www.doitnow.co.za • 1

inGEAR: Words & photos by Jason Bailey

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.

TrAnS BAviAAnS

TeSTS endurAnce BoundArieS

Pre-race jitters before the 10am start.

2 • DO IT NOW DIGITAL | August 2012_#10

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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.

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.

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.

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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 single-

cycle 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.

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.

For more information on this incredibleevent go to www.transbaviaans.co.za

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