The second round of the 2016 SA Cross Country Motorcycle and Quad Championship, the SACC Battlefields Race, takes place from May 6-7 from and around Battlefields Country Lodge.
Spectators will be treated to rubbing shoulders with riders from all over the country as well as competitors from KZN as the event is also the second round of the KwaZulu-Natal Regional and Club Championships for juniors and seniors.
All eyes on KZN competitors
Many eyes will be on local KZN competitors who took an early lead in the championships and they might feel the pressure to perform in front of their ‘home’ crowd. Michael Pentecost (from Durban) and his Proudly Bidvest Yamaha team-mate, Brett Swanepoel (from Ballito) are leading the OR1 (Open) and OR3 (200cc) Championships in the motorcycle category.
They will be chased by Brother Leader Tread KTM team-mates, Ross Branch (OR1) and Jarryd Coetzee (OR3) while the defending OR1 champion, Kenny Gilbert (Kargo Racing Husqvarna), who is from Pietermaritzburg, will aim to move up from his third place in OR1.
OR3 is packed with young talent like the current High School Champion, Eduan Bester (KTM Centurion Liqui Moly Racing) currently fifth, but eager to show what he is capable of. Darren Macleod (D&H Engineering Works Yamaha) is third, but not safe from the hunting pack behind him.
In OR2 (250cc), the 2015 runner-up Jaycee Nienaber (D&H Engineering Works Yamaha) leads a class where anything can happen. The defending champion, Louw Schmidt (Brother Leader Tread KTM) had a bad start to the season and will hope for a podium position to better his current 11th place.

The SACC Battlefields Race will also form the second round of the National Junior Off-road Championship where a Junior and Senior 85cc Class will be available for motorcycle riders.

The Pietermaritzburg enduro rider, Bruce May (Agrisales Peak Yamaha Racing) might feel comfortable at this ‘close’ race and will aim for another podium position in the Senior Class where he trails Wynand Kleynhans (Yamaha) who is second and newcomer, Warrick van Schalkwyk (Yamaha) who leads the class, but they will all have to watch out for the defending champion, Juan van Rooyen (Brother Leader Tread KTM) who is tenth in the class after a problematic start, but he is sure to go for glory at Dundee.
Another ‘local’ KZN rider, Denzil Torlage (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) might be a multiple SA National Enduro Champion, but he has a fight on his hands in the Master Class Championship where he is sixth after the first round. This class is being led by two more multiple off-road champs, Wayne Farmer (Doorzone Bikers Warehouse Husqvarna) and Pieter Holl (KTM) while the defending champion, Ian Venter (KTM Centurion Liqui Moly Racing) is just one point behind.
Taye Perry (KTM) is a favourite in the Ladies Class while the battle between the younger riders and the more experienced competitors in the 125cc Class, will continue at Dundee where the experienced Izak Mans (Droomers Yamaha) leads the scholar, Michael Glöckle (D&H Engineering Works Yamaha).
The SACC Battlefields Race will also form the second round of the National Junior Off-road Championship where a Junior and Senior 85cc Class will be available for motorcycle riders.

All the action will take place from the Battlefields Country Lodge and Sports Resort where the start/finish and central service point will be.

Like the KZN Regional and Club entrants, these competitors will not participate in the Time Trial on Friday, May 6.
SACC Battlefields Race competitors will do a 50km Time-Trial on Friday to determine the start order for Saturday. On Saturday, May 7 the racing action starts at 7am when the leading quad will tackle the 100km loop that includes an unassisted fuel stop. The motorcycle brigade will start behind the last quad on a different loop. They will complete 300 kilometres on Saturday. The northern loop heads from the Battlefields Country Lodge and Sports Resort towards Ngisana and back over various hills, through river crossings, dry riverbeds and open grass fields while the eastern loop will take riders mostly over open grass fields in the direction of Malonjeni and back.
All the action will take place from the Battlefields Country Lodge and Sports Resort where the start/finish and central service point will be.
There will be a variety of refreshments from various food stalls at the resort during the weekend. Spectators can follow the racing on both days from various good vantage points on the loops.