Greg Minnaar Rookie Cup

Wet and muddy conditions greeted the 120 riders gathered for the inaugural Greg Minnaar Rookie Cup. The event, designed to encourage new riders to try their hand at a shortened and less rigorous course, saw an impressive field of 71 Rookies taking part.

Sponsored by local legend Greg Minnaar, the event was held in his home town Pietermaritzburg, on the grounds of the infamous South African World Cup Track in the Cascades Mountain Bike Park, with the aim of drawing new riders into the gravity mountain biking discipline

A “Rookie” as defined by the rules, was any rider who had only started riding Enduro in 2020/2021 or in some cases never ridden an enduro before. With the spotlight on them, and not their experienced Pro counterparts for a change, the Rookies took to the mountains to show they had what it takes.

After the thrills, and a lot of spills all around in the pouring rain, Cameron Curtis claimed King of the Rookies alongside marathoner Jade Davies who was crowned the Queen.

In addition to the Rookie class, a fun “Team” event was also incorporated, with the Rookies scoring extra weighted points, making them a valuable edition to any team. Pro’s were encouraged to incorporate a Rookie into their team to maximise the points scored.

The winning team was the Ballito Send-It’s, followed by Chainless and Brainless, with The Hazards grappling in the mud for third place.