Rider's Brief | #3 Van Gaalen 06 June 2026
Welcome to the Ford Trailseeker Series, where mountain biking meets wide open trails, big scenery, and honest adventure. This Rider’s Guide includes everything you need to know to arrive prepared, confident, and ready to ride.
PRE-REGISTRATION
There will be a pre registration taking place on Friday 05 June from 09:00 until 17:00 at Lynnwood Cyclery
Pre-registration consists of checking and scanning your Pursuit timing board. The upside to attending pre-reg the day before your race is that you are fast-tracked through the express lane, no queuing on race day! If you are unable to attend Friday’s pre-registration, you can still register on the morning of the race.
RACE DAY INFORMATION
Please note:
No late entries will be accepted.
EMERGENCY INFO
- 066 247 2123
In case of an Emergency
In case of an emergency during the race, please contact the race organisers immediately on the official emergency number. Please save this number to your phone before race day.
VENUE
A dedicated Wahoo warm-up zone and holding area will be next to the start batches.
- All schools & clubs must set up their gazebos on Friday between 09:00 and 16:00. Please phone the race office for any queries at 012 012 5205 or get in touch on our WhatsApp line at 060 747 8286
- Seattle Coffee will be there for a fresh cup of coffee first thing in the morning to get you going.
- When you cross the finish line, you can look forward to toasting your ride with an icy Powerade!
- There will be a bikewash available from Karcher for free.
- Delicious food and drink vendors will be on-site, so come hungry.
- Prize Giving at 12:00
START TIMES
Please arrive at least 40 mins before your start time.
Please note: Starting in a batch earlier than the one allocated to you will result in disqualification. Starting in a batch later than your allocated batch, will not lead to disqualification, but your time may reflect incorrectly. View the rules here: https://trailseeker.co.za/mtb/ts-rules/
MARATHON
Batch | Distance | Start |
Elite Men | Marathon | 8:00 |
Elite Woman | Marathon | 8:03 |
A-Men | Marathon | 8:08 |
A-Woman | Marathon | 8:11 |
B | Marathon | 8:16 |
C | Marathon | 8:21 |
half MARATHON
Batch | Distance | Start |
E-bikes A | Half Marathon | 7:30 |
A-Men | Half Marathon | 9:20 |
GrandMaster Men | Half Marathon | 9:22 |
A-Woman | Half Marathon | 9:25 |
B | Half Marathon | 9:30 |
C | Half Marathon | 9:35 |
D | Half Marathon | 9:40 |
E | Half Marathon | 9:45 |
F | Half Marathon | 9:50 |
G | Half Marathon | 9:55 |
E-Bike B | Half Marathon | 10:25 |
half MARATHON SHORT
Batch | Distance | Start |
A-Men | Short Race | 10:30 |
A-Woman | Short Race | 10:35 |
B | Short Race | 10:40 |
C | Short Race | 10:45 |
D | Short Race | 10:50 |
E | Short Race | 10:55 |
F | Short Race | 11:00 |
G | Short Race | 11:05 |
FUN RIDE
Batch | Distance | Start |
A | Fun Ride | 11:10 |
B | Fun Ride | 11:15 |
ROUTE PROFILES
MARATHON | 67.7KM
HALF MARATHON | 39.5KM
HALF MARATHON SHORT | 19.2KM
FUN RIDE | 10.2KM
RACE RESULTS & PRIZE GIVING
Unofficial race results will be posted live online during the event. Final official results will be published on the Ford Trailseeker Series website within 24 hours of the race conclusion.
ELITE LICENSING AND BATCHES
To be eligible for the overall prize money, you must hold a valid Elite license from CSA. If you’re not already licensed, you can purchase one through CSA.
Elite riders are only eligible for overall prizes, while age-category riders are only eligible for age-category prizes. If you choose to race as an Elite, you will not be allowed to move down to age categories later in the season.
The Elite men and women will race in separate batches, while age-category contenders will start in Batches A-D.
ELITE SERIES LEADERBOARD
This year, a new points system has been introduced for elite marathon men and women at Ford Trailseeker. All non-elite riders continue to compete under the standard series leaderboard points system, which remains unchanged across all distances and categories.
For elites, every race now counts. There is no best four from six, just consistent racing across all six events. Points are awarded based purely on finishing position, with only the top 20 scoring at each race.
SERIES LEADERBOARD
All riders outside of the elite men and women compete under the standard Ford Trailseeker Series Leaderboard Points System. This system remains unchanged and applies to all distances and categories.
The Series Leaderboard allows riders to track their progress and compare their performance against others throughout the season. Rankings are based on points accumulated across events and are specific to distance and gender.
Your best four results will contribute to your standing on the Ford Trailseeker Series leaderboard. The leaderboard will be updated after each event and can be viewed on our website.
Distance | Name | Points |
Elite Men | Marc Pritzen | 70 |
Elite Woman | Vera Looser | 62 |
Marathon Men | Roland Risi | 5,182 |
Marathon Woman | Jenny Ronngren | 4,000 |
Half Marathon Men | Liam Barnard | 6,927 |
Half Marathon Woman | Nika Nortje | 8,000 |
Half Marathon Short Men | Stephan van der Merwe | 5,223 |
Half Marathon Short Woman | Nico-Maré Olivier | 5,279 |
Track your rider.
LIVE ON THE TRAILS.
Follow every kilometre, from start to finish.
Thank you for being a part of the Ford Trailseeker Series. We wish you an incredible race filled with excitement and personal achievement. Ride safe, have fun, and we’ll see you on the trails.
