[Event] GR300 & GR300 LITE

[VernMozi]

Event Name: GR300 & GR300 LITE
When: 28 April 2017 - 30 April 2017
Where: Knysna Yacht Club, Western Cape
Category: MTB

The GR300’s new home on the calendar will be the last weekend of April (28-30 April 2017) which will allow you to maximise your time in Knysna as both Thursday the 27th and Monday the 1st of May are public holidays. This means no more rushing up to get to registration on Thursday evening and no more driving home tired on Sunday afternoon. Plus the GR300 is no longer the test of endurance it initially was, for 2017 the popular 2016 routes will be reinvigorated to ensure that the race provides more fun on the trails than it does stern challenges.

 

That being said the 2017 GR300 will still include the Ultimate Cycling King and Queen of the Mountain climb up the infamous Simola Hill. But it’ll also feature a play-day in the fantastic Garden Route Trail Park! Another new development I’m really excited about is the Enduro King and Queen award. For 2017 there’ll be two designated Enduro sections on each stage, but be warned they might not be short and they might not be all downhill… The man and woman with the fastest accumulated time on the GR300’s Enduro sections will receive a fantastic prize from ‘JBL Audio’ and the bragging rights of being crowned the GR300 Enduro King or GR300 Enduro Queen. I’m hoping this gives the riders with the technical skills, who usually come for the fun riding and the Mitchell’s beer something to target so they can show the race snakes how to really ride singletrack.

Go to Event Page

[justgs]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to mountain biking. New as in only ever ridden the Xterra, and never been on any offroad rides before that... Well, I sh@t myself on the Xterra ride and am now considering passing up my entry into the GR300 as I won't have much time at all on the trails before then.

 

My question is - how technical is the GR300? How much of it is the same technicality as the Xterra was overall? The Xterra Rock Garden is not my friend, despite me not falling off!

 

This was to be my year of getting into trail riding but alas, events have conspired against me so I'm looking for some informed and unbiased advice on whether to chicken out.

 

Thanks

[Meezo]

its not very technical, most is ride able even at slow pace, go do it!

 

you'll love it, knysna is an extremely beautiful place to ride!

the price increases for me is keeping me from doing this race every year!

[VernMozi]

Hey, riding in Knysna is awesome and the GR300 covers the best. I rode last year and must say it was safe, my buddie did the GR lite, I think it was about 15 to 20k shorter per day. I heard the price didn't go up this year. I can recommend it. Good event!

[Skubarra]

So the GR300 that was 300km is now 200km but still called the GR300 & the GR200 which was actually 200km is now called the Knysna Bull? Hard for me to keep up..

[Trail Ninja]

Myself and the wife are going.

Knynsa is a favourite.............flowing single track and forest jeep tracks

Nothing technical really and nothing rocky

 

GR300 full is 75km, 50km and 75km. Loads of fun

The Lite is 60km, 50km and 60km.

 

This is something every mountain biker should be able to ride with some level of skill and fitness

Nothing like the Xterra......Grabouw is brutal

[Trail Ninja]

By the way, GR300 is now in the place of RECM200

 

Knysna Bull now covers the GR300 old spot

 

Knysna really has some of the best riding

[janneman72]

50 odd riders lined up at the GR300 this morning, some got lost on the way out in the neutral zone and the rest had this to say.

Edited April 28, 2017 by janneman72

[GLuvsMtb]

I did stage 1 today. I did the 'full'. We all knew it was going to be a hot one and most of those who were sensible made provision for the heat. The 2 water points were adequately stocked with water, Enduren, savory and sweet snacks. There was a top up station 8km's to go at the top of Pezula. Just to be clear: we did the 75km in 5 hours, so we're mid-packers. There are areas to improve on. The enduro section was 80% uphill and stopped just before the only technical bit on the race.

 

On the plus side, the routes were well-marked, the profile and ascent was accurate and the Mitchells at the end was cold.

 

 

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[Meezo]

50 odd riders lined up at the GR300 this morning, some got lost on the way out in the neutral zone and the rest had this to say.

 

this is really really sad, I'm actually contemplating writing the organizers a mail, and ask whats happening.

 

the price keeps increasing year in year out, yet the field gets smaller and smaller, i was in knysna the weekend of the race, and heard or saw nothing apart from a few route markers at the forest above simola hill.

 

unlike events like w2w sani2c etc, the GR team increased the prices, without securing the numbers 1st. I'd hate to say it, but unless there's a drastic change, the event may be running to its death. IMO at least

 

SAD, as knysna is an absolutely beautiful place, what fun i had exploring there this weekend.

[milky4130]

Anyone have an idea what this was all about? 

 

[Meezo]

see who won?

[GLuvsMtb]

Anyone have an idea what this was all about? 

 

Garden Route trail park.JPG

Brandon Steward was not welcome at GRTP due to his doping conviction. I have chatted to many riders who participated and have not heard anyone did not agree with GRTP on this. Despite not being allowed to ride, they were still given Shan Wilson's time for day 2, but as a compromise the prize money by the winners was all donated to the Knysna sports school.

 

I suspect that the event will have to change its stance on dopers if they wish to use GRTP for future events.

[milky4130]

Brandon Steward was not welcome at GRTP due to his doping conviction. I have chatted to many riders who participated and have not heard anyone did not agree with GRTP on this. Despite not being allowed to ride, they were still given Shan Wilson's time for day 2, but as a compromise the prize money by the winners was all donated to the Knysna sports school.

 

I suspect that the event will have to change its stance on dopers if they wish to use GRTP for future events.

so who was the other rider that had same offences that was welcomed on GRTP during the same event?

[GLuvsMtb]

so who was the other rider that had same offences that was welcomed on GRTP during the same event?

Yolande de Villiers IIRC

 

 

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[Skubarra]

Brandon Steward was not welcome at GRTP due to his doping conviction. I have chatted to many riders who participated and have not heard anyone did not agree with GRTP on this. Despite not being allowed to ride, they were still given Shan Wilson's time for day 2, but as a compromise the prize money by the winners was all donated to the Knysna sports school.

 

I suspect that the event will have to change its stance on dopers if they wish to use GRTP for future events.

 

It's one thing to do it like the Epic and set the rules upfront, another to ambush the organisers at the last minute with an email just because you feel like it - not the way to do things imo