MTB | Karkloof's Duncan takes KZN title at Karkloof Classic Enduro
KARKLOOF – A year ago Kiera Duncan won ten out of ten stages at the two-day Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival Enduro. On Saturday he was not quite as efficient at the now one-day event, but his three wins from five stages was enough to defend his title and claim a popular home-town victory.
Duncan set up his victory this year with the fastest times in the three opening stages and he was sitting comfortably with a nine-second lead going into the final two legs.
Jason Boulle closed the gap by three seconds in the penultimate stage, and although the Western Cape star also won the final stage, he was still left three seconds behind Duncan on the final overall standings.
The men's podium for the Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival Enduro was (from left) Mackinley Daly (5th), Troy Cole (3rd), winner Keira Duncan, and runner-up Jason Boulle. Fourth-placed Luke Dinkel was not at the prizegiving
Youth rider Troy Cole and Luke Dinkel fought a tense backwards-and-forwards battle for the final podium spot, with the youngster edging out his better-known rival for third by just one second.
Because the Karkloof event doubles as the provincial champs this year, the victory means the Duncan is also once again the KZN Enduro Champion.
The corresponding women's title was won by Amber Cole, but she had to fight back from losing a big chunk of time in the opening stage, before edging out fellow junior Jodi Mackinnon by a deceptively large 19-second margin.
Mackinnon won the opening stage with a healthy seven-second lead, but Cole's consistency kicked in and by winning the second to fourth stages, while Mackinnon struggled in the corresponding legs, Cole built an almost unassailable lead before the final leg.
Miroda Otto also closed up on Mackinnon in the middle three stages, but her big loss in the opening stage meant she was never seriously in contention and the veteran had to settle for third.
On Sunday, the riders will tackle the more technical sections of the popular trail park in the downhill event with, somewhat bizarrely for a KwaZulu-Natal event, both the KZN and Gauteng Downhill titles up for grabs.
Duncan, who is also the trail master at the host venue of Absa Karkloof Country Club, is hoping to make it a double championship weekend with a victory in the downhill event.
Selected Enduro Results
Men
1 Kiera Duncan 14:22
2 Jason Boulle 14:25
3 Troy Cole 15:17
4 Luke Dinkel 15:18
5 Mackinley Daly 16:09
Women
1 Amber Cole 18:40
2 Jodi Mackinnon 18:59
3 Miroda Otto 19:12
Al Nicoll Photography
