GIRAFFE EXPECTED TO THRIVE AT SUMMERPLACE

Since Summerplace was transformed from a farm to a game reserve, we have introduced several new wildlife species. Visually, the most prominent of these species is Giraffe. Although the Waterberg in general isn’t naturally ideal for Giraffe, these graceful creatures have really settled in well at Summerplace. Here’s why.

According to Waterberg Biosphere expert, Warwick Tarboton, Giraffe have been present in the region for thousands of years.

“We see on the rock art in caves* in the region depictions of Giraffe going back a very long time. Giraffes are definitely indigenous to the Waterberg region,” said Tarboton after a recent visit to Summerplace.

This rock art, located at Kaingo Game Reserve, about 45km from Summerplace, is dated as Later Stone Age – around 4000 years ago.

John Mackie, Summerplace Conservation Director, has been responsible for the introduction of Giraffe to Summerplace over the past two years. He agrees that Giraffe are indigenous to the area, but not the entire region, which is largely Bushveld.

A rock painting of a giraffe with an extremely long neck found at one of 70 historic rock art sites in the Waterberg. | Photo: Dr Ghilraen Laue

“Giraffe would have been indigenous, but not very common and likely migratory over time,” said Mackie.

“There are very few parts of the Waterberg that are able to sustain Giraffe with food all year round. Summerplace is obviously one of those. Giraffe are more of a Lowveld species, like Impala. They prefer acacia, which is attached to sweetveld. There is a lot of sweetveld at Summerplace, but very little in the rest of the Waterberg. There’s plenty of acacia and other suitable trees at Summerplace, which is more than adequate to sustain a Giraffe population on the reserve,” said Mackie.

Over the past two years, Mackie has sourced groups of Giraffe from nine different areas so as to ensure a diverse gene pool.

“We have introduced a total of 34 Giraffes at Summerplace now. A couple of young have already been born on the reserve. They seem to be settling in very well. They must be left alone now for the next five years – there’s plenty of food for them, so they’ll hopefully thrive,” added Mackie.

The Giraffe at Summerplace is the South African Giraffe, one of two subspecies of the Southern Giraffe, commonly found in northern South Africa, southern and northern Botswana, and southwestern Mozambique. They number around 31000.

Whether hiking, running, mountain biking or on a game drive, a Giraffe encounter at Summerplace is always a possibility.

Fully grown Giraffe stand between 4.3-5.7 metres tall, with males taller than females. The average male weighs around 1100kg, while the average female weighs around 800kg. Each Giraffe has a unique coat pattern with calves inheriting some coat pattern traits from their mothers.

Males and females have prominent horns on their heads. These are called ossicones, which are skin-covered bone-like structures. The ossicones of young and females are thin and display tufts of hair on top, while the ossicones of adult males are bald and knobbed on top.

Giraffe have only two gaits – walking and galloping. They can gallop at speeds of up to 60kph, but can sustain a speed of 50kph for several kilometres. Adult Giraffe eat around 34kg of plant matter a day. Giraffe gestation is between 400-460 days and usually one calf is born, although twins have been noted. A Giraffe lifespan on average is 38 years.

To experience the Giraffe at Summerplace Game Reserve, book a stay at one of our accommodation options here.

* To read more about the rock art in the Waterberg, click here. 

SIX REASONS YOUR KID SHOULD ATTEND OUR MTB TRAINING CAMP

The seventh annual Waterberg Training Camp will take place at Summerplace Game Reserve in January 2024. Based on the popularity of these camps, they have proven to be a great way for families to experience a weekend away and for kids to improve their skills knowledge and confidence on their mountain bikes. Here’s why you should book soon!

In a world where electronic screens are more attractive than ever, the importance of kids finding balance and having fun outdoors away from screens is growing. But how do you get a kid to leave his/her highly engaging screen attraction and spend time outside. By making it fun, that’s how. A kid that’s in control of his/her mountain bike is going to try more things, have more fun and spend more time riding.

We live in a country with a generally temperate climate, ideal for outdoor activities all year round. So, it makes sense to ensure your kids have healthy outdoor time. School sport plays a big part of this, but during school holidays, riding mountain bikes is a great way to keep kids engaged outside. Our Waterberg Training Camp is designed to give your kids an increased level of competence on a mountain bike. Here’s what you can expect:

A fun weekend away

Starting on Friday 12 January and concluding on Sunday 14 January, the Waterberg Training Camp includes two nights and three days, which means a weekend away. This usually sees the whole family embrace the opportunity to have a final summer holiday excursion. We offer a range of self-catering accommodation – from camping to luxury lodges – to suit all budgets and Summerplace Game Reserve is only a 2hr15min drive from Pretoria and less than 3 hours from Joburg.

A structured programme

The Waterberg Training Camp at Summerplace follows a structured programme. This ensures that each rider gets equal amounts of time learning each skill as we rotate the groups between the main skills that are on the roster. While there is a pre-set programme, it does include down time, which allows the kids to ride freely too and implement what they have learned.

Qualified instructors

The Waterberg Training Camp has multiple qualified skills instructors. They have completed one or more of the PMBIA courses to a global industry certification standard and each has experience in skills instruction and ride-guiding, so they are able to quickly identify any poor form and help the riders work on improvement. Our instructors all have experience working with youth.

Meals are included

There are three daily meals included in the fee for the Waterberg Training Camp – breakfast, lunch and dinner. These are simple, but wholesome meals prepared at the Summerplace Game Reserve Bike Village and are available for youth camp participants and their families. A separate meal-only fee is payable for those not doing the skills camp training.

It’s social

Our Waterberg Training Camps attract kids from various provinces. Being placed in small groups helps the kids make new friends and form shared bonds with others. This social interaction is important for kids, especially in a post-Covid world where in-person engagement was restricted. Friendships started through a shared passion such as mountain biking are enduring.

World-class MTB venue

Summerplace Game Reserve is a world-class mountain biking venue. The trails are built, marked and maintained by a full-time crew. There are trails to suit all levels of mountain biker and the skills area in front of the Bike Village has been designed specifically to help develop confidence and progression on popular trail features, such as rocky roll-downs, small drop-offs, small jumps and berms.

To find out more, or to book for the 2024 Waterberg Training Camp at Summerplace Game Reserve, click here.

CONFIRMED: SUMMERPLACE IS RICH IN TREE AND BIRD SPECIES

“We spent two days at Summerplace and it was an unexpected surprise!” That’s what Waterberg expert, Warwick Tarboton, said following his first visit to Summerplace Game Reserve during October 2023. He and his group recorded high numbers of tree and bird species, both of which are expected to increase. Here’s what they discovered.

Tarboton is retired, but keeps busy by managing a website called Waterberg Bio-Quest, a veritable treasure in terms of information on the Waterberg Biosphere. The website  is a meticulous record of almost everything natural in the Waterberg Biosphere, including mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, trees, wildflowers and grasses. It also contains every kind of map that’s relevant to the region, including topography, geology, drainage and many more. All content on the Waterberg Bio-Quest is English but most of it has also been translated into Afrikaans.

“We have visited well over 100 properties in the Waterberg and haven’t seen anything quite like Summerplace,” said Tarboton. “Five couples with deep interests and experience in nature and conservation were in my group and we thoroughly enjoyed our first visit.

“When you drive up the Melkrivier Road, everything looks rather homogenous. But driving into the Summerplace property with its hills and valleys delivered some very interesting sightings for us,” he added.

Until mid-2021, Summerplace was a farm, but the conversion to a game reserve has seen the introduction of a range of mammals, all of which occur naturally (or used to) in the Waterberg. Among other species, Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Tsessebe, Common Reedbuck, Mountain Reedbuck and Giraffe have all been added to the reserve in the past 26 months.

“I am most encouraged that Summerplace is keeping its species introductions to animals that originally occur there. The Tsessebe and Roan Antelope in particular aren’t found elsewhere in the Waterberg these days, so it was really good to see them at Summerplace,” said Tarboton.

“In our short visit we identified 94 species of trees. I would estimate that there are probably 130-140 in total. That’s a very good list! We spotted 107 different bird species, which is very good for the Waterberg this time of the year because the migrants haven’t returned yet. Combined with others who have recorded bird sightings at Summerplace, the list numbers 140 currently. That is a good score, especially for a place with limited water,” he added.

For Tarboton and his group, the sighting of a baby African Hawk Eagle was a highlight.

“I asked David Baber, who was our guide, about any raptors and he took us to a nest that has been there for years. We identified it as the nest of an African Hawk Eagle because it contained a big chick that’s almost ready to fly. Assuming they feel safe, they keep the same nest for years. This is the 28th African Hawk Eagle nest that we are aware of in the Waterberg.

As one of the authors of the book Wildflowers of the Waterberg (digital sample here), Tarboton obviously has a keen interest in this category of flora.

“We did see some wildflowers, but once the rains have begun, that’s when we’re likely to see a lot more at Summerplace. We are looking forward to returning after some rain,” said Tarboton.

The group was also impressed with the Aloe (Marlothii) at Summerplace.

“David took us to the Aloe forest and that is very unique. He also showed us the giant Aloe on the high ground. It’s very rare for an Aloe to grow that tall. We estimate it to be 12-14 metres tall, which is immense and at least double the size they normally grow,” remarked Tarboton, who will return regularly to continue recording flora, fauna and other data for his website.

GREY ROUTE GETS A SPECIAL EXTENSION

There’s been a great deal of work by our trails team under the leadership of master trail-builder, David Baber, at Summerplace recently. More than 10km of new trail have been added to the Grey Route, including the revival of an old trail on one of the most scenic sections of the reserve.

The creation of routes has been a focus of David’s in 2023. While Summerplace has many superb trails, the joining of them to form marked routes satisfies the self-guided riding culture that most South African mountain bikers are accustomed to. There are currently six routes: Green (11km), Orange (15km), Blue (18km), Red (25km), Grey (28km) and Black (32km). Some adjustments will be made to Black in the near future to incorporate a new Purple Route.

The extension to the original Grey Route sees the distance increase from 16.1km to 28km. The new section is made up primarily of The Amber Trail. The Amber Trail was completed in September 2023 and it comprises three sections. It is named in memory of Amber Crouse, a dear friend of Summerplace who passed away earlier this year.

Amber Trail 1 is predominantly a climb over 1.7km. This is followed by Amber Trail 2, a 2.4km section that includes some of the gravel roads, but has a new section of singletrack with great views over the south of the reserve. And then there’s Amber Trail 3, which is a highly engaging 3.1km section near Yorks View that’s almost entirely singletrack.

The Grey Route extension now uses the Sunrise Trail to reach a different conclusion.

The original Grey Route finished either down Summerflow (or the main gravel road), but David has revived a section of the original Fired Earth Trail and called it Sunrise, which is now used to take the Grey Route to a new finish.

“I completed the full route of the new Grey in around 90 minutes recently. It’s got some really good climbs and descents early on and then the gradient eases a bit to make the last half a little less taxing,” said David.

“It’s an ideal route for those who have good conditioning and intermediate to advanced skill levels. It’s designed in a way that you can leave one or more sections out if you want to modify your ride. But overall, it’s both challenging and rewarding and I really like that it now has a different finish that includes the new Sunrise trail,” he added.

The new full Grey Route will be uploaded to Trailforks soon, but it is marked with arrows and ready to ride.

SUMMERPLACE CONSERVATION: THE GREAT WILDEBEEST CAPTURE  

As a game reserve with a strong focus on sustainability and responsible conservation, it’s not unusual for there to be game capture and release projects at Summerplace. But we recently held our largest game capture of almost 100 Wildebeest, which was quite spectacular. Here’s why we needed to remove them from Summerplace.

There are more than 40 species of large mammal at Summerplace Game Reserve and Wildebeest was one of the biggest populations of any species on the reserve. However, it was determined that they pose a health risk to our Boran cattle, so the decision was made to remove the Wildebeest.

We have previously written about the essential role of Boran cattle at Summerplace. With a growing Boran herd and our grass-fed beef production plans being fine-tuned, the cattle occupy an important multi-function role. Unfortunately, we lost a few cattle over the past year to Snotsiekte, or Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF).

Wildebeest are principal carriers of Snotsiekte primarily the calves between the ages of 4-6 months. With the calving season imminent (October/November), it was important to remove the Wildebeest from Summerplace as soon as possible as the disease is infectious. The capture and removal happened over two days in September and included air (helicopter) and ground activation.

“While it’s nice to have Wildebeest on the reserve, they’re not essential to the ecosystem. One of our priority species is Tsessebe, which is a short-grass grazer and because Wildebeest are quite selective short-grass grazers, they compete with the Tsessebe. And since Wildebeest are tough and hardy, they usually win the grazing battle,” said John Mackie, Summerplace Game Reserve Conservationist.

“Normally this wouldn’t be a concern, but with large populations of both Roan Antelope and Sable Antelope and with late rains and high temperatures being forecast over the next couple of months, it helps reduce the overall grazing pressure on the reserve. But primarily, it was in the best interests of the cattle to mass capture and remove the Wildebeest, which should remove the Snotsiekte risk completely,” added Mackie.

“The capture was actually very efficient. The capture team is experienced and they just needed two mornings,” said David Baber, Summerplace Game Reserve co-owner.

“They set up a boma which has a wide entry and then gradually narrows to funnel the animals towards the trucks. The chopper pilot finds them and then chases them towards the boma. As the animals move through the boma, the capture crew members close curtains behind them to ensure none try to run back. Once they have moved up the ramp into the truck, they get given a very mild tranquiliser to help them stay calm for the trip to their new home.

“Because there were quite a lot of Wildebeest and the chopper can’t chase them for too long, they did one capture on the East side of the reserve on the first morning, relocated the boma to the West side that afternoon; and did the second capture the next morning. They rounded up most of the Wildebeest with a really slick operation. There are a handful still here which we will move ourselves, in time,” added Baber.

SUMMERPLACE: A FAVOURITE DESTINATION FOR MTB CLUBS & BRANDS

Word is getting out about Summerplace Game Reserve being a premier mountain biking destination. Several clubs and bike brands have recently spent – or will be spending – a few days enjoying our trails. Here’s why…

Lynnwood Cycling Club has regular Summerplace Game Reserve weekends where club members bring their families to enjoy a weekend in the bush. The mountain bikers in the family get to ride with the planned group rides and the non-riding family members get to also enjoy the escape to the Waterberg.

Most kids spend hours and hours riding on the flowy trails in front of the Bike Village in sight of their parents, pausing occasionally to have a cooldrink or a dip in the swimming pool. The scheduled brunch and dinner at the Bike Village gives all members of the group a chance to socialise and get to know each other better.

Lynnwood Cycling Club has already held two weekends at Summerplace this year and will hold another in early November.

South African mountain bike brand Pyga hosted its annual Trail Daze event at Summerplace Game Reserve in September. The three-night, four-day event included three meals a day and two riding sessions. Those who attended were current Pyga owners and potential Pyga buyers. It was an opportunity for riders to try out different Pyga models and the varied trails and terrain were ideal for this purpose.

“One of the most outstanding riding experiences in the world. Sensational trails meet luxury accommodation, incredible service and wonderful food capped an awesome weekend! Thanks ever so much Summerplace Team,” remarked Richard Crouse of Pyga.

A group from Specialized South Africa also spent a few days at Summerplace in September. It was an all-employee group, most of whom had not ridden at Summerplace Game Reserve before. They thoroughly enjoyed putting their Turbo Levo SL bikes through their paces on our long climbs and stimulating Enduro line descents.

“The venue is amazing, the trails and variation were top notch and the personal touch from Dave, Simone, Jo and team was the icing on the cake. Tim from Specialized in Stellenbosch was sad that he had to go home – and you know how good his local trails are!” remarked Scott McKenzie, owner of Complete Cyclist, a Specialized store in Johannesburg.

In late September Johannesburg Mountain Bicycle Club (JMBC) returned to Summerplace with a large group. With hot and windy conditions, they were wise to start their rides early, but got to enjoy the soft sunrise light on our vegetation, which is showing signs of spring with green leaves on many trees.

Other cycling groups scheduled to spend time at Summerplace soon are Cycle Lab Active Women (CLAW), a women-only group from Johannesburg and Club 100, another Johannesburg-based club that’s returning after previous visits to enjoy our trails, tranquility and hospitality.

“With the addition of new trails and the creation of marked routes over the winter months, Summerplace is now even more appealing to mountain bikers,” said David Baber, landowner and trailbuilder at Summerplace Game Reserve.

“What we are seeing is that clubs and riding groups enjoy being able to do self-guided rides by following one or more of our marked routes to suit their fitness and skill level. Some mountain bike groups split their riders into stronger and weaker groups and set off at the same time. This ensures that all the riders get to do a ride that’s challenging and rewarding but not outside of their ability,” added Baber.

While the mountain bike group guests are spread though the various accommodation options at Summerplace, they use the Bike Village as their base. The Bike Village offers everything you would expect from a mountain bike trailhead, including comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, tables for meal times, high quality coffee, a range of cold beverages, including alcohol, uncapped WiFi and clean ablutions that include hot showers.

Summerplace Game Reserve occupies 3500 hectares of wilderness land in the Waterberg Biosphere. Besides the exceptionally high level of safety for visitors, regular encounters with wildlife on the reserve are hugely appealing. There are more than 40 species of large mammal, including Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Leopard, Eland, Roan Antelope, Kudu, Sable Antelope, Tsessebe and many more.

To book your mountain bike group getaway at Summerplace Game Reserve, send a message via WhatsApp to 083 3025123 or email bookings@summerplacegamereserve.com

BACHENGU’S ARRIVAL

Summerplace Game Reserve recently welcomed Bachengu, a Roan Antelope breeding bull who will ensure the continued success of the re-introduction of Roan Antelope into the Waterberg. The name Bachengu comes from Ba (Northern Sotho for ‘they’) and Chengu (Shona for Roan Antelope). He is nine-and-a-half years old and he comes from a free-range system at Nondo, a partner game reserve to Summerplace.

“We unfortunately lost a Roan Antelope breeding bull last year to a maggot infestation in his ear. We wanted to bring in some new genes and the timing was right to bring Bachengu from Nondo where he has successfully fathered three years’ worth of calves,” said John Mackie, Head of Conservation at Summerplace Game Reserve.

“Another bull was ready to take over the herd at Nondo and we also ran the risk of Bachengu breeding with his own daughters. Bachengu is a very large, strong bull with horns measuring 31 inches each. He should  be able to breed for another two to three years at Summerplace,” added Mackie.

The goal is to diversify the gene pool further to ensure the continued success of the Roan Antelope project at Summerplace, which you can read about here. https://summerplacegamereserve.com/complex-project-adds-mountain-reedbuck-to-summerplace-game-reserve-2-2-2-6/

Watch the video of Bachengu’s arrival and release here.

RESEARCH CAMERA TRAPS INSTALLED AT SUMMERPLACE GAME RESERVE

In case you aren’t familiar with them, camera traps are robust cameras placed in selected locations in the bush to capture images of animals (or humans). Camera-trapping is a key method by researchers to capture information without having to be physically present. The absence of human interference is essential in that it records animals, reptiles and birds going about their natural routine.

Camera traps operate continually and silently, using a motion sensor and infra-red light beam. They provide proof of species present in an area, can reveal what prints and scats belong to which species, provide evidence for management and policy decisions, and are a cost-effective monitoring tool. They can also detect human activity, both legal and illegal.

According to Marilise Greyling, Project Manager of the FBIP Waterberg Biodiversity Project and the Executive Director of Waterberg Research Support Centre, camera traps at Summerplace Game Reserve will deliver important information.

“With its variety of habitat types, Summerplace is a very interesting area and we anticipate the diversity here is going to be quite amazing,” said Greyling. “Summerplace falls within a priority grid, which is currently under-sampled. So we have placed cameras to cover all habitat types on the reserve.”

The camera traps are checked every three months and data is then downloaded and examined. We look forward to seeing what the images reveal and should be able to share some of those in December 2023. We currently know over more than 40 large mammals resident at Summerplace Game Reserve and would love to be able to add to that list…

Check out the video below for more information and to see how the camera traps are installed. Also in the video are examples of images captured by camera traps at other wilderness locations.

WHY MOUNTAIN BIKERS LOVE SUMMERPLACE GAME RESERVE

More and more South African mountain bikers are discovering the gem that is Summerplace Game Reserve. And they’re returning for more. What is it about this Waterberg mountain bike trails venue, a short drive from Pretoria, that’s made it into one of South Africa’s premier mountain biking destinations? Here’s what…

Beautiful wilderness trails

There are more than 100km of incredible mountain bike trails at Summerplace Game Reserve. The trails network is still expanding and delivers a stimulating experience for all mountain bikers, from Beginner to Advanced. The mountain bike trails climb and descend the slopes of the Waterberg and are both challenging and rewarding, offering mountain bikers an opportunity to experience unspoiled natural beauty with flourishing Bushveld vegetation, indigenous birdlife, a range of wildlife and incredible views.

Hand-built and well-maintained trails

David Baber, the landowner and expert trail-builder has meticulously built all the trails at Summerplace Game Reserve using the existing natural features of the Waterberg to deliver trails that have flow and are fun to ride. As an accomplished mountain biker, David understands how to make the most of the gradient, rocks and gulleys to deliver one of the best mountain bike trails networks in South Africa. There is a full-time trails team that helps David to hand-build the trails and which ensures the trails are maintained all year round.

Range of trails to suit all mountain bikers

The trails at Summerplace have evolved to cater for all skill levels and the various fitness levels of mountain bikers. Beginner mountain bikers can cruise on the various gravel roads, while Novice mountain bikers will enjoy the tame, but stimulating singletrack close to the trailhead. Intermediate mountain bikers have a large range of trails and routes to choose from, while Experienced mountain bikers will love the ample challenging singletrack climbs and descents that Summerplace is well known for.

Ride routes or create your own

Some mountain bikers like to ride set routes and others like to be more spontaneous on their rides. Summerplace is ideal for both in that it offers marked and measured routes, which are denoted by coloured directional arrows. It’s also easy to ride a combination of specific trails using linking trails. For example, Enduro-focussed mountain bikers like to ride the Enduro lines, whereas marathon and stage-race mountain bikers like to cover ample distance on their rides.

It’s a safe place to ride a mountain bike

Mountain bikers at Summerplace often remark on how safe they feel. Besides being far from any main roads or urban settlements, Summerplace Game Reserve has a secure perimeter fence that is monitored by cameras. There are also regular patrols done through the reserve and surrounds by the local security company.

Wildlife encounters

Because Summerplace Game Reserve has more than 40 species of large mammals, your chances of wildlife encounters while on a mountain bike ride are high. Mountain bikers often encounter Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Kudu, Zebra and Giraffe. There have also been recent sightings of Leopard by mountain bikers.

The Bike Village is geared for mountain bikers

By nature, mountain biking is highly social. The Bike Village, which is the trailhead at Summerplace, has developed around the mountain biking culture. There’s ample comfortable seating indoors and outdoors as well as plenty of space for mountain bikes. There is a bike wash facility, free uncapped Wi-Fi (for post-ride uploads to Strava and Instagram), a pump to inflate tyres and high-quality coffee and cold beer to purchase. There are also excellent toilet and shower facilities and DSTV where local and international bicycle racing content is prioritised. Mountain bikers enjoy gathering at the Bike Village to watch live UCI World Cup XCO and Downhill racing.

Bikes and helmets to hire

Summerplace Game Reserve invested in a fleet of mountain bikes for rental. There are 10 eBikes, which are a blend of Specialized Turbo Levo (full eBike) and Specialized Turbo Levo SL (light eBike) and three Specialized Stumpjumper regular bikes. All the bikes are full suspension and there is a range of sizes. Specialized helmets are available to hire with the bike.

Trail guides and skills instructors

Many of the Summerplace staff members are mountain bikers. Several have completed the PMBI mountain bike skills-coaching and mountain bike trail-guiding course, so are qualified to offer skills lessons and/or guided rides.

Ideal for family breaks

Many mountain bikers take their family to Summerplace because it’s ideal for family getaways. It’s in the bush, but the large well-kept lawns and fun, flowy bits of trail in front of the Bike Village encourages kids to ride their bikes. For lodges that don’t have a swimming pool or hot/cold tub, there’s a plunge pool at the Bike Village, which also has uncapped Wi-Fi, great coffee, cold soft drinks, cold alcoholic beverages and DSTV.

Hosted top mountain bike events

Summerplace Game Reserve has successfully hosted several high-profile mountain bike racing events. In 2022 and 2023 a round of the South African XCO Cup that carried UCI grading status was hosted at Summerplace, attracting the country’s top XCO racers, including world-class performers, Alan Hatherly and Candice Lill. In 2022 Summerplace hosted a round of the Provincial Enduro Series for Gauteng, North West and Limpopo. And in 2023 it hosted a round of the SA Enduro Series.

Will be hosting more high-profile mountain bike races

In 2024, Summerplace will host the Glacier Waterberg Traverse, a three-day mountain bike stage race, organised by Dryland Event Management. Summerplace will also host a round of the 2024 South African Enduro Series, which will carry UCI grading status. There will also be a round of the South African Downhill Series hosted at Summerplace in 2024. The inaugural Waterberg Biosphere Bundu Bash will also be hosted at Summerplace Game Reserve in 2024. This event includes mountain biking over three different distances.

Range of accommodation to suit all budgets

Although it’s possible, day visits for mountain bikers are rare. Most mountain bikers book accommodation in order to make the most of the Summerplace mountain biking experience. There is a wide range of accommodation at Summerplace Game Reserve, ranging from camping through to luxury bush lodges. The accommodation is suited to the needs of mountain bikers.

SUMMERPLACE’S LILI & INUS REFLECT ON THEIR EUROPEAN RACING CAMPAIGN

Summerplace MTB Team’s Lilian Baber and Inus du Preez recently spent five weeks racing in Europe. They stayed in the new Summerplace Game Reserve camper van and travelled to races in Switzerland and Italy. It was an incredible experience to race in the hot bed of global XCO racing. Here’s what they thought of it.

LILIAN BABER
What did you find to be the biggest difference between European and South African XCO racing?

In South Africa, it’s flat out straight from the start, but in Europe it’s more strategic. I could keep up with them from the start. At home, we push as hard as possible throughout the race, but I found there, they ease up a bit and recover on the flats and then push super hard on the climbs. They do it so intuitively though, which took me a while to get used to.

You are the dominant Junior female in South Africa. How did it feel to be in races where you weren’t the fastest?

It felt different, but good. I was chasing others instead of being chased. I pushed myself harder than I do at home. I felt like I achieved new levels of personal performance.

What are the key things you learned from your European racing stint?

You must know how to race technical climbs, especially the slippery ones! You also must be aggressive. Their starts aren’t super fast, but they are aggressive. You have to fight to get into the first singletrack in a good position. There’s no politeness in the races. And you must stay calm. You mustn’t freak out when someone passes you because often, they blow and you pass them again later.

What was your racing highlight from your trip?

I would say my first race, which was in Switzerland. It was 42 degrees Celsius on the start line and the whole experience of racing in Europe made such a big impact on me. And the last race, in Italy, which had a lot of mud, but also a bunch of pros racing and seeing how I compared to them on the same course.

What was the racing low point of your trip?

I would say the Swiss Bike Cup race, which was my fifth race in five weekends. I was really tired and I was fighting with the course. I needed a rest week, but it was an opportunity to get in another European race. I know I could have pushed harder, but my fatigue was a factor.

What are you doing differently in your training after your European trip?

I am working more on intensity. I have a good endurance base, so really have just been sharpening up, which is where I struggled a bit in Europe. I can go hard, but not for as long as the European girls. I have been working on that.

What is your goal for the 2023 UCI World Champs?

My goal is to finish in the top 20. I think only one South African has ever finished in the top 20 at the Junior World Champs before so that will be my focus.

INUS DU PREEZ
What did you find to be the biggest difference between the European and South African XCO races?

Definitely the level of competition. The fields there are bigger and the level is so much higher. In South Africa you have your 20 top riders or so and you still end up alone somewhere in that field, whereas in Europe there is always someone just in front or just behind you, which pushes you to new limits.

What are your key learnings from your European racing stint?

The race isn’t over until you cross the finish line. It sounds obvious, but it’s more evident to me now. If there is a crash at the start and you get held up, you still have six or seven laps to make up for that. You have to keep on fighting to the end. I also learned that you can’t go by looks. Some riders look strong, but aren’t necessarily stronger than you. You must focus on yourself and not compare yourself to others. The racing speed is also higher there, so I have to learn to adapt my training to race at that speed.

What was your racing highlight from your trip?

Definitely racing the World Cup in Val di Sole, Italy. It’s so much bigger than I thought. You see it on TV and know it’s big, but when you are there and see all pro teams and the pits, it just feels so much bigger. Being able to start with the best guys in the world was amazing. I started quite far back, but just knowing than I was racing in a World Cup race was insane!

What was the racing low point during your trip?

I would say that would be the last race. After racing six weekends in a row and going onto a seventh race, my body was really tired. I didn’t achieve what I wanted to. Your body can only take so much.

What are you doing differently in your training after your European trip?

I need to get faster overall. I will be getting on a gravel bike more and going on those long rides. The gravel bike will help me do longer intervals better. My base training also starts earlier so that I’m ready in January when the season starts.

What was it like racing a World Cup compared to other races you have done?

It’s hard to describe the feeling of being on the start line at a World Cup! The biggest race we had in South Africa was in Stellenbosch where we had about 50 riders on the start line. At the World Cup were had 120! It’s overwhelming. Going to practise the course you see the big international pro teams on either side looking at the lines and you are riding the course and they are watching you and the lines you take. In the race you have to deal with mistakes made by the riders in front you, which all add up, but you must stay focused on yourself. It was a massive highlight for me, not just for the trip but in my life.

You have improved significantly in XCO racing since 2022. What are your racing objectives going forward?

I just finished my first full season of racing. I’m happy with the improvements I made. Even just the improvement from the first races of the season to the last races. It can take months and years to build a foundation and speed. You have be dominant in your home country to even hope to make an impact in international races, so my goal is to focus on becoming one of the best in South Africa.

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