The Mooi River National Off-road, the third round of the TOTPAK National Off-road Championship that took place in the Mooi River area KwaZulu-Natal, produced nail biting motorcycle and quad racing action in the Midlands Meander with competitors giving it their all to claim valuable points towards their championships. It was a tough day in the saddle for riders who had the opportunity to experience a scenic route as set out by the Natal Off-road Motor Club.
The Mooi River National Off-road produced four new class winners in the motorcycle category this season. Kenny Gilbert (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) claimed his first OR1 (Open Class) victory for 2015 while his team-mate and multiple National Enduro Master Class Champion, Denzil Torlage, who has not competed in off-road racing for many years, took the win in the Master Class. Another enduro specialist, Bruce May, who – like Torlage – is from KZN and decided to make an appearance at their ‘local’ national event, upset the applecart in the Senior Class Championship when he walked away with the laurels while Dean Lindsay (D&H Engineering Works Yamaha) took the top step of the podium in the High School Class for the first time this year.
Gilbert was in a battle with the defending OR1 champion, Louwrens Mahoney (Brother Leader Tread KTM) who survived a crash and finished second. Jonathan Webster (Yamaha) claimed his second podium result for the season by finishing third while Michael Pentecost (Kargo Racing Yamaha) was fourth and Mahoney’s team-mate, Ross Branch, rounded off the top five. Waldi van der Merwe (KTM) in sixth was the final OR1 rider to complete the race.
Like competitors in OR1, OR2 (250cc Class) and OR3 (200cc Class) Senior Class competitors also had to complete the full 360 kilometre race that included a 60 kilometre time-trial that determined the starting order. A victory for the Himeville businessman (May) was appreciated by his home crowd while Wayne Farmer (Roost KTM / EC Security) claimed his third runner-up result finishing just over a minute and a half behind the enduro rider. The class leader, Juan ‘Bollie’ van Rooyen (Brother Leader Tread KTM) recovered from a huge crash during time-trial to round off the Senior Class podium. Jody Engelbrecht (Yamaha), who has also not competed in the national off-road championship before, finished fourth with Justin Broughton (Kawasaki) fifth and Guy Henley (Yamaha) sixth.
In the Master Class, off-road racer Wade Miller (KTM) finished behind the experienced Torlage despite an injured rib with Ian Venter (KTM Centurion / Liqui Moly Racing), who won the season opener, not too far behind in third place. Martin Poole (Yamaha) was fourth with May’s team-mate in the Liquorland National Enduro Championship, Steve Botha, for who off-road racing is also a new experience, rounded off the top five.
The Mooi River National Off-road was a challenge for all – from the experienced Master Class competitors to the youngsters in the High School Class where Lindsay became the third winner of the season. It was however a close shave as the defending champion, Eduan Bester (KTM Centurion / Liqui Moly Racing) finished a mere 50 seconds behind him after the 240 kilometre race that saw them spending a total of just over four hours and 18 minutres in the saddle. Brendon Fourie (Kawasaki) finished third with Erhardt Beukes scoring his second top five result this year by finishing fourth. Lindsay’s team-mate, Adriano Catalano, was fifth as nine scholars of the 13 entrants completed the event.
There were more victories for Louw Schmidt (Brother Leader Tread KTM) – he could not finish the Swaziland event, but won OR2 at the opening round – who was followed closely by Jaycee Nienaber (D&H Engineering Works Yamaha) with Cameron Becker (VANS Racing Division KTM) putting his first points for the season on the scoreboard by finishing third despite a crash. Brett Cummings (KTM) was fourth. The back shock on Shaun Mostert’s KTM collapsed during the last lap and he had to call it a day while Nicholas Pienaar (Ridgeway Racing Husqvarna) crashed and Nienaber’s team-mate, Roan Lindsay, broke his wrist.
Brett Swanepoel claimed Proudly Bidvest Yamaha’s third victory for the day when he scored his third OR3 victory of the season while Pietermaritzburg rider, Brandon Warwick-Oliver (Team Liquorland Yamaha) made up for not finishing in Swaziland by claiming second place in this extremely competitive class. Jarryd Coetzee (Brother Leader Tread KTM) was third ; Darren Macleod (D&H Engineering Works Yamaha) finished fourth with Wilhelm Schonfeldt (Helderberg Yamaha) in fifth place.
Taye Perry (Barnard Vervoer KTM) won the Ladies Class while Gerhard Grove (Yamaha) won the Silver Class Challenge. He was followed by Nicholas Mauerberger (Barnard Vervoer Yamaha) and Ruan Merry (KTM).
In the quad category, a flat tyre did not keep Brian Baragwanath (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) from claiming his second 2015 victory in the Q1 Class. He described the race as a “serious adventure that was super rough, but with spectacular scenery”. He was followed by Stefan Swanepoel (Yamaha) and Dakar Rally finisher, Hannes Saaijman (Suzuki) who was third. André Park (Yamaha) finished fourth with Damien Lee (PS Diamond Trailers Honda) fifth after spending almost seven hours in total in the saddle.
Jaco Moller (PS Extreme ATV Tzaneen Yamaha) had to call it a day after a ball-joint on the front left wheel broke during time-trial. It was temporarily fixed before the main race, but then broke again.
Moller’s little sister, Wilmari (Honda) got stuck in the mud – like many other competitors – but pushed through to finish second in the Ladies Quad Class behind Liezel Barnard who also took a tumble with her big Barnard Vervoer Can-Am. Jade Schutte (Yamaha) overcame various mechanical issues to complete the 300 kilometre race.
Keenan Hammon (KTM) won the High School Class – it is his second win for the year – with Ryno Trichardt (Yamaha) finishing second.
In the Senior Class Championship, team-mates Stuart Freeman (PS Diamond Trailers Yamaha) and Russell Ferreira (Hondas) claimed the first two steps on the podium – it was Freeman’s third victory this year – with both Paul dos Santos (Suzuki) and Rick van Tonder (Yamaha) having to call it a day.
The Master Class received a healthy amount of entries and after being halted by mechanical problems in Swaziland, the defending champion, George Twigge (Yamaha) took his second victory of the year. He was followed by Roxy dos Santos (Suzuki) – Roxy’s older brother, Tony, did not finish – while Peter Walter (PS Diamond Trailers Yamaha) rounded off the podium. Org Geldenhuys (Abacus DIVISIONS Racing Can-Am) finished fourth with George Michaelides (Yamaha) the last finisher despite being stuck in a mud hole for some time.
The fourth round of the TOTPAK National Off-road Championship will take place at Stella in the Vryburg area on June 6th.