Survival spirit keeps Ballito biker Brett Swanepoel going at Roof of Africa race

Ballito’s Brett Swanepoel braved broken bones and record temperatures on his way to third overall at the treacherous Roof of Africa bike race at the beginning of the month.

The race is known as ‘the mother of hard enduro’ for good reason and takes riders through barely marked tracks across Lesotho’s mountaintops and troughs.

It was Swanepoel’s tenth Roof and he entered in hot form after claiming the South African E2 enduro and KwaZulu-Natal cross-country championships earlier this year.

But no amount of experience or technical know-how could prepare the Ballito rider for what was to come.

“It was without doubt the hardest Roof I’ve ever done… it was good,” laughed Swanepoel.

He qualified in first position through the time trial but would lose 25 minutes following an electrical issue.

“That was a tough way to start because I felt so good and then had to go off from the back of the pack,” he said.

“So of course I was going fast to try and catch up time when I felt something catch my left foot and yank it back. I knew instantly it was broken.”

A scan would later reveal multiple broken bones in the foot.

Nevertheless, after laying down for a few minutes and composing himself, Swanepoel hopped back on his bike and took off in search of first place.

He had started to find his rhythm again when things further unravelled.

“I had accepted the foot and wasn’t paying it too much attention to it when I had a head-on collision with an adventure biker coming down the route the wrong way.”

He was largely unhurt but lost more time fixing his bike.

Remarkably, Swanepoel still crossed the line in 8:14.48, good enough for third place.

“I realised I had wasted too much energy on day one and was finished, but so was everyone else. It was so technical this year that we spent eight hours out there – normally it’s five or six.”

The final on day two became more about strategy and race management than speed.

“Honestly, my main thought was just that I needed to survive the day and I would be in with a shot. Only 12 Gold riders (the highest level of competition) finished this year, that’s really low.”

In a long but mostly uneventful day, Swanepoel finished in 9:02.01 to claim third on the day and third overall behind eight-time winner Wade Young and Matthew Green.

“I’m absolutely stoked with the result after everything. It feels like a win this time but I will definitely be back next year and as long as I still enjoy it.”
Scholtz finishes at first attempt

At the other end of the Roof spectrum, riders in the Iron category deserve huge plaudits just for crossing the finish line.

Ballito’s Cobus Scholtz was one such finisher this year and he managed to do so in his first organised race.

“I have been riding in Glendale for eight or so years but never properly raced. I think I agreed to the Roof when someone suggested it after I had had one too many!” said Scholtz.

“Ja no, it’s definitely one and done for me.”

Scholtz plays his skills down but he is clearly a strong rider, as are all who finish the Roof.

“I thought ‘hell this is easy’ after the first stretch… and then I hit the mountains.”

Scholtz said he felt the days were both bipolar, with the first starting easy and ending hard and day two offering the reverse.

He finished day one in 5:55.

“The main thing that got to us was the 35-degree heat. I’m a big guy and the heat just takes it out of you.”

Waking up with a sore body, Scholtz was greeted by the aforementioned tricky start to day two.

“It was really, really tough until we got to the first stop. A friend told me to toughen up and stick with it and it was actually an easy last bit to finish.”

“I’m a little bit embarrassed by how overwhelming it felt to finish and a little proud too.”

Scholtz was joined by a number of Glendale riders to finish this year, including Simon Peacock among others.

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