The inaugural Glacier Waterberg Traverse MTB stage race took place over the weekend of 3-5 May 2024.  The event was hosted by Dryland Event Management at Summerplace Game Reserve and they did not disappoint. Trails for days, warm hearted hospitality, food fit for kings and world class organising ensured we had a memorable experience.

I was fortunate enough to participate in this event and experience the racing first hand. From registration to prize giving, everything just worked. Day 1 was a bit of a wake-up call for those who hadn’t experienced the Summerplace trails before. It definitely required a bit of tech skill to be able to ride everything and when racing on these trails… well, let’s just say I got myself a seat in the hurt locker and got comfortable. 

There was however those who just came for the ride and, from what I understand, they had a royal time on the trails and at the water points. The water points where stacked! Every 15km we were spoiled with ice water and an array of snacks, bars and drinks by Biogen.

I surprised myself with a second place on the veteran podium after Jan Withaar (the overall event winner) and, with fellow LCC rider, Anton Moolman, in third. With no amount of slacking this would also be the final veteran GC results on the Sunday. The rest of the Moolman family claimed several podiums over the course of the weekend of which the most outstanding was Adrienne Moolman, taking the overall third spot in Ladies GC! Our very own Andre Terlouw also graced the podium. However, after what can best be described as a navigation error on Day-2, he ended up in third on the Masters GC podium.

Day 2 was a true test of grit, skills and character, having us climb 1200m over 53km with proper MTB trails and technical climbing in the mix. There were a few mishaps on route, but the lack of any serious injuries again paid testament to the quality of the organising.

Day 3 was the easier of the three days with the least amount of climbing and treats like brand-new trail sections hand crafted for the event. Again, highlighting the effort and passion that went into organising and hosting this event.

I cannot stress enough how good the Waterberg Traverse was and how much of a must-do, bucket-list event this has to be for every avid mountain biker.  I cannot wait for the event next year and I want to invite and challenge every LCC member to participate. You will not regret it. 

By Rudi Joubert