The Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival is on for 27 and 28 May in the stunning Karkloof region of the Kwa-Zulu Natal midlands!
The Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands are unlike any other region of South Africa. It is hard to not let your shoulders drop upon arriving in the rolling green hills set just west of the mighty Drakensberg mountains. The quiet towns and farmlands of the area are riddled with quaint guesthouses and B&Bs, signalling the popularity of travel to the area.
If you are a fan of the outdoors, it’s a massive playground to run wild in! Expansive trail networks cover the countryside from the Karkloof Country Club for trail running and mountain biking. Endless gravel roads drape the hills and mountains. Waterfalls tumble off of huge rock faces and tranquil streams trickle through indigenous forests in the folds of the landscape.
It is no wonder then that the Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival, that rolls around each year in late May / early June, is the spectacular weekend that it is! With trail running and mountain biking events suitable for all fitness and enthusiasm levels, there is an event for anybody and everybody to get stuck in on. Catch the details below of the 2023 Sappi Karkloof Trail Festival.
2023 Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival event details
The Sappi Karkloof Classic Trail Festival will incorporate the trail running aspects on the Saturday with the 21km and 9km trail runs and once again will give runners the opportunity to take in the splendour of the Karkloof with views of the Karkloof River, Albert Falls Dam and the Karkloof Valley.
“The trail runs are going to follow very similar routes to last year and the 21km route is almost identical to 2022,” route builder at the Karkloof Club Nick Stubbs said.
“For the 21km run, runners will be running through grassland, dairy farmland and pastures into a beautiful section of indigenous bush, back onto the farmland, across the Karkloof River again and then back to the club.
“In the 9km race you cross the River and meander along to the main Cramond Road where it carries along the river all the way to the club.”
Sunday’s MTB racing feeds riders’ adrenalin fix as they take on the famous Karkloof trails over various distances. There are four different rides to choose from that will test and entertain riders from beginners to elites.
The main, flagship event is the 60km marathon and this year the race is expected to once again attract some of the top mountain biking talent around to battle it out for the coveted title of Karkloof Classic champion.
“The major changes to the 60km route for this year is that we have taken Colby’s Crunch and Rockwood’s Angel out of the route with the focus on decreasing the amount of boring, long gravel sections,” Stubbs added.
“We are trying to add more single track which makes it more technical and a lot of fun.”
There is a shorter 40km race and this will be an exciting ride for riders that are not ready for the full marathon or are looking for something more manageable.
“With the 40km route we’ve tried to make it a little bit more accessible for riders who found the 40km route a little too technical in the past.
“We’ve decreased the rocky, technical single track and increased the more flowing, fun single-track for the every-day rider.
“It’s a very easy route and the riders will get a good view of the Karkloof Falls on their way back to the club.”
The 20km ride is an easy ride for anyone with very little single-track and riders will be able to see the famous Karkloof Falls as they enjoy a drink at the water table.
The shortest ride is the 10km which is ideal for anyone starting out on a mountain bike and for those youngsters that are eager to test themselves. The 10km route remains a kids favourite at the Trail Festival.
The 2023 event will take place on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May. More info can be found at https://www.karkloofclub.co.za/events/sappi-karkloof-classic-trail-festival-2023/
2023 event schedule
SATURDAY 27th MAY
07h30 – 21km Trail Run
08h00 – 9km Trail Run
SUNDAY 28th MAY
07h30 – 60km MTB
08h15 – 40km MTB
09h00 – 20km MTB
09h20 – 9km Trail Run
09h30 – 10km MTB
