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Xterra Grabouw - African Adventure

26th Feb 2015

The ‘Biggest, Baddest Xterra on the World Tour’ - complete with forest fires, deadly snakes, rock gardens, helicopter TV coverage, and rock-star treatment for the Pros… Xterra SA was an experience not to be missed!

The bike course that has everything - no wonder we're smiling!

Looking at my calendar of European races this year, the only missing element was a proper adventure - something like Malaysia last year, where I’d never been anywhere like it; a race where you go for the experience and location as much as the competition. Something true to the Xterra motto ‘Live More’…

It was in this frame of mind a few weeks ago, when I received an invitation to Xterra South Africa – one of the best offers on the Xterra calendar and an opportunity that sounded too good to turn down! Perhaps this was what I was looking for?! I thought I couldn’t afford the flights, but BA had a sale on… I had no more excuses not to go! And what an adventure it was - I’m very happy that I did!

I was slightly apprehensive boarding my flight from London - this would be my first time in Africa, I had no idea where I was staying or whether anyone would meet me at the airport. I wasn’t keen to inadvertently end up in a no-go area on public transport with my valuable bike box!

But thankfully I needn’t have worried - from the moment we arrived, Sarah, Nicola and the whole Xterra crew made us feel so welcome, not to mention Conrad and Liezel helping all us internationals find our way around their hometown of Stellenbosch. From organising shuttles, replacing stolen bikes, to the epic ‘recovery ride’ led by the Caveman the day after the race!

Training paradise in Stellenbosch

I’d heard you get treated like a rock star at Xterra SA – and this must be as close as the experience comes for a triathlete! Being chauffeured everywhere by the crew or by our driver (who looked uncannily like Nelson Mandela); the pre- and post- race parties; the famous red couch interviews, even a full-on helicopter filming the race! The event is shown 8 times on South African TV – something most other races could only wish for. The crowd support was also second to none and left us wishing “If only all Xterras could be like this!”

Of course – not everything went to plan, and the trip had plenty of drama. Not least in our attempts to recce the course! This is the main concern at any off-road event, to pre-ride the bike course. Knowing the route is not just an advantage, but the athlete’s responsibility in case signs go missing. Logistics are harder in SA with all the athletes staying in Stellenbosch – a perfect training playground, but an hour’s drive from the race venue. None of us internationals had a car, so between us organised a shuttle to take us to Grabouw.

The forest fire we passed on the way in didn’t go unnoticed, but officials gave us clearance to ride, and hopefully we would be out of the smoke for most of the recce. Bikes unloaded, faffing complete, we’re good to ride, but then the wind direction changes. The smoke is getting worse and officials tell us the fire is only 200m away… ” It’s too dangerous to ride” they tell us – “You have to get out of here NOW!”

Calm before the fire - next minute we had to evacuate!

The atmosphere turns to slight panic, we rush to load the bikes back on the trailer before the fire reaches the road which is our only way out! There was nothing we could do but head back to Stellenbosch and ride the local trails instead. Sadly a couple of bikes got damaged in our haste to escape, but most importantly everyone is fine.

The next day again we hoped to ride but the fire was still out of control. Rumours began on what would happen if it couldn’t be contained? Would the race even go ahead? Would it be moved to another venue? Had we flown all this way for nothing? Maybe we will just have to turn the week in to a training camp instead!

Forest still smouldering on the bike course

Thankfully by Friday the fire had been contained; finally we would be able to see the bike course! Even though this was meant to be a rest day for most of us, viewing the route was more important. And… it was certainly worth the wait! For sure the best trails I have ridden in any Xterra, and made even more dramatic by the fire still smouldering! We could see where the flames had reached right up to the road where we made our escape a few days ago.

The course had everything you could imagine – climbs, rocky descents, awesome singletrack across moon-like landscapes and through pine forests. And the section everyone was talking about – the infamous rock garden! Luckily I have been practising on Jacobs Ladder back in the UK, so my skills were enough to get me through without walking or crashing.

Friday was also our interview day on the famous red couch, also to be shown on TV!

The famous red couch

It was a lot of fun, but a long day when we were meant to be resting. For this reason I decided against checking the run course. I’d have to wait and see if I regretted this on race day, as it’s never ideal running the course blind. I figured the route would be dry though, and I could get away with using road shoes.

Saturday was just a day of swimming and relaxing with the other internationals – the best thing about this trip was such a great atmosphere, and great bunch of people to hang out and train with.

So finally race day arrived. And the drama was only just beginning! After being told the swim would be non-wetsuit I had left mine in the UK as my luggage was already over the weight limit. But somehow the water temperature had dropped overnight to 21.5 degrees. Normally this means no wetsuits for Pros, but allowed for Age groupers. The SA race is unique in that prize money goes down to 20th place, and everyone is eligible (normally it’s only down to 7th place and only Pros are eligible). For this reason they couldn’t allow different rules for different categories… so wetsuits for everybody it was! Many of us didn’t have a wetsuit – including eventual male race winner Stuart Marais - but managed to borrow from generous age groupers.

On the start line, myself and fellow Brit Daz Parker seemed to be the only Pro women without neoprene. The water was fresh (no salt for buoyancy), and extremely choppy – the toughest swim I’ve done outside Maui. My Zone3 Vanquish would have been a massive benefit here!

I'm one of the few taking on the waters without neoprene!

But nothing could be done, we had to accept we would lose 2 minutes on our normal times, and crack on with the job! I did have my Zone3 skinsuit, so at least I was nice & streamlined, but I discovered in T1 it’s much harder to remove when you’re at your winter training weight rather than your lean race weight! The benefit of being further back in the swim though, is having more athletes ahead to overtake on the bike! Just like the old days before the years of work on my swimming ;)

Throughout the bike course, the rock garden was in the back of my mind, and my main aim was just to get through this in one piece. It would be more difficult on race day with the AG men catching us throughout the ride and trying to overtake - there’s not enough room to pass in this entire section. Almost through it, and I was stoked I hadn’t put a foot down – “I’m going to do it!”... Until the guy in front of me promptly crashed! Luckily I was able to avoid doing the same, but it put me off and I had to unclip – damn, I almost cleaned it! But mission accomplished - I was through in one piece and could now relax.

I really enjoyed the bike and it seemed much shorter than usual - fitness must have improved! My run I was less sure of – the skinsuit experience reminded me I had a few too many kg, but as for speed I would find out!

Glad we didn't see any of these bad boys on race day! (Apparently a Puff adder)

The run course was so stunning – I wanted to stop and look at the views I was seeing for the first time, but almost fell on my face not looking where I was putting my feet. Concentrate on the job!

Next came the part where I regretted not previewing the course – the river crossing! I’d heard about it, and that it was followed by a big climb, so I decided to take my shoes off to keep them dry. Although it would cost about 30 seconds it would be worth it… Except that 200m round the corner was another bog - so I got wet (and muddy) feet anyway! Tactical mistake.

Stuart Marais cooling off at the river crossing!

With the rising heat of the day and no shade on the run I was making the most of water stations. The helicopter was flying overhead, but the focus was on the front of the men’s race, so no breeze from the propellers to cool me! The run was 13k instead of the usual 11k – which suited many of the top African runners, including Susan Sloan (top South African in Maui) who was hot on my heels ever since T2. With 3km to go she passed me on the technical beach section, and then it was a race all the way to the finish. Sadly she got the better of me by 4 seconds, but I was still happy to finish in the top 10 (8th) in the biggest field I’ve raced outside Maui.

I would highly recommend this race, and hope I'll get chance to come back another year more prepared!