[Event] Waterberg Extreme 330km | 26hrs

[Pulse]

Event Name: Waterberg Extreme 330km | 26hrs
When: 22 September 2017 - 23 September 2017
Where: De Wildt Adventure - Brits, North West
Category: MTB

The Waterberg Extreme mountain bike event will take riders and their support crews over 330km of farm and district roads from the rural Brits area in North West to Thabazimbi, through the scenic Waterberg Mountains.

 

The race offers everyone who enjoys cycling a chance to participate in the ultimate single-stage mountain bike race in South Africa. For those new to mountain biking who want to enter as a relay team, or endurance athletes who enjoy the long-distance challenge, this event caters for you.

The proximity of the start is within a 70km radius of Johannesburg, Krugersdorp, Pretoria and Rustenburg, making it an accessible location for Gauteng and the North West MTB enthusiasts to join this wonderful new event.

 

Riders can enter a solo rider, two person relay team, or four person relay team. With the relay team strategy will be important to determine which stages should be completed by stronger/weaker riders. With that said, it is important to note that a rider in the 4 rider relay will still complete at least 145km, and in the 2 rider relay at least 200km. The event takes place on farm- and district gravel roads, with no real technical riding involved, some sections of the route does however comprise very thick sand and loose stones.

 

The event will kick off the September long weekend, providing sufficient recovery time afterwards, before you need to return to work. Bring the family along and make a long weekend of it by staying over ‘till the Monday at one of the lodges near the finish in the surrounding Waterberg Mountains.

Go to Event Page

[Little Mermaid]

Looks like a nice alternative to the typical stage races.

Excited about this one!!!

[Slowbee]

Look like RSA is becming the place for these long distance riding events!

[Patchelicious]

Hmmmm looks like a good DD prep ride.

 

Any details on the route? How MountainBikey is it?

[Pulse]

Hmmmm looks like a good DD prep ride.

 

Any details on the route? How MountainBikey is it?

We will have full route details up within the next week or so, just waiting for some technicalities.

 

If you mean MountainBikey as in can you do it with a Cyclocross/Gravel grinder bike - Even though it would be allowed, I would advise against it.  The route is not very technical at all, but there are some extremely sandy sections that I wouldn't want to do on a Cyclocross bike.  There is also a "small" section with loose, sharp stones that I think would catch some people with low tire pressures out if they take the wrong lines.

 

We will have photos and videos of the problematic sections up by the end of April.  I'll be riding the full route then, and would be able to give some better feedback.

 

Hope this helps.

[CogitoErgoSum]

Hi. How do you plan getting through Letlabihle, Garankuwa, Soshanguve, Mabupane, etc...

 

There are vast townships between the start and Thabazimbi with very few alternative dirt roads around these areas. Surely safety is an issue?

 

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Edited April 6, 2017 by AnythingBut

[Patchelicious]

We will have full route details up within the next week or so, just waiting for some technicalities.

 

If you mean MountainBikey as in can you do it with a Cyclocross/Gravel grinder bike - Even though it would be allowed, I would advise against it. The route is not very technical at all, but there are some extremely sandy sections that I wouldn't want to do on a Cyclocross bike. There is also a "small" section with loose, sharp stones that I think would catch some people with low tire pressures out if they take the wrong lines.

 

We will have photos and videos of the problematic sections up by the end of April. I'll be riding the full route then, and would be able to give some better feedback.

 

Hope this helps.

Awesome!!

 

No, will do it on Dual Sus. By MTBikey, I meant technical, I don't like technical.... so this is right up my alley.

 

I have already mailed a few mates asking if they would be keen on doing this!

 

If you need company on your route recce, I'll be your wingman

[Pulse]

Shot!

I think you'le enjoy this.

 

We'll chat about doing some riding

[Pulse]

Hi. How do you plan getting through Letlabihle, Garankuwa, Soshanguve, Mabupane, etc...

 

There are vast townships between the start and Thabazimbi with very few dirt roads. Surely safety is an issue?

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

Hi AnythingBut...

 

Figuring out a reasonable route has taken a while, and we are more than aware of these settlements.

 

We stay well clear of Garankuwa/Soshanguve/Mabupane and are very far west of it.  We stay on mostly farm roads for a significant part of the 1st stage, and only enter the D1121 about 15km past Letlabihle.

 

Halfway into stage 2 we enter the Rooiberg/Marakele conservancy areas which have gated access control for most of the route.  We stay within these areas for most of the remainder of the route.

 

The only 'settlements' we pass through are the little towns of Rooiberg, and Elma.

 

We will load full route details soon.

[Patchelicious]

Shot!

I think you'le enjoy this.

 

We'll chat about doing some riding

Ps: Good to have you back!

[CogitoErgoSum]

Hi AnythingBut...

 

Figuring out a reasonable route has taken a while, and we are more than aware of these settlements.

 

We stay well clear of Garankuwa/Soshanguve/Mabupane and are very far west of it. We stay on mostly farm roads for a significant part of the 1st stage, and only enter the D1121 about 15km past Letlabihle.

 

Halfway into stage 2 we enter the Rooiberg/Marakele conservancy areas which have gated access control for most of the route. We stay within these areas for most of the remainder of the route.

 

The only 'settlements' we pass through are the little towns of Rooiberg, and Elma.

 

We will load full route details soon.

Oh ok, so going west, northwest as far as possible. Sounds great then. All the best with the preparations. It is an enormous undertaking.

 

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[OldBull]

This sounds like a very interesting one.

[seven]

Anyone here doing this?

 

After the C2T I'm keen to try it, but I'm a bit scared of the extra distance.

[jcza]

Will wait for route recce but keen to do this on CX/Gravel bike

[seven]

Will wait for route recce but keen to do this on CX/Gravel bike

 

That sounds like a plan.

 

I'll have to wait for my next paycheque before I'll be able to enter.  Hopefully uptake for the solo spots is slow.

[jcza]

That sounds like a plan.

 

I'll have to wait for my next paycheque before I'll be able to enter.  Hopefully uptake for the solo spots is slow.

 

I'm sure there will be entries available come month end, its a long way to ride but kudos to the organisers for bringing longer races to Gauteng now that Ultras are a thing of the past.