2014 Roof of Africa – The Experience

LW Mag had the privilege of being invited to attend and cover the 2014 Roof of Africa extreme enduro race which took place in the scenic mountains of Lesotho. This was the 47th edition of this acclaimed race and after experiencing its culture and finesse, it’s no wonder why it is called The Mother of Hard Enduro.

The event officially kicked off on Thursday, 4 December, with the Round the Houses and Time Trail. It really is a treat to see over 400 dirt bikes take to the streets of Maseru on a 3 lap fun styles race. Freestyle Motocross and Trails demos kept the masses entertained between races while music pumped away creating a very festive vibe. Once finished the riders ventured into the mountain for their 35km time trail which would place them into position for the start of Race Day1.

Race Day 1. A long and difficult day for all riders in the Gold, Silver and Bronze classes with navigation being key. We drove out into the mountains to try catch the leading group at the various DSP and re-fuelling points but with not much luck. By this time we heard a few of the riders had either taken the wrong route or were lost. We managed to get to Bushman’s Pass and waited for the leaders to come down. 2013 Champion Graham Jarvis had drowned his bike twice earlier in the race and dropped back to 3rd position. Wonder kid, Brett Swanepoel was sitting in 2nd with Wade Young far ahead in 1st. Jarvis had made his way into 2nd by the time they reached the finish line. The likes of top riders William Gillit, Andreas Lettenbichler and Blake Gutzeit all took a wrong turn and rode for miles before realising it.

Graham Jarvis giving chace to Wade Yound on Race Day 1 — Graham Jarvis

The Silver class probably had the longest and hardest day in the saddle, so when Kirsten Landman crossed the line in 12th position she stole the show with her amazing performance. Israeli Jonathan Levy riding in the Bronze class ended up on the Silver route and crossed the line in 1st but was sent back to Bushman’s to re-ride the entire last section of the Bronze rout finally finishing in 14th.

Israeli rider Jonathan Levy making his way down Bushman's Pass — Jonathan Levy

At this point we realised just how insane the Roof of Africa is as the terrain the riders have to deal with comes across as impossible. A lot of riders crossed the finish line when the sun had already gone down, a few riders were too far out to make it back and had to sleep in the mountains.

Brett Swanepoel giving chace to Graham Jarvis to eventually take 2nd place overall — Brett Swanepoel

Race Day 2. Wade Young started over 20 minutes ahead of Jarvis in 2nd and Swanepoel in 3rd. Jarvis made up time up Lionshead but by the time the riders arrived at the first DSP, Young was still way ahead in the lead. Swanepoel had made up time on Jarvis but was still in 3rd place. We made our way back to the finish line to watch the race unfold up the last climb. Young remained untouchable and crossed the line taking his second Roof of Africa win. We waited in anticipation to see if it would be Jarvis or Swanepoel who would cross the line next. Somehow Swanepoel had passed the 2013 defending champ and finished in 2nd to a standing ovation by the massive crowd. Jarvis followed shortly after in 3rd place.

Altus De Wet coming through DSP 1 — Altus De Wet

Sitting at the finish line watching the riders in various classes finish is a really emotional experience. You can see just how much each rider has put in over the last 3 days, they have nothing left yet they push on. Most of the Silver class riders said it was almost impossible to finish without helping each other, seeing a few riders crossing the line together in thanks for each other.

Huge crowds giving their support at the finish line

Dalan Hall and Lloyd Kirk somehow got the exact same time over the 3 days of racing to finish in a draw 1st in the Silver class. Kirsten Landman cemented her position as one of the world’s top female riders by finishing the Silver class in 33rd position. The Israeli riders dominated the Bronze class with Nimrod Hemmo finishing in 1st and Jonathan Levy making his way back up to an impressive 2nd. After to chatting to some of the top riders after the race, the consensus was that this was one of the hardest things they had ever done.

Wade Young wins the 2015 Roof of Africa — Wade Young approaching the finish line

Massive respect goes out to all the riders that competed in the 2014 Roof of Africa and a huge congratulations to the riders that finished. We’d like to thank Monster Energy and Motul, two of the main sponsors, for having us there. The Roof of Africa is a very well organised event and we can only imagine what the sense of achievement the riders feel once they cross the finish line. As a spectator it is really an awesome experience, it would be better if we could see more of the race but that is what extreme endure is about. We cannot wait to be back in 2015.