Three events will be hosted in Mpumalanga. The first leg was held in Lydenburg. The second leg was held at Ilane Game Farm just outside of Mbombela on July 28. The latter also wasn’t open to spectators – in fact, the terrain would certainly not encourage them either. The event was supported by the Lowveld 4×4 Club and 4×4 Megaworld.
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In this series there is a strong focus on long distance and night navigation, teamwork and in particular, driver skill. Size does not matter – or does it? Nope. You can in fact compete in a stock-standard 4×4 vehicle. The manner in which obstacles are incorporated on route kind of, I think, levels the playing field.
At the Mbombela event all obstacles were natural – just as the universe had created them. Every obstacle offered a 50-point or a more difficult 100-point option. Some obstacles also allowed for one roll-back and or one stop, or both or neither. And then, whether allowed or not, if you transgress, you lose all 50 or 100 points at once. Some competitors did well through the obstacle only to perhaps slightly touch a marked stone and, well, that was it – no points!
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There were stock-standard cars and those which had more aftermarket accessories – which obviously does improve capacity – but was worth more than the original vehicle. And let me tell you when the manne gather at the top of a serious rock for a gonsgroepie – and there were a couple of these on route – to strategize, consider and measure with their eyes, consider whether you can do it with or without front lockers and the rest, you can feel the adrenaline.
You see how the muscles shiver, mouths go dry and the skin pales because some of these rocks – eish man – it requires seriously big you-know-whats…
The organizers apply different scoring models including the following: the all-or-nothing, regularity raid, navigation, gates and flags, or a combination of all of them. That’s why I said it’s a competition with a twist.
“I have been involved with 4×4-ing for some years, but six years ago we – my hubby and I – decided that I need my own car and since joining the very active Lowveld 4×4 club, I have been in the thick of things more often than not. It’s about the adrenaline – it is family orientated and yes, at times, it is bloody scary too”.
So I challenged her to do the rock – obstacle 3 on the day and one where the manne said: “no, absolutely not without front lockers”.
Guess what – she did it beautifully! But hubby, who joined her in the car, his nerves were shot. “Hell no,” and then some more descriptive words followed, “that was flippen nerve-racking,” he said at the top of the rock afterwards. Jolene – well, she looked a tad worse for wear, but seriously impressed.
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Stef Koch was in fact the first driver to set his nerves aside and tackle this obstacle in his Jeep. He made it look as easy as taking candy from a child.
His secret – a crawl gear and anti-stall installation. And here’s the amazing thing, which I have so often observed at these events. After him, many of those with less equipped and/or standard cars, and who never thought it possible, would also tackle the obstacle and succeed.
One such driver at this event was Jacques Ferreira in his, I think, stock-standard and well-matured Isuzu double-cab bakkie. He was cheered at the top of the obstacle – wonderful to observe such tenacity!
With eight obstacles (two recoveries on obstacle 6) and 15 cars in the convoy on the day, it proved to be a long, enjoyable and thoroughly testing day and preventative of driving all eight obstacles.
Results: Second leg – iLane Game Farm
1. Stef Koch – Jeep Rubicon
2. Jachque Wilmans and Deryck Brown – Mitsubishi Pajero
3. Japie and Jessica Combrink – Toyota FJ Cruiser
4. Jolene (Best female driver) and Ernst van der Walt – Mitsubishi Pajero
5. Deon (Jnr & Snr) du Plooy – Jeep Rubicon
6. Frikkie van Rensburg and Dirk Booysen – Mahindra Thar
Results: First leg – Krom Klip Resort Lydenburg
1. Deon du Plooy and Deon du Plooy (Jnr)
2. Stef Koch and Jaundre Koch
3. Anton Louw and Jaco van Eeden
The first leg was sponsored by 4X4 Megaworld, LT4x4 (Lydenburg Toyota) and T.O.R.C.C.
