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Sani2c 2015


Gringo

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Sani2c Adventure renamed “Super Group2C”

 

In an announcement which came as no surprise to riders present at the 2015 Sani2c Adventure, the popular three-day mountain bike race has handed over naming rights to one of the logistics partners.

 

“We want to call the Adventure what it truly is, a corporate entertainment event for our customers, many of whom have had bicycles hanging in their garages for years but never had an opportunity to ride them,” said Super Group spokesman Rooi Gevaar.

 

Many Super Groupians (not to be confused with Sufferlandrians) caused outrage and havoc at the 2015 Sani2C Adventure with their lack of fitness and technical prowess.

 

Despite MC Max Cluer instructing the rest of the field to drop to later batches if they were unsure of their abilities, this was clearly not an option for the 80-plus riders on day two, which started with the fast, flowing Umkomaas Descent.

 

To ensure excellent corporate photographs for the Super Group boardroom, the bunch of red devils started together in D Batch for day two regardless of their time from the previous day. This also ensured the safety of the rest of the field as they had no opportunity to go full gas down the valley.

 

“It is unfortunate that despite being a leading transport logistics and mobility group, we are unable to help our riders with the technical aspects of the Sani2C, such as the Umkomaas Descent or the subsequent climb up Nando’s Hill,” Gevaar said. “However Super Group will be sponsoring a set of brake pads to all riders in the 2016 event so look out for that in the goody bags.”

 

Contrary to rumours that one has to be a retired and broke Protea’s cricketer with a paunch to be selected for the Super Group team, Gevaar said requirements were simple: “You just need to have a friend of a friend who works for us.”

Amen sister.

 

Packing the front end of the field with corporate riders way out of their depth is completely against the ethos of the event.

 

Mr Joe Public was given dire warnings of 3 hour penalties if he/she dared to start ahead of their seeding but the rooi gevaar was welcomed into the front regardless of how slow they were.

 

Piss poor in my opinion.

 

It was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect event.

 

Personally I'd prefer to finish at the school (if I had to nit pick).

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*snip*

 

Contrary to rumours that one has to be a retired and broke Protea’s cricketer with a paunch to be selected for the Super Group team, Gevaar said requirements were simple: “You just need to have a friend of a friend who works for us.

 

Lol, i have a direct friend that works for them, guess it's time to start working on 2016  :clap:

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My wife and I did our fourth Sani Adventure, and I can honestly say it is a special event. Here's my positive, negative and general feedback of the overall experience:

 

New Registration/Start Venue

- great improvement from the school

- ample parking

- excellent drop-and-go system on the morning of the start

- just wish I'd known Nando's was closing at 3pm on the day of registration (got there at 2.30pm and was more concerned about checking bikes than eating chicken burgers)

 

On the bike

- Despite all the panic about GPS, I wonder if Farmer Glen owns shares in EasyBike? Except for two spots on day 3, most of the course was still tapped-off or sign-posted or still had markings from last year. Maybe they're just easing us into GPS?

- The route conditions this year were the best I've experienced. It was dry and fast. But the skill sets where we ride (M/N batch) are especially varied for contrasting reasons:- fitness, climbing, descending, technical, or any combination thereof. The queues at the water bridges on day 1 and day 3, and at numerous single tracks but especially going down the Umkomaas on day 2, bear testimony to this. And the flow of the earlier starting batches largely impacts on how the later starting batches experience the track. I think Farmer Glen ought to re-consider the flow for the whole field when deciding to allow lesser skilled corporate entrants to leapfrog greater skilled paying entrants in a starting batch just because of the colour of their sponsored tops. 

- Day 2 got especially hot for us at the back of the field, and folks around me (including myself) were suffering big time. A young lady was flown out by chopper. She didn't look good at all and hope she's okay now. I had more than enough water, but I didn't have enough electrolytes and I almost quit about 6 km's before Nando's. I was shivering in 35 degree heat, but thanks to my wife's encouragement I limped on to Nando's. And then with a Rehydrate from Team 1072 after Nando's (thanks again guys!), we limped home in over 9 hours. So whilst I'd been obsessed with managing my sugar-levels all day (Type 1 diabetes), I'd forgotten to replenish my electrolytes (probably from day 1 and then in the heat of day 2). MAJOR lesson learnt!!   

 

Off the bike

- MacKenzie is a well-oiled machine that works well for a temporary facility. All consistently good.

- Jolivet gets a massive thumbs up. Both the ablution and massive dinning facilities. A bold move from Farmer Glen (I think he's bought the farm and made a fairly substantive investment in infrastructure). The box loading on the tennis court also worked very well. PS: Loved the pork sausage for breakfast! 

- One small gripe would be the coffee bands. I did enjoy two great cappuccinos each evening, but the queues in the morning were (understandably) very slow. Yes, it takes a bit longer to make proper coffee.

- I wish my medal had a year stamp on it. More for sentimental reasons than anything else.

- All the water points are superb. If I could make one small request, it would be for some form of protein at WP1 D1 and WP1 D2. All the others did have (e.g. eggs, wors, vienna sausages, chicken nuggets, mayo). For some of us slow back markers this is our lunch, as I've yet to have anything other than supper at MacKenzie or Jolivet.

 

Overall, I'd say the overall standard has improved. The ride itself can't get any better. And Jolivet gets a massive thumbs-up.   

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First Sani. Had a great ride, no falls my front derailer gave me issues on day 2 and died completely on day 3. Rode the whole way in the big ring. 1x11 here I come.

 

I was impressed with the setup of the event. On the last day with the reverse start one arrives to a ghost town, little disconcerting as you begin to imagine you have missed the start!

 

I had a blast, worked very hard to keep up with a stronger but very experienced partner, finished 50th. Ye ha. Made the A batch.

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Sani2c was great again, enjoyed the riding & the whole vibe, despite my partner pulling out halfway through day 2 due to illness, don't think the heat (I heard mention of 37 degrees C) was helping him - I filled up my Camelbak & bottle at WP1 and still almost didn't have enough fluid to last to Nandos WP.

 

Didn't enjoy the floating bridge this year: 30 minute wait to get on it, had to stop at twice once on the bridge, and then it was moving so much with the wind (at the finish of the Adventure) that I took a dive into the lagoon once on the narrow last section & lost my prescription cycling glasses & GPS; the chap who fell just in front of me also lost his glasses so I imagine it was an expensive fall for lots of us who ran out of talent. In hindsight, all those people who walked the last narrow bit (and caused the delays) may have been on to something as I saw quite a few guys come short.

 

Only other gripe is that the Nandos burger at registration was quite light on chicken...

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@flymango - you looked sore, but man I was super impressed that you finished in the way you did !

 

I was half broken on day 1 and completely broken on day 2. I had to dig deep. Thought it was my sugars but later realised it was electrolytes. Actually think it's been my problem the last few weeks. Definitely didn't train enough, but it shouldn't have been that tough. I'm going to have it checked out this week.   

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I was half broken on day 1 and completely broken on day 2. I had to dig deep. Thought it was my sugars but later realised it was electrolytes. Actually think it's been my problem the last few weeks. Definitely didn't train enough, but it shouldn't have been that tough. I'm going to have it checked out this week.   

go look at the highlights package on the website for day one. I like your comments about beer as opposed to the juice bottle as refreshments. The Mrs just laughing in the background !

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In previous years we did the Trail & Adventure. My partner decided last minute that she wants to do the sani again so we entered a bit late and could only get an entry for the race, we were nervous.

 

However, what I can say is that with our last sani trail we toggled between A and B batches and still waited at some places down umko and floating bridges etc. Because of the strong field in the race, we started way more back in one of the middle batches on the first day and thought to ourselves here we go again, bottleneck etc. When the gun went off we could immediately recognize the skill & fitness levels of the riders were in another league. From the 1st days mid batch we had no bottles necks, no waiting. From there we climbed 4 batches for day 2 and moved like hell through Umko, nando's etc. Day 3 climbed one more batch and started full blast from the gun.

 

What I can say is that the "race" was much better than expected and very flowing right through. The riders we much more polite and professional and nobody shouted or shoved on the single tracks, everyone apologized if the might have made a misjudgment call etc. it was really awesome and our best sani ever.

 

One thing is that I think the trails we're a bit more damaged/corrugated after the J2c, trail & adventure riders past through them, it was very bumpy IMO to say the least. There should've been more ladies toilets at Jolivet and maybe they can upgrade them too sometime, according to the missus.

 

All and all, an excellent event and we didn't even bother about the clothes because we are there for the ride and experience. The new start was great as well.

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In previous years we did the Trail & Adventure. My partner decided last minute that she wants to do the sani again so we entered a bit late and could only get an entry for the race, we were nervous.

 

However, what I can say is that with our last sani trail we toggled between A and B batches and still waited at some places down umko and floating bridges etc. Because of the strong field in the race, we started way more back in one of the middle batches on the first day and thought to ourselves here we go again, bottleneck etc. When the gun went off we could immediately recognize the skill & fitness levels of the riders were in another league. From the 1st days mid batch we had no bottles necks, no waiting. From there we climbed 4 batches for day 2 and moved like hell through Umko, nando's etc. Day 3 climbed one more batch and started full blast from the gun.

 

What I can say is that the "race" was much better than expected and very flowing right through. The riders we much more polite and professional and nobody shouted or shoved on the single tracks, everyone apologized if the might have made a misjudgment call etc. it was really awesome and our best sani ever.

 

One thing is that I think the trails we're a bit more damaged/corrugated after the J2c, trail & adventure riders past through them, it was very bumpy IMO to say the least. There should've been more ladies toilets at Jolivet and maybe they can upgrade them too sometime, according to the missus.

 

All and all, an excellent event and we didn't even bother about the clothes because we are there for the ride and experience. The new start was great as well.

You're not supposed to tell everyone, it's a secret![emoji6]
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go look at the highlights package on the website for day one. I like your comments about beer as opposed to the juice bottle as refreshments. The Mrs just laughing in the background !

:ph34r:

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In previous years we did the Trail & Adventure. My partner decided last minute that she wants to do the sani again so we entered a bit late and could only get an entry for the race, we were nervous.

 

However, what I can say is that with our last sani trail we toggled between A and B batches and still waited at some places down umko and floating bridges etc. Because of the strong field in the race, we started way more back in one of the middle batches on the first day and thought to ourselves here we go again, bottleneck etc. When the gun went off we could immediately recognize the skill & fitness levels of the riders were in another league. From the 1st days mid batch we had no bottles necks, no waiting. From there we climbed 4 batches for day 2 and moved like hell through Umko, nando's etc. Day 3 climbed one more batch and started full blast from the gun.

 

What I can say is that the "race" was much better than expected and very flowing right through. The riders we much more polite and professional and nobody shouted or shoved on the single tracks, everyone apologized if the might have made a misjudgment call etc. it was really awesome and our best sani ever.

 

One thing is that I think the trails we're a bit more damaged/corrugated after the J2c, trail & adventure riders past through them, it was very bumpy IMO to say the least. There should've been more ladies toilets at Jolivet and maybe they can upgrade them too sometime, according to the missus.

 

All and all, an excellent event and we didn't even bother about the clothes because we are there for the ride and experience. The new start was great as well.

We only got an entry 6 weeks prior and had to make do with the Race.  Didn't do any seeding races (Enduro's don't count...I think they actually should) so started day 1 in N batch.

 

Strategy was to hurt ourselves day 1 to get into the more skilled batches and despite the 15 minute wait at the PG Bison bridge we made a 4:30 flat and moved up to J batch.  Must say, with the dual track we only got held up at Googs a bit behind slower riders.  Other than that we usually hit the descents first and could let rip.  It was pretty awesome riding. 

 

One gripe from day 1 was the unannounced earlier start.  Saw quite a few teams literally run to the start and just jump on and go with the gun, sans water bottles and nutrition.  Start was supposed to be 10am and we kicked off at 9:30.

 

Day 2 everyone that had ridden before told us to just ride till your eyes bleed to get to the Umko ahead of your batch.  So that's what we did.  All the dual track leading to the Umko was epic.  Could just let go and figured we're in for some flying.  Then we hit the Umko and I'd be suprised if we managed an average speed of 10km/h all the way down.

 

We had managed to catch up the back markers from I and well, they were plain aweful.  I don't care being called an a-hole, but what I saw there was laughable.  You pay R6 000 for the entry, R50k for your bike and you can't be arsed to go and attend a R300 skills course so that you can ride a switchback and not have an episode every time you see a rock.  I told my partner right there that the sani2c will never see me again as I saw the bad side of corporate events right there.

 

But then we got out and at WP 1 I had a little chat to myself about growing up and we set off again, figuring it's over and done so just get on with it.  To my surprise the rest of day 2 was filled with rad trails and descents so we ended up having a blast regardless.  For some reason we had escaped the Umko warriors and had most of the descents to ourselves thereafter.

 

Managed a 5:52 on day 2 so moved up to H batch for day 3.

 

On day 3 it was crazy how big the difference in skill was just from I and J.  People were flying on the singletrack, climbing was fluid and the pace was pretty frantic.

 

We were wanred that a wait at the flowing bridge in Scotburgh could bugger our time so we again tried our best to keep it flatbox, but with about 20km to go I was hanging on to my partner's wheel for dear life.  Don't remember much after that until we reached the lagoon.

 

To our relief there was no queue and we got on immediately.  Rookie mistake.  As the trail went from three tiles to two the rider in front of me started to lose his cool and the resonance just had me for lunch.  I decided to make the most of it and went for style points.

 

Thankfully a little voice in my head told me to put my phone in my crate that morning so only my ego took a knock.

Managed a 3:50 for day 3, 14:14 for our first Sani2C.  Bit of a mixed bag since we had no expectations going in.  Some lows but mostly a great experience that I will never regret doing.

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