Sixty cyclists donned Halloween costumes for a thrilling evening of mountain bike racing in the Banhoek Valley in October, as the Hellsend Mates Race Summer Series delivered its second round of competition.
Hosted by Lyne Components at the scenic Banhoek trails, the event featured riders tackling the notorious Afterburner descent – a high-speed, technical-free course that demanded precision over power.
The flat-out nature of the trail, described by organisers as “a supertube with very little braking”, created exceptionally tight racing, with up to six riders sharing identical times in some categories.
The evening’s main storyline centred on the battle between youth and experience, as local under-18 riders on cross-country bikes faced off against seasoned competitors on electric mountain bikes. The e-bike contingent ultimately prevailed, with Chris Wagner claiming overall victory by just over a second ahead of Matt Lombardi in second place.
However, the analogue bikes weren’t far behind. Neil van der Vyver, representing the under-18 category, secured the fastest non-electric time and narrowly missed overall second place, demonstrating the exceptional talent emerging from South Africa’s junior ranks.
Local rider Phillip van Schalkwyk rounded out the e-bike podium in third overall, while Sven Etsebeth completed the top five, taking second in the under-18 division ahead of Alessandro Lenisa.
Notably, the women’s category was claimed by Frankie du Toit, who finished ninth overall – the only female rider to crack the top 10. The men’s open category, meanwhile, failed to register any top-10 finishes, with Christian Kirsten leading the division.
In the masters’ ranks, Peter Futter demonstrated that experience counts, winning his category by more than a second over Sven Milton, with both riders securing top-20 overall positions.
A highlight of the evening proved to be the inaugural hill sprint challenge, conceived by Lyne Components’ Dayle Holmes. The head-to-head climbing format saw PG Groenewald triumph in the analogue category, while Van Schalkwyk doubled his success by winning the e-bike division.
The festivities concluded at Hellsend Bike Shop with the traditional prize-giving ceremony, featuring local beer, pizza and an enthusiastic best-dressed competition that saw riders racing in elaborate Halloween costumes throughout the evening.
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