The curtains of the South African Cross-Country series (SACCS) closed in Glenharvie, Westonaria (Gauteng) this weekend. It was an imperfect end to a perfect season for the orange family, who have walked away with the overall championship.
Reigning champion Ross Branch had nothing to lose after wrapping up the 2017 series in Harrismith, but set off to prove a point on Friday morning.
After a challenging 50km time trial, the Brother Leader Tread KTM rider had a bit of work to do in the main race as the third man off the startline. A rocky terrain was in store for the first 20km’s of the loop, which then merged into open farmlands.
It was Kenneth Gilbert who raised his hand as the man to beat, and who set off with the clear intention of winning the event. Branch was up for the challenge and managed to narrow the gap on the first lap to slip into a slightly more comfortable second place.
By the final lap it was evident that Gilbert was going to come out on top, and he crossed the finish line to break Branch’s undefeated streak this season. Branch was all smiles as he took his helmet off, however, and admitted to thoroughly enjoying the intensity of the challenge:
“Kenny put the hammer down! I took some time off him, but to completely close the gap was almost impossible. It was an up and down day, but I had such a fantastic ride and really enjoyed the challenge onboard my KTM 450 XC-F,” he said.
Branch was once again crowned the South African Overall and OR1 Cross Country champion for the second year running.
Reflecting on his successful season, he added, “It’s just been another incredible year of riding, a second championship means the world to me. The Brother Leader Tread KTM team deserves this number one plate as much as I do.”
OR1 teammate Louw Schmidt went to battle in the final event of the series. The rider has had a testing season after undergoing a repair for his collarbone… twice.
He was determined to make up for every opportunity he had missed, however, and commented before the race, “This season is not what it should have been. There’s nothing I can do about that though, and I’m just grateful to race today. I really want to finish on the podium.”
Schmidt achieved what he had set out to do, and fought his way up the ranks after qualifying in seventh to end the day in third in the OR1 class.
“It was all or nothing today and I really had to push my lines! I’m extremely happy to end the season like I did,” said Schmidt.
OR2 competitor Louwrens Mahoney was a first-time rider at Glenharvie. He entered the event with a lot at stake leading his class by a mere six points.
Despite Mahoney’s best efforts on his new KTM 350XC-F machine, he was overtaken by Brett Swanepoel in the race for the OR2 Championship.
Mahoney feels nothing but pride as he reflects on his Cross-Country season. The multiple off-road champion made a brilliant comeback after taking a short sabbatical last year, and will step into 2018 with a newly-found confidence.
“This final race was different from what I was used to! The terrain was very rocky so I couldn’t take that many chances. Well done to Brett for taking the OR2 Championship. I’m looking forward to next year, because I’m going to work on my fitness and give him a run for his money!” said Mahoney.
Multiple Senior National champion Juan ‘Bollie' van Rooyen had a similar fate to Branch. The rider has blazed his way through the season without a single loss to his name. Husqvarna’s Hentie Hanekom has been hot on his trail, however, and finally managed to get the upper hand in the final event of the series.
After a hard crash on the first lap, van Rooyen got back on his bike and calmly went about the business of winning the championship. Despite finishing in second place, he managed to end the season as he had hoped with the Senior Championship badge on his belt.
“I took a knock after that crash in the first loop, but I’m proud to say that I managed to regroup and bring home the win,” said an elated van Rooyen.
Another reason for the Brother Leader Tread KTM team to celebrate is ending the Cross Country series with the added bonus of the Manufacturer’s Award.
“Being rewarded with the 2017 Manufacturer’s title in all three National Offroad motorcycle disciplines, that being Cross Country, Enduro, and Motocross, is something we are extremely proud of and is proof that our orange machines are made for endurance and tough conditions.
At the end of the day though, we are just the receiver of these awards, those that really deserve the recognition are all the KTM riders out there that put our brand on the map, may it be professional riders, privateers or weekend warriors. It’s them and their support structure who make it all worth it and I could not be prouder of the support we receive from our huge orange family out there.
That being said, we are extremely grateful to all our team sponsors who make it possible to race on such a professional level with such a great selection of champions and championship contenders. With the likes of Brother International, Leader Tread and Red Bull, just to name a few, we have won more titles over the years than any other manufacturer and we will continue to put in the hard work to bring home more silverware in the future,” said Franziska Brandl, Managing Director of KTM South Africa.
