[Event] Karkloof Gravel (SA Gravel Champs)

[Gav.S]

Event Name: Karkloof Gravel (SA Gravel Champs)
When: 06/04/2025
Where: Karkloof Country Club, Howick, KwaZulu-Natal
Category: Gravel

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to whizz through the pristine countryside of the Karkloof Valley surrounded by the serenity of nature? Now is your chance! The Absa Karkloof Country Club in inviting you join us for Karkloof Gravel, hosting SA Gravel Champs this year. Not only is this a great opportunity to explore the Beautiful Karkloof Valley, but this event will also give you the opportunity to rub shoulders with some cycling royalty as this race will determine South Africa’s Gravel Champions of 2025. There are 4 race distances so whether you’re gunning for the title or want to try out the incredible discipline of gravel racing, we’ve got something for you. Come and join us for fun day out on some exclusive lesser known tracks, designed by Kev Benkenstein to deliver some proper stoke in the pristine Karkloof Valley.

Race options:

168km Gravel

106km Gravel

53km Gravel

28Km Gravel Fun ride

Visit https://www.karkloofclub.co.za/events/ for more information, start times, batching, routes files and possible route deviations due to harvesting.

Entry portal:

https://www.easyreg.co.za/select_registration_type?event_id=614

Go to Event Page.

[ajnkzn]

Entered - going to be a 🔥 route and a beaut day out

[Gav.S]

All routes have been updated on the Karkloof Website. Link below.

https://www.karkloofclub.co.za/events/karkloof-gravel/

Happy riding!

[Gav.S]

Early Bird entries close on Tuesday 11th March at 9am.

[Dobri]

On 3/7/2025 at 12:29 PM, Gav.S said:

All routes have been updated on the Karkloof Website. Link below.

https://www.karkloofclub.co.za/events/karkloof-gravel/

Happy riding!

Silly question - why? It's a gravel race - why include single track? Single track should be for a MTB race only.

[JohanDiv]

49 minutes ago, Dobri said:

Silly question - why? It's a gravel race - why include single track? Single track should be for a MTB race only.

Unbound Gravel is probably the biggest gravel race in the world and it has something like 45km of single track and jeep track. It's mostly to link up different sections of open gravel roads.

[ajnkzn]

Mid South Gravel in the US also one of the biggest and the section of singletrack is an iconic part of the route. 
 

Riding bikes should be fun, if your bike setup or skills preclude tame singletrack being fun, then see it as an opportunity to change things up and have a new experience. 

[bleedToWin]

I always thought the point of gravel was to make a race long and hard a fast enough so that the best bike choice for 95% of the route will leave you severely underbiked for the technical 5%.

[ajnkzn]

Sounds about right for the route of this race.

 

Not sure about severely underbiked, but slightly yes. 
 

Unless you pitch up on 28mm slicks, then you’ll have a long day out 🤣

[Jbr]

Possible to have the GPX files available without having to share personnal details with another platform ? Already had to create an account on easyreg to enter...

 

EDIT : 

Quote

On race day the arrows and bunting will mark the course and you must follow the route marking.  The GPX files are only indicative of the route and approximate distance. Course markings on the day of the event take preference. Turn your “off course” notifications off on your electronic device.

6

Cell signal in the Karkloof varies and we cannot accept responsibility for people getting lost using these files. Follow the route markers

That's a lot of trust put in the community... Usually we do quite the opposite, follow the route on the GPS rather than the marking, as there's always a group of kids that changes the arrows and send people of route at some point..

Edited yesterday at 07:47 AM by Jbr

[Dobri]

I know the area well, the trails around the Falls is not tame (or less technical) but are easily handled on a MTB, on a gravel bike a very different story.

There is lot of options around Karkloof and no reason at all to use any single trails, use the jeep track and farm roads if needed be, why not make it pure gravel - why make a GravDuro event, makes no sense to me.

[Jbr]

 

19 minutes ago, Dobri said:

I know the area well, the trails around the Falls is not tame (or less technical) but are easily handled on a MTB, on a gravel bike a very different story.

Thanks for this feedback, did you have a look at the long route ? You reckon this will be quite rocky and hectic ? I was thinking of downgrading from 47 path finders to sworks 42 for a lighter setup, but now I'm worried of slashing tyres.

[ajnkzn]

https://www.wikiloc.com/gravel-bike-trails/karkloof-gravel-168km-203880922
 

I might be wrong (sure the organizer will chip in), but the route above doesn’t go anywhere near the falls (for the main men’s and ladies’ races). 
 

The only “singletrack” I am aware of is getting up to the Shafton Road and is an uphill, non technical section less than 400m long, and possibly some very tame stuff at the end / start of each lap near the feed zone. 
 

No silly stuff as far as I know.

 

The organisers want a close race where the strongest riders will win, not a crapshoot down to luck.

Edited yesterday at 08:31 AM by ajnkzn

[ajnkzn]

29 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Possible to have the GPX files available without having to share personnal details with another platform ? Already had to create an account on easyreg to enter...

 

EDIT : 

That's a lot of trust put in the community... Usually we do quite the opposite, follow the route on the GPS rather than the marking, as there's always a group of kids that changes the arrows and send people of route at some point..

Karkloof is challenging as timber harvesting can start up with short / no notice so one uses the GPS track and if a detour is needed around an area, this is done on the morning of the race. 
 

Very few people in the Karkloof Valley to mess with route markings. 

[Gav.S]

Hi Guys and Girls,

The single track section is less than 400m long, very easy and has no rocks etc. This was done to avoid a potential tree block harvest that would have cut out some very cool Gravel sections if we had done a rework to the course.

The jeep tracks heading towards the falls are jeep tracks, not single tracks. Nothing technical, perfectly Gravel.

As far as route markers go we are required as part of the safety plan to have Marshall's at all district and main roads, so putting out markers is not hard.

The challenge with our Karkloof area is that timber harvesting changes drastically with weather conditions and haul routes change. So we say follow arrows to avoid people using gpx files that have had to change due to last minute harvest and haul routes.

GPX files are available on the https://www.karkloofclub.co.za/events/ page under the Gravel event. No need to create an account to obtain these as these are Wikiloc download link.

You unfortunately do need to register on EasyReg to enter (as with most other entry portals) , but this is for good reason. To make sure we get the most up to date info from you to make sure that IF there is an oopsie, we know your emergency details and our teams can look after you.

Looking forward to an Epic day. 🤙🏼

Happy riding guys!

Gav.

[SSCC]

10 hours ago, JohanDiv said:

Unbound Gravel is probably the biggest gravel race in the world and it has something like 45km of single track and jeep track. It's mostly to link up different sections of open gravel roads.

Unbound has no single track. There are sectors of jeep track or double track as our American friends call it.