A mere 15 km north of Pretoria, close to the Roodeplaat dam, MTB racers lined up for a bushveld MTB adventure at the Agricultural Research Council (ACR) Roodeplaat for King Price Trailseeker #3 Buffelsdrift 2022.
Due to the heavy rainfall the night before the event, a decision was made to shorten the various race distances. Extreme low-lying areas, which would have been saturated and too muddy to ride, were bypassed for the safety and enjoyment of the riders. The day dawned heavily overcast, but luckily the predicted rain never fell! And riders turned a muddy mountain bike experience that saw racers pedal through flooded streams and muddy trails into an exhilarating adventure.
We commend riders of all age categories, professional athletes, adventure cruisers, novices, veterans, school riders, masters and weekend warriors who weathered the elements and toed the start line on race day.
Joining the women’s elites and challenging some of South Africa’s strongest female riders, were Amy Wakefield and Samantha Sanders.
While this wasn’t her first time riding these particular trails, Wakefield secured her first-place title early on in the race and finished incredibly strong as she saw this race as preparation for SA Champs in the coming week. “Today was a lot of fun with all of the mud, I always enjoy a bit of a challenge. I got away on the first climb and just rode steady for the rest of the way. A good gauge of form and a little bit confident for SA Champs next week.” – Amy Wakefield
In the women’s marathon league, Samantha Sanders claimed 2nd place and Theresa Ralph, took 3rd. “It was muddy and technical, but super fun!” – Samantha Sanders
Cleating in at this morning’s startline were Marc Pritzen and Pieter Du Toit. Philip Buys was the one fighting for the victory in the Elite men’s batch, crossing the finish line a minute before second-place Pieter Du Toit and third-place titleholder, Marc Pritzen.
The marathon elites’ podium for King Price Trailseeker #3 Buffelsdrift 2022.
The awards ceremony was carried out, among the energetic vibe of supporters, racers and food and coffee booths. Riders relaxed across the grass area, proudly wearing their mud-splashed riding gear and socks, and a look of victory. Names of podium winners echoed through the audience and were met with cheers and claps of the King Price support crew. Champagne bottles were popped and medals were handed out — being the crown on the riders for completing the bushveld adventure!
Celebrating the champions across different age and race categories at Buffelsdrift 2022
The King Price Trailseeker Team is also very excited about the announcement that their events now form part of the official Provincial XCM Cup Series for Gauteng Province across all age categories! Not only is the King Price Trailseeker Series a great sequence of family-friendly events and the School Cycling South Africa (SCSA) Cross Country Marathon (XCM) Series… But!
For the competitive rider, it means you can now chase down an opportunity to earn your Provincial Colours in your respective age category at three of the King Price Trailseeker Series events. This event is pioneering and paving the route for a future generation of MTB athletes with its inclusion of young riders.
It was a successful day filled with hard work, muddy obstacles, and lots of FUN! Thanks to all our sponsors, riders and supporters living the #TrailLife with us!
The Faces Team looks forward to hosting and cheering you on at King Price Trailseeker #4 Legends MX, on June 25th 2022!
