You can always spot fellow King Price Trailseeker riders travelling to Sondela on a Friday afternoon. Everyone knows the vehicles loaded with bikes and/or off-road trailers are all headed to Sondela for a weekend of bushveld biking bliss. Already there is a sense of camaraderie even though the people in these vehicles are strangers.
The mad rush on a Friday to get the car packed, the bikes loaded, and the camping paraphernalia together is all worth it once you enter the Sondela gates and are greeted by friendly Sondela staff. Suddenly everything slows down. You drive at 30 km/h and drink in the bushveld landscape with hungry eyes. ‘You have arrived at your destination.’
Raceday dawned bright and clear, thankfully. We could not have asked for better weather. Not too hot or cold and not a cloud in the sky. Riders were lined up eager to register, and some were surprised with a free coffee by vida e cafè. The beautiful day buoyed everyone’s spirits.
Quickly all riders were out on the trails for a flat and fast dash around the Sondela bushveld trails. Riders were pleasantly surprised by a route that was virtually sand-free this year! The Sondela staff put in extra effort to remove excess sand from notoriously sandy sections within the Sondela boundary walls making the trails super fast and heaps of fun.
Results:
Elite Men: 70 km
- Marc Pritzen 2:25:55
- Wessel Botha 2:25:57
- Pieter du Toit 2:25:58
Elite Ladies: 70 km
- Amy McDougall 02:46
- Steph Wohlters 02:56
- Danielle Strydom 03:02
40 km Men:
- Philip Naude 01:15:54
- Nika Duffin 01:15:55
- Beon van Staden 01:15:56
40 km Ladies:
- Tarina Naude 01:26:25
- Zanri Grobbelaar 01:26:26
- Rachel Green 01:26:38
20 km Boys:
- Luke Duffin 00:41:34
- Jaco Aldum 00:41:36
- SJ Kemp 00:45:11
20 km Girls:
- Kylie Lerm 00:47:04
- Hannah Lansell 00:48:06
- Kyla Oosthuizen 00:48:42
Fantastic results! Red hot racing on lightning-fast trails made for an exhilarating race with the winners finishing mere seconds from one another! Thank you to every rider who came out to enjoyed the day with us.
The finish line vibe on the lush Sondela grass next to the swimming pool was super chilled, thanks to Beer and Barrel serving beer and gin on tap, while Tian Nienaber entertained us on stage.
The kids were kept busy with a whole range of activities, ensuring the parents lazed around the pool until late into the afternoon.
King Price Trailseeker #2 Sondela was another one for the books. We are already looking forward to next year 😉
But, for now, the last event in the 2022 King Price Trailseeker Series is lying in wait. Trail Meraki chasers, this is your last chance to earn Trail Meraki Status. #6 Wellington on 10 September at Bosman Family Vineyards will be a blast. Road trip, anyone?
