Local hero aims for Karkloof double

Keira Duncan will be aiming for a home-town double at this weekend’s Sappi Karkloof Classic Enduro and Downhill.

Decorated South African enduro star Keira Duncan holds a healthy lead after Day 1 of the 2023 Stihl Enduro, part of the Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival. Image: Chris Taylor Media via Gameplan

Defending enduro champion Keira Duncan will be aiming for a home-town double at this weekend’s Sappi Karkloof Classic Enduro and Downhill.

As the trail manager at the Absa Karkloof Country Club, Duncan has intimate knowledge of the trails and will be looking to use that advantage, together with his undeniable natural ability, to claim a win in both Saturday’s enduro event and Sunday’s downhill race.

Provincial titles on the line in Karkloof

A double victory would also give also the 24-year-old the KZN Enduro and KZN Downhill Championship titles as these event are both being held in conjunction with the this year’s Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival gravity weekend. The Gauteng Downhill Championships has also been included as part of Sunday’s racing.

In 2023 the gravity weekend at the Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival was a two-day enduro event and Duncan was in class of his own as he cruised to ten wins in the ten enduro legs. This year the enduro is a one-day, five-stage event but it would take a brave person to bet against Duncan once again making it a cleansweep.

His biggest challenge is likely to come on Saturday when Western Cape’s Jason Boulle should provide a strong challenge. The silver medalist at the 2023 South African Enduro Champs has been in Karkloof getting to know the trails before the weekend’s racing.

The women’s racing looks to be much tighter with Amber Cole – who turns 18 on Sunday – and 17-year-old Jodi Mackinnon likely to be challenging the more experienced Jade Davies for the KZN Enduro title.

Doubling up

The two day provincial championships programme comes just two weeks after the successful SA MTB Marathon Championships was held at the same venue.

Saturday’s KZN Enduro Championships will see riders competing over five stages of the best flowing gravity trails the trail park can offer. A “lite” event will also provide for the younger riders in the nippers and sprogs age-groups, while also catering for the “fun riders” who are not up to a full enduro event.

Sunday’s downhill action will ramp up the difficulty with the downhillers taking on some of the more technical sections of the venue which has been ranked as South Africa’s top trail park.

Racing is set to start at 8am on both days.