Race Report: South African Enduro Cup - Round 3 2022

For the first time ever, George Western Cape played host to a round of the South African Enduro Cup.

The Giant Witfontein Enduro 2022 would be the third and final round of the National Series. With overall titles on the line, 130 riders gathered from around the country. Many of whom having never ridden in George, unaware of the amazing trails that awaited them, built and maintained by local riders and the Hillbillies MTB Club.


First to roll out was the e-bikers for their Power Climb stage, which was a 350m steep tech climb up 'The Link' and straight back down. They then joined the rest of the field for Stages 1-5, which totalled 26km and 1000m climbing.

Stage 1: Sticks & Stones into Loam*Star - 2km long, 220m descent
The top half of this stage is what used to be part of an old SA National DH track. High speed with loose gravel in between, chunky rock gardens and doubles. Splitting into Loam*Star half way down, riders would have learned that there is not much loam remaining after recent fires, floods and harvesting. Thankfully, the rain which fell the night before made for some hero dirt.



Stage 2: Moondust down to Rock 'n Roll - 1.1km, 130m descent
It was on Rock 'n Roll where the previous night's rain was not kind on the riders. Already labeled the trickiest stage during practice the days before, things were taken to the next level with greasy mud smeared all over the steepest, jankiest rocks on the mountain.




Stage 3: Sampies Plunge all the way to Chigger - 1.2km, 140m descent
The slick roots and steep tight switchbacks on this stage took many victims.

Stage 4: Squamish & Fukushima - 1km, 80m descent
Built especially for the race this year, and duly named because of the adjacent cliffs and big rocks slabs, Squamish was an overwhelming favourite among the riders. A smooth flowing trail on the edge of the cliffs, leads you onto a dam wall crossing and then through a concrete playground resembling the nuclear ruins of Fukushima.


Stage 5: Fart Squirrel plus AC/DC - 1.3km, 200m descent
The climb to the final stage was a long, steep and chunky, and had majority of the field walking at some point. A wise tactic because what awaited the riders on the way down was no easy task. Flat drops into off-camber corners, rock gardens that resembled massive jig-saw puzzles and a few flat pedal sections that left the quads screaming.

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Riders from near and far were so stoked on the event. None of which would have been possible without the sponsors Giant Bicycles South Africa, Ride Life Bike Shop, Leatt and Ruwacon Construction.



Overall Men
1 - Keira Duncan | 15:06
2 - Wille van Eck | 15:23
3 - Jason Boulle | 15:32
4 - Philip van Schalkwyk | 15:41
5 - Johan van Zyl | 15:41

This is Keira Duncan's third win of the three-part SA Cup Series, with runner up Willie van Eck slotting consistently into second place for the overall.


Overall Women
1 - Frankie du Toit | 18:47
2 - Lillian Barber | 18:56
3 - Danika Botha | 20:53 (not pictured above)

The top three men and woman walked away with their share of 0.022 Bitcoin prize money.


Full Results: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1inqXiP1MIBbD9nFA-_WQLsDwnBYiE0xM/view
Course Previews: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgbsL9eK0b0/

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