On Saturday 21 June in the early hours of the morning, the KAP sani2c nonstop kicked off.
Silhouette: the magic of nonstop is a night sky full of stars and a spectacular sunrise on some of the best mountain bike trails in the country; trails that are only available during this event and the KAP sani2c 3-day event. Picture: Anthony Grote
This teamed mountain bike marathon event is a point-to-point endurance race with a 24-hour cut-off, starting at the base of the Sani Pass at 2 am and finishing on the shores of Scottburgh beach.
Covering a total distance of 256.9 kms, teams of two, three or four riders take on the race supported by a vehicle and driver, who connects with the team at a host of designated meet-up points.
While the bulk of the trails covered follow the route of the 21 year-old iconic mountain bike stage race KAP sani2c, this race is a different beast, focused on endurance and grit.
Riding through the night on spectacular singletracks and descending into the Umkomaas Valley as the sun rises, riders hope to arrive at the beach at Scottburgh before dark, but many don’t. The final finishing team took 22 hours to cover the distance.
Travis Stedman and Warren Moolman, Team Toyota Specialized Melon Mobile, took the win, finishing in a time of 11:25:14, bettering the previous record by over 47 minutes.
Kevin Benkenstein and Tyronne White, Team Benky Rides, were second in 11:55:31 and in third place was Team Grit And Grind (13:21:44), made up of Marc Adam and Paul Snyman.
The 2am start at Glencairn Farm in the southern Drakensberg, called for a layered approach to clothing, as temperatures dipped well below one digit. Picture: Anthony GroteThe iconic cabbage tree at the early part of the drop into the Umkomaas Valley has become synonymous with this spectacular trail that offers the thrill of the descent along with the most breathtaking scenery. Picture: Anthony GroteRyan Brooke, of team UNITRANS, heads down into the Umkomaas Valley with a big smile on his face. Team UNITRANS was the first team of four to finish the race. Picture: Anthony GroteAs riders reach the lower parts of the Umkomaas Valley, they head through the switchbacks of what is known as ‘Nick’s Pass’. Picture: Anthony GroteOnce at the base of the Umkomaas Valley, riders criss-cross the Umkomaas River on a host of floating bridges, before the tough climb out of the valley. Picture: Anthony GroteOnce at the base of the Umkomaas Valley, riders criss-cross the Umkomaas River on a host of floating bridges, before the tough climb out of the valley. Picture: Anthony GroteOwen Gandar manages a smile for the camera as he and teammates Paige Phillips and Lance Kime tackle the tough climb out of the Umkomaas Valley. Picture: Anthony GroteA warm meal at Mackenzie Club and Jolivet (traditionally the overnight race villages for the three-day sani2c event), and the provisions of the support driver, ensures a well-fuelled ride. Picture: Anthony Grote“I really loved the trails. I think these are some of the best trails around, and they are always well maintained when we get the opportunity to race them. The best part of the race for me was the first few hours of riding in the dark. It was just a new and amazing experience for me, flying through the trees on singletrack in the dark. It felt like you had tunnel vision because you could only see what your light was shining on, which was a really cool experience. I love an epic ride, and this is certainly one of them.” – Warren Moolman. Picture: Anthony GroteTeam selfies at numerous checkpoints is a hallmark of a sani2c nonstop race. Picture: Anthony Grote
