Organisers and participants in the highly successful Paddavlei Enduro, held outside Glencoe on Saturday, have been left in shock after rider  Scott Buist  (26) passed away unexpectedly in Newcastle hospital on Sunday.

The South Coast rider suffered a severely broken wrist when he crashed during the first round of the Motorsport South Africa Liquorland National Enduro Championship.

Scott competed in the Clubmans Class and was transported to Mediclinic Newcastle by ambulance along with two other injured riders, where he underwent successful surgery.

Tragedy struck in the early hours of Sunday morning when Buist suddenly stopped breathing and died moments later.

The Howzit South Coast website reported that last year he lost both his parents and fiancé in a car accident. He had travelled to the national championship race with his late fiancé’s parents, Mike and Debbie Berry, whom he’d become extremely close with in the wake of their shared heartbreak.

Mike said they were stunned and devastated when they were informed of Scott’ss death just hours after seeing him in good spirits post-surgery.

“It was a total shock to us and the whole South Coast community,” Mike told eHowzit. Paddevlei Enduro Club and WFO Enduro Club, the joint organisers of Saturday’s race, said they are extremely saddened by the news of Buist’s death and expressed their sincere condolences to his loved ones.