Only the diehards dare to tackle the Roof

December 4th is set to be the start of Africa’s most famous hard enduro – Roof Of Africa 2014 – Lesotho’s House Of Pain in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
This year’s race is set to be the toughest to date. The race was fully subscribed for local racers – only a few places are left for international athletes. Some big names are scheduled to participate – Husqvarna South Africa has confirmed that Graham Jarvis will be defending his 2013 Roof crown and we have inside news on a few internationals who are coming. Affirmation of all of these is the manufacturers concern.

In the interim, here are some interesting facts and figures about Africa’s most famous extreme enduro…
The Roof of Africa off-road race started in 1967, although bikes first raced in 1969, so as far as bikes are concerned this is the 45th consecutive event. There are not many motorcycle racing events of any kind that are this old. The TT on the Isle of Man is one, and the Baja down in Mexico another. There are probably one or two others like the ISDE and the Six Days Trial in the UK. Even including the few we have forgotten, or don’t know about in the first place, the Roof is approaching its half century, which is really something.
It takes tough men (and sometimes women) to race in the Roof, but it also takes a tough band of men and women to organise it every year. Lesotho, with its spectacular mountain terrain and sparse population, is the main feature that makes the event what it is. Except for roads to towns around the perimeter of the country and one or two across the lowlands, the rest of it is linked by goat tracks, footpaths and twisty dirt roads. The Lesotho pony or donkey is still the most common local form of transport in the interior of the country.

Here are some statistics that tell the Roof story in 2014:
Competitors from other countries outside Africa – remember all South Africans are international riders in Lesotho – 36 to date.
Prize money: R180 000
Spectators in 2013 – approximately 3 000 excluding locals
Money generated into the Lesotho economy – over R15 million.
Longest roof ever – 1985 – 1 250 kilometres
Shortest Roof – 2013 – 250 kilometres
Kilometres ridden to plot 2014 route – 800 – 1 000
Kilometres walked to plot and mark  the route – 300
People involved in finding and marking 2014 route – 10
Officials and volunteers working on the 2014 Roof – 150
Number of nationalities taking part this year – 15
Tins of paint used to mark 2014 – 150
Furthest travelled – Japan and New Zealand
Closest competitor – Lesotho 15km
Youngest riders to ever finish the Roof – Symm Grobler came third at 16 years of age (500 class ’77); Wade Young 16 (winner ’12); Frans Czepeck 16; Alex Vowles 16
Different brands 2014 – 10
Which brand has won the most number of times – KTM 25
Which brand has won the least?  – Suzuki, Husaberg, Husqvarna with one each
Biggest capacity bike ever officially raced – Honda 750/4 1978
Smallest bike to ever finish the Roof – 50cc Kreidler by Neil Crammond (but time barred)
Highest altitude ever raced at in the Roof –  3 000m above sea level
Number of motorcycle competitors entered since 1969 – more than 11 500
First ATV (Honda 3-wheeler) – Willie Wheelan in 1981
How many Basothos have won the Roof – two namely Patrick Andrews (bikes) and Ashley Thorn (cars)
Who has won on two and four wheels – Malcolm Smith
Followers on Twitter 2014 – 4 000 plus
Longest sponsor – Lesotho Sun – since 1984  – that’s 30 years!
Who has been lost for the longest? We don’t know, a couple of them from different years are still out there, so it depends on who gets back first.

Previous winners
First international winner Malcolm Smith – 1975
1969/70 – Barry Broady (RSA) – Honda
1971/72 – Roy Lindley (RSA) – Yamaha
1973/74 – Duncan Barson (RSA) – Yamaha
1975 – Malcolm Smith (USA) – KTM
1976 – Kenny Skjoldhammer – KTM
1977 – Robbie Wicks – RSA – KTM
1978/81 – Elio Andreoletti – RSA – KTM
1979 – Barry Falconer – RSA – KTM
1980 – Martin Jones – RSA – Honda
1982 – Stuart Beattie – RSA – Yamaha
1983 – Kevin Rodgers – RSA – KTM
1984 – Neil Woolridge – RSA – Kawasaki
1985 – Murray Watt – Australia – KTM
1986 – Willie Ireland – RSA – KTM
1987 – Jurgen Mayer – Germany – KTM
1988/89/90/91/93/94/95/97/2001 – Alfie Cox – RSA – Kawasaki
1992 – Patrick Andrews – Lesotho – Kawasaki
1996/2004 – Darryl Curtis – RSA – KTM
1999 – Elmer Symons – RSA – Honda
2000 – Clayton Enslin – RSA – KTM
2002 – Elmer Symons – RSA – KTM
2003 – Jade Gutzeit – RSA -KTM
2005/06/07 – Louwrens Mahoney – RSA – Yamaha/KTMYamaha
2008/09/10 – Chris Birch – New Zealand – KTM
2011/13 – Graham Jarvis – Great Britain – Husaberg/Husqvarna
2012 – Wade Young – RSA – Yamaha.

For more info visit: www.roofofafrica.info or www.facebook.com/groups/roofofafrica