nigelhicks

We have an Enduro series already - 2014 was the first year of the KZN Provincial Enduro Series (it was run under Mark Sydney who has stepped down and Dave has taken his place) ... We had 4 events - Cascades x2, Hammarsdale, and Giba. So Giba has actually had 2 Enduros already this year. We are currently in talks with a new venue for 2015 - so hold thumbs ... Keep an eye out for it on here as Dave and I will have dates and venues up as soon as the KZNMTB commission meet again and make a decision on venues. Dates are already set as far as i know and will come out when the calendar is released in a couple of weeks time.

Id say go and have a chat to the guys at Thaba Trails as there are a ton of guys who ride DH there - not sure of anything in the Pretoria area as Im sure Klapperkop hasnt been raced on in years! ... So get hold of the Thaba guys and they will point you in the right direction

Hey Craig I agree with you 100% and the Giba Gravity Enduro will still cater for everyone like this years one did. Dave and my goals as part of KZN MTB (Dave is in charge of Enduro and Im in charge of DH - but we help each other out all the time) is to grow Enduro and get people riding a discipline that is outside of Marathon and therefore help the sport grow. This is goal #1 ... HOWEVER - there are a number of riders who are looking for something slightly more challenging - and having a harder Enduro with restricted numbers will form another platform from which some riders may enter the DH ring ... It would not be a replacement to the current Giba event - just something outside of the local races to have some fun and get the riders who enter to properly test their skills on rough natural terrain.

very cool timelapse of them building the track

Yeah well done to TJ ... what a race! He dominated from the first turn

Domain has steel uppers compared to aluminium for the Boxxers Go for the Boxxers!

Found these pics http://www.gibagorge.co.za/giba-gravity-enduro-july-2014/ https://www.facebook.com/Kevin.Grant.Bender/media_set?set=a.10203139430984089&type=1

I dont know. Just know he got into crap - I think it was probably just for "reckless behavior"

Nope that is absolutely real. Riders name is Dave Watson. (you can see his name painted on the road below) They did this as part of one of the New World Disorder videos. He got into deep crap from the police though as he crashed when he landed and seperated his shoulder.

180mm rotor on the front at max! ... 160 rear is more than good enough 45 or 50mm stem with 750 bars! DONE

Hey dude - as mentioned before in this thread - the trail you are looking for is at the top of Gravity Dice on the Blue route. I know the DH is stuffed as they have felled the trees and the MX bikes have done some damage and it needs some TLC - so will be getting onto that soon - this track is generally not marked. The Enduro line which starts at the top of the DH but goes off the other side of the hill back into giba is new so should have been quite open. Will also go and check that. I will try and get Jethro to put up some signage for people. But stoked you turned left on the tar and gave them a go.

I heard they will be unveiling it at Mont St Anne

HAHAHHA classic. I suppose if you are not a local you could easily make that mistake. Dave and I can look at it and see what we can do to make it more identifyable. I have seen some sweet pics up on Facebook already. which were cool. Some good tumbles. Also I have loved some of the chirps from some people at the local bike shops especially this one from some dude. "Sh.t that was like riding down a full on World Cup DH track!" (I think that was in reference to Gravity Dice and Fern Hill ... hahahaha - That a World Cup track??? UMMM No ... that was tame in Enduro standards. So it got Dave and I thinking over the weekend about doing a 2nd Enduro late in the year - but using the PROPER Enduro trails that we have built at Giba ... and just put it out there are a "This is European-style" Enduro. ... just dont want to scare people off though - but would be cool to have a friss one and see how okes fare

Hi from France. Glad you all had fun. Makes all the planning well worth it. Thanks a million to Dave for filling in for me. Bummed I missed it.

No the g-out was in 2012 at Worlds - thats why he is in his SA kit ...

Then she gains another second just after the wallrides in those roots - and again through the "Stairs of Contrast" ... so I dont think it was Rachel being off pace - as she held on the flat piece - only loosing about 0.5 of a second because she cased both those big booters whereas Manon went around them. Id say it was won and lost in the man-made rocks and then the lower roots. where Manon was just more focused and held better speed

The bit with Manon vs Rach is very interesting Rach gains 2 seconds in the first 3 or 4 corners up top but holding better exit speed and not overbraking. THis margin stays about the same all the way up to 2:27 where they go into a man-made flat rock garden near the end of the flat section ... Rach has held her lead (maybe loosing 0.5 of a sec) but as she hits this rock garden she stuffs it up and looses speed. Manon on the other hand has a superb line on the right and carries more momentum through it and into the following section allowing her to gain the 2 seconds back on Rach almost instantaneously.

Yeah I know what you mean about the praise thing in your post above this one - I personally also would not expect praise if I was selected to race something and gave up because it rained. But then again I personally am at a different level to Hayley. So I would agree with you in you comment that she is praised and acknowledged for her passion and giving it a go ... She cant be praised for racing and doing well because she didnt - but again - only the top boys can be praised for this as the rest of the pros get pissed off when they come 20th. So they dont want praise. So the thing is WHAT do you praise ... and i think the praise should be given if there is the motivation to go and do what you want (XC, Marathon, or DH) to the best of your ability even if you know you are going to suck. ... As for the reading one or 2 posts and firing away ... I generally try and stay out of most duels on here as I couldnt be bothered with them ... but some (such as this discussion are pretty interesting and though provoking.) .. So no matter who said what to who I think that we just carry on regardless with the conversation about Gwin and the fact that he would have beaten everyone of us with no tyre! hahahah oh and ... BANG BANG http://www.johnjudy.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/yosemite-sam.jpg hahahaha

Ok well thats fine - I didnt see the spat you okes all had - and therefore I possibly read this differently ... Anyway ...

Hahaha ... I suppose thats what you get from multi-quoting. hahaha But yeah - you comment about each to their won its exactly it ... If you had the chance to race a marathon worlds event because you were selected - Im sure you would do it just because you could even though you know you would get thumped and would just be going for a finish. The feeling of reward is what I think pushes us in our own ways.

Ok I personally think you okes are missing something here 1. - Mr X - If you had the opportunity to race at a world cup ... Remember for you to be eligible to enter you have to have the prior dedication to go to all the Nationals - AND DO WELL! - just to amass the points needed to be eligible --- OR you do the Nationals - just dont make the cut but are selected by your Federation. If this was you - would you say "No I wont give it a go as I know full well I will out of my depth and will get smoked - so I'd rather not do it" Your comment about letting someone with future potential go in your place - would only be associated with World Champs as this is the only real time that riders with potential are selected by their national body. BUT in this instance - ONLY the TOP riders are selected based upon their UCI and National points classifications. So if you dont have the points you cant be selected (also if you dont have the points it shows you are not at the level to be selected) If you are selected to race a World Cup by your federation - this means you are an up and coming rider that the federation thinks will benefit from the exposure of being humiliated on track by the pros. Again you do not take away from anyone else who may have more potential as Federation spots are ONLY set aside for riders who are again at the top of the rankings but dont have the accrued UCI points to enter the event. Then as a privateer you need to have accrued the points (20) to be eligible to race in the event - remember that ANYONE with 20 UCI points to their name in the Junior or Elite Categories can race - you enter - you try and qualify and if you do - COOL ... So again - if you go and enter (once you have your points that is) you are NOT taking away from anyone else with more talent who may do better in the long run. So at this moment in time - Miss Earth is more than eligible to enter the events as she is the ONLY SA lady doing so and has done the prior events to allow her to race. Fine we may have Rika in CT and some other ladies - but they are not racing in Elites - so are not eligible ... thats their issue. ---- Ok - to Wyatt's comments Dude ... my replies are to the comments in bold. 1. Read my post to Mr X - I think people forget about the fact that there are only about 5 riders in each discipline who are always on top ... If you look at the riders further down the sheets - Has anyone heard of Lars Peyer??? I would think not - Who is he? ... well he is a World Cup racer ... he races fro Suspension Centre Intense (Because his dad owns Suspension Centre) ... and he places around 60 to 100th at most events - so often doesnt even qualify ... So does this mean he should not be on a team? Or his reasoning for racing be questioned? IMO .... NO ... he wants to race and has the points so thats fine. 2. Miss Earth was giving examples of how she thinks you can improve at any age given exposure to something - not having a whine that we are chooning her. I agree whit her - I got my Father-in-law into DH to up his hideous XC skills and he is now riding really well where he can now clear doubles ride rocks and drops etc .. so he has gained skill at the age of 50! so it is possible. 3. Yes I agree - we should not just sit around and say we "Cant" ... read Richards Bransons book "Screw it lets do it" - very good - As for being Honest with yourself - I agree again - but we only live once so who cares what others think - if you want to do something and try and get good at it - go for it! 4. Its is very unlikely that 90% of people will rise to the top of their respective fields in relation to the rest of the world - so knowing your limitations is key - but also knowing yourself i s even more important ... If you compete in something or work etc - and you push yourself to be the best you can be - you can only be happy. I always tell the guys and girls i coach that they need only race themselves and the clock ... NEVER their competitiors. If you gave 100% and you ended up 5th or 50th ... as long as you know in your heart and your head that you could not have gone any faster or harder. ... you have done brilliantly .... This is not to say that I applaud mediocrity - infact I dont - I think its a copout - but if you have pushed your limits and know you have within your ability - you are not mediocre! 5. The bit about praise dissappeared about 2 days ago - I think we can leave it in its grave Hope this is a good read. Cheers Nige

Ya totally no one actually knows what they want to do when they are 12 or so. I mean it was only when he was 17 that Gregs ballie sent him overseas to try his hand at racing as by that point he knew that was what he wanted to do. He wanted to race here before that and was always keen to win at age 15 or 16. but its just about the lightie riding at that age until he is 16 - get them racing at 13 at national level - but dont put any pressure on them to win - they must just have fun and do their best. This drives the passion and they start pushing themselves against their mates. (I know thats what happened with me ... I was always pissed off when Greg or someone else beat me. - but I was still happy if i knew i had given it my all). So then - if the lightie has the drive - you send him over to compete in the junior ranks - DONT wait till hes in elite - because then its too late - a couple of races in their school holidays in Europe will give them the focus to push harder - 2 seasons of that and they should be ready. --- As for Sam - that is dedication - but also remorse for letting down himself, his fans and his country when he was on such a good run and could have just backed off to make sure he would get the win and be safe. That feeling of knowing you were on a blinder and pull one out like Loic this weekend is devastating! (been there done that)

You need: 1x bakkie 1x willing driver 2x bikes (one for you ) And you are set. Being "coached" is good but there are not really a lot of guys around who would really do coaching. You need to hook up with the locals who ride (Duran and his mob) .. and ask if your lightie can ride with them now and again and you will shuttle them. That way he (and you) gets to learn from them just from riding with them

Its not really that difficult to learn what these guys do - as it is all self-confidence really. Its about having been mentored from the age of 12 or so to race and be precise and judge exactly whats happening around you and on the bike. Yes there is definitely an inherent quality that these guys have that would have set them above the rest before going on to the world stage and it is this skill that needs grooming. We all have the potential - but for us old farts we never had the same drive and structure that was afforded to these guys. We could have all been there if we had started like Greg did by going overseas at 17 for his first world cups .. So as we get older we become a little more nervous and therefore think we cant do stuff when actually we can - its just our brains saying (no you cant!) ...