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inGEAR: Words: Elza Thiart | Photos: Elza Thiart & Riaan van Wyk

of the mud

Survival

Quads in the mud

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2013 off-road motorcycle & Quad championShipfarm Jam 200 – round one of the pS portable Shade Goc SerieS & the northern reGionS championShip9 february, middelburG (mpumalanGa)

A typical Highveld storm turned last weekend's Farm Jam 200, held at the Dirt Trax just outside Middelburg, into a mud bath where 365 dirt bike riders and 101 quad competitors had to be fit, brave and have a sense of adventure just to get to the finish.

With the PS Portable Shade GOC Series being the biggest off-road racing series in the country, the colourful town of Middleburg and Dirt Trax came alive as motorcycle and quad competitors from all over gathered for the first round of the series. In addition to the pros taking part, the series also caters for beginner or novice riders, who made up the bulk of the entries. The vibe was electric and all the riders were equally enthusiastic to get on the track that was laid out by the GOC’s route designer, Hannes Saaijman, and known to be one of the most enjoyable off-road routes due to the variety of terrain.

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Mud Racing

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Action Start

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themotorcycleSThe motorcycle competitors tackled the route first; their aim to complete three laps. In the end, it was the defending national champion, Louwrens Mahoney (Brother Broadlink KTM), who claimed victory after a ding-dong battle with Kenny Gilbert (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha). However, Gilbert’s bike let him down early on the second lap, allowing Nicholas Pienaar (C3 Security KTM) to cross the line in second. In third was 19-year-old Timothy Young (Kargo Racing Yamaha), from Port Elizabeth. Timothy also went on to win the OR2 (250 cc class). Montagu rider, Altus de Wet (Husqvarna Racing) was still ‘testing’ his new Husqvarna, but he had a solid race and finished in fourth place. Dillon Inggs (Roost ECS KTM) was fifth overall and Ruan Roberts finished sixth with the Beta. Chris Webster (Micks Motorcycles Yamaha) came seventh after starting way back due to a problematic race at the seeding event, which determined the starting order for this event. Durban youngster, Michael Pentecost (Kargo Racing Yamaha) posted another good result and finished eighth, just ahead of his teammate, Mark Garland; to place the three Kargo Racing Yamaha riders in the top ten. Junior competitor Jaycee Nienaber (Manhand Shimwells Yamaha) was tenth.

The less experienced riders were unfortunately the ones who struggled most with the muddy sections, while fitness and determination played a big role in the outcome of many riders’ results. One competitor showed more ‘determination’ than most others when his bike got stuck in the mud – properly stuck that was! It was so badly stuck (almost up to the handlebars) that not even the organisers’ recovery vehicles could get it out. They finally managed to dig it out at about eight o’clock that night – with the rider not leaving his bike once!

In the end, just 126 bikers managed to finish the three laps and it was decided to score competitors who had completed two laps as finishers, thus bringing the total number of finishers to 232. Amongst them were three female riders, with Kirsten Landman (Brother Broadlink KTM) leading Toni Jardine (RAD Moto KTM) and Nanda Swiegers (KTM).

it waS not an eaSy race and hatS off to all motorcycle competitorS who manaGed to put in a few racinG kilometreS!

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Action in the Koppies

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Brian Baragwanath Quad Winner

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theQuadSThe 101 quad competitors got a raw deal when the route had to be deviated from the start because the mud-slush track was now totally impassable. In a repeat of last year's national championship, the battle between the trio of Polokwane riders, Brian Baragwanath (PEP Lonestar EMD Yamaha and the 2012 champ), Jurie ‘Botter’ Meyer (Yamaha Support) and André du Plessis (Evolution Racing Suzuki), was on from the start. But disaster struck when du Plessis had to turn back after fuel from his tank splashed on him and burnt his skin. He did not give up though, and after his pit crew tended to him, he set out again (now last!) and eventually finished twentieth. Meyer also had problems when his chain damaged the engine. He had to be towed to the finish and had to settle for twenty-fifth place.

This left a mud-covered Baragwanath to take the chequered flag, ahead of Kokstad rider, John-John Aylward (Yamaha), with Enrico da Silva (Suzuki) rounding off the podium. Stefan Swanepoel finished fourth on his Honda, while Hennie Blignaut (Suzuki) was fifth. Russell Ferreira (Diamond Trailers Racing Honda) won the Senior Quad class and finished sixth overall, with Leonard dos Santos (Suzuki) seventh. Junior rider, Andre Park (Yamaha) came in eighth, Henk Seevinck (Suzuki) ninth and Freddie Taljaard (CHM Carriers Suzuki) rounded off the top ten.

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Podium from left Nicholas Pienaar (2nd) Louwrens Mahoney (winner) Timothy Young (3rd)

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There were many happy smiles on brown and muddy faces (quads kick up much more mud than bikes!) at the finish, where stories of how the riders helped each other out and were helped by bystanders, were heartily shared. Only 28 quad competitors managed to complete the three gruelling laps before the heavens opened again and lightning forced the organisers to keep the riders from continuing the race. Riders who managed to complete two laps where eventually scored, thus pushing the total number of finishers to 63.

André du Plessis’ twin sister and teammate, Adi, was the only female to finish three laps, but three other female riders (Team Thesen’s Generators Chardri Monk from East London on her KTM; Liezel Barnard on the big Can-Am Renegade 4x4 and Abacus Top Fix Racing’s Ronel Jordaan) were also classified as finishers after completing 120 km on their quads.

the 2013 farm Jam 200 waS definitely a race for the StronGeSt ‘warriorS’ with the moSt determination – and a bit of luck! •èRelated articles: • Hometown Showdown at MX Nationals (Issue 18, p. 86) • Quads for Quads (Issue 15, p. 124) • Roof of Africa's Record Books Rewritten

(Digital article, Nov '12)

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