GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - If all goes according to plan, the 22nd 100-kilometre Karoo to Coast mountain bike challenge will take place on 26 September this year.
The event was cancelled last year due to Covid-19, but everything is on track for this year's challenge, with the backing of George Municipality.
The Karoo to Coast is an extreme endurance off-road race that goes from Uniondale over the Prince Alfred's Pass, ending at the Knysna High School sports field. It is jointly organised by the Uniondale and Knysna Lions clubs (formally titled the CCPP Lions Karoo to Coast), with all proceeds going to charity.
The small town of Uniondale is flooded every year with 4 500 riders, ready and eager to take on the hard challenge. This year's event is fully subscribed at 2 500 riders, with the restrictions of Covid regulations causing the already coveted race to be in even greater demand.
Organisers are committed to maintaining the safety of athletes and crew, while still enabling them to have the exceptional experience they come back for year after year. Not for the faint of heart, the sinewy Prince Alfred's Pass dirt road is a masterpiece to ride, and the race's quirky shotgun start makes it all the more memorable.
A rider negotiates the majestic descent to Diep Rivier - showcasing the rock formations that make the Prince Alfred’s pass so unique.
Driver of tourism
George Municipality's tourism manager, Joan Shaw, highlighted the need for events such as the Karoo to Coast, as drivers of tourism. "The Karoo to Coast has been voted as the 'Top MTB Ultra-Marathon in South Africa' and is an official seeding event of the 2021 Cape Town Cycle Tour." She said the event is critical to tourism in the Uniondale area, as it has created a keen interest in mountain biking through Uniondale's open plains and passes. "Karoo to Coast entrants often book trips to Uniondale throughout the year to get the lay of the land and ride the area pre-event, thereby supporting tourism in an otherwise very quiet area," said Shaw.
"This is evidenced through our own tourism office insights and again highlighted in the Wesgro Cape Garden Route and Klein Karoo Visitor Trends Report for 2019, which indicates that the main reason for visiting Uniondale is sport (34%). Uniondale is the only town in the Garden Route where sport is a top driver of tourism, according to the same Wesgro data. George Municipality is committed to doing all we can to help events like the Karoo to Coast survive our current climate."
Accommodation
To maximise enjoyment of the event, race director Zandile Meneses encourages riders to train sufficiently for the scenic but challenging route. Riders looking for accommodation can get great deals in the George and Wilderness area. With Uniondale selling out yearly, establishments in George and Wilderness have come on board to offer participants discounted deals for their stay. Activity providers have also joined in to allow riders and their supporters to extend their stay and enjoy the area's offerings.
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