeffreys Bay throughout the night and well into the early hours of Sunday morning, both exhausted and elated from their journey. Kudos to the last team across the line, Thinus Muller and Dewald Hattingh, who were out there for almost the full 24 hours.

The ASG Trans Baviaans MTB Marathon certainly epitomises camaraderie and sportsmanship. There is something to be said about spending upwards of half a day on your bicycle with a group of friends. Whether you are a 'racing snake' or simply there to finish, the Trans Baviaans experience will stay with you and certainly enhance your perspective of endurance boundaries.

DINfo box i For more information on this incredible event go to www.transbaviaans.co.za

èRelated article:

• Racing the Freedom Challenge (dinDIGITAL, July 2012) • joBerg2c Reignites my Mojo (dinDIGITAL, July 2012) • The Triple Challenge (p. 78, Aug/Sept Issue #18)

1. The 400 teams ready to go 2. Teams from all over SA converge on Willowmore to experience the Transbaviaans 3. Finishers continue to cross the finsih line in Jeffrey's Bay throughout the night 4.The finishing marquee: a sight for sore eyes.

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