[Event] NapierPatatfees MTB Race-Sat 17 Jun "17-R130 000 Lucky Draw

[FarmerMTB]

How easy is the short MTB? Will a grade one girl be able to do it or are there a lot of ups? Any age restrictions?

[Naas Vermaak]

Very easy....but don't think a grade one kid is the right idea...but then you never know also...look what Ostapenko did

[Mamil]

Rode the 55k on Saturday. Definitely a race of two halves - cold, very wet and still raining on and off for the first 24 - a long but gorgeous climb that everyone in mid pack where I was walked - view was spectacular and worth the muddy effort. Lots of expensive sounding crunching coming for everyone's drive train - chain suck all over the show.

 

The second half was much faster - long, rocky and superfast downhills - a smattering of singletrack climb. An enjoyable ride. Good signage, adequate water points - a few baked patat or baby potatoes would have been a welcome addition to the fruit and coke on offer especially as it was so cold.

 

The entryninja registration was a little chaotic and I'm not sure about the accuracy of the results. Someone in the youth category won the 55k event in 2:13 24, which is 30 minutes ahead of the second placed guy.

 

Could it be that a number of people who signed up for the 55, got to  the top of that huge hill in the wet and mud and when confronted with the devil on the left shoulder saying "Go downhill and do 45" and the angel on the right shoulder with his "keep climbing and do 55", sold their souls for the promise of a cappucino and a boerie roll? The entryninja system would rely on the rider to say he'd bailed.

 

Of course if the youth in question did win at an average of 25kmph - I am in awe and retract my comments in embarrassment. 

 

The women in the family did the 15k trail run the next day and were less than pleased that it turned out to be 18k. That's fine if you're an experienced runner but for people who have trained up and are attempting the distance for the first time, that's 20% more distance than you're ready for. It makes a difference. They too loved the scenery and even though there are some sore limbs in the household, they enjoyed their run.

 

Do it again? To be sure, particularly as we have family in that neck of the woods.

[whistler]

Naas, weereens wel gedaan met die die patat mtb.

 

Pragtige roete, selfs met die bietjie reen en modder was dit sommer ekstra mooi toe die son sy kop uitsteek. Eintlik 'n voorreg om in die reen te kan ry met die droogtes in die kaap. Het weer die 45 gery. Toe die 45 verlede jaar ingekom het was ek vreeslik bly, want die 60 was in die verlede hierdie tyd van die jaar altyd net daai spreekwoordelike "bridge too far." En die 30 bied nie daai mooi klim teen die berg uit.

 

Hou so aan. Dit lyk vir my of die getalle elke jaar groei. Sien uit om volgende jaar terug te wees vir nr. 11 !!

[Rouxenator]

Excellent ride, thanks for the quick chat at the end Naas.

You guys know how to put together a proper MTB event. 

[hansolo]

Thanks for a great event.

 

We did the 45 km as a group of friends (we stopped regularly to wait for each other) and had our own halfway support crew with boeries (sorry for any confusion caused). As others mentioned, first half was a bit wet and muddy but it cleared up nicely afterwards. Route was very well suited to the Surly Krampus (rigid 29+) and I just had one close call hitting a rocky section at speed. We will be back next year and bring even more friends along! The commentator at the prize giving is one of the most random people ever, we haven't laughed as much at someone in a long time.

 

Keep up the good work! 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2017 by hansolo

[Conna]

Thanks for a great event.

 

We did the 45 km as a group of friends (we stopped regularly to wait for each other) and had our own halfway support crew with boeries (sorry for any confusion caused). As others mentioned, first half was a bit wet and muddy but it cleared up nicely afterwards. Route was very well suited to the Surly Krampus (rigid 29+) and I just had one close call hitting a rocky section at speed. We will be back next year and bring even more friends along! The commentator at the prize giving is one of the most random people ever, we haven't laughed as much at someone in a long time.

 

Keep up the good work! 

Hansolo forgot to mention that said group also probably had a little too much Old Harbour Lager the night before.