Defending champions Wessel Botha and Danielle Strydom are heading back to the Sappi Karkloof Trail Festival this weekend with one clear goal: to reclaim their national titles at the South African Mountain Bike Marathon Championships.
Taking place at the Absa Karkloof Country Club, the 85km championship race headlines a full weekend of trail action in the scenic Karkloof region. For Botha and Strydom, this race marks a return to the venue where they claimed their SA champion jerseys just a year ago—and both riders are eager to wear those jerseys for another season.
Botha Back With Confidence
Botha’s win last year came after a cautious start followed by a dominant second-half performance, using his previewed knowledge of the course to full effect. Since then, the 26-year-old Team Honeycomb rider has enjoyed an impressive run of form, including a podium finish at the Absa Cape Epic Prologue and a stage win at Sani2C.
Armed with a better understanding of this year’s similar route, Botha is once again a top favourite—but he won’t have it easy. KZN’s Michael Foster, the 2025 South African XCO Champion and a previous winner at Karkloof, stands out as a major threat. The Euro Steel rider’s local knowledge and current form could pose a serious challenge.
They’ll be joined by a deep field of talent, including Honeycomb’s Marc Pritzen, Cape Epic standouts Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje, the Insect Science duo of Arno Du Toit and Keagan Bontekoning, and Toyota Specialized’s Johan van Zyl.
The return of Travis Stedman, a former SA road champion now back on local MTB trails, adds further excitement. After racing in Europe, he’s shown strong form recently with a top-10 finish at the Epic and a win at the aQuelle Tour Durban.
Strydom Looks to Cement Status
In the women’s race, Danielle Strydom returns not as an underdog—but as the rider to beat. After surprising some with her championship win last year, she has since proven her consistency, most recently placing second at the Sani2C alongside Bianca Haw.
Haw, back in top form, is another strong contender and could push Strydom all the way. They’ll be joined by 2024 runner-up Sam Sanders and her Efficient Infiniti Racing teammate Sarah Hill, both well-known forces in marathon racing. Ila Stow, steadily building form, is also one to watch.
A Full Weekend for Everyone
While the championship races on Sunday are the main attraction, the Sappi Karkloof Trail Festival offers a full weekend of events for runners, riders, and families alike. Saturday features trail runs (9km, 15km, and 21km), an MTB enduro with an E-bike category, and a three-stage Enduro Lite.
Sunday rounds out the festival with a 9km fun run, a kids’ 10km MTB race, and the popular 20km, 40km, and 60km MTB rides—culminating in the elite national championship races.
With world-class trails, technical challenges, and sweeping forest views, the Karkloof course once again promises a true test for South Africa’s best riders—and a memorable experience for everyone attending.
