Team Tork Craft amongst a huge Roof of Africa entry.
By Motorsport Media.
It’s time for Lesotho’s Big One, when the 2023 ‘Mother of Hard Enduro’ Roof of Africa goes down in the Maloti Mountains later this week, Thursday 30 November to Saturday 2 December. This year’s Roof has attracted a huge entry of 38 Gold, 84 Silver, 236 Bronze and 62 Iron entries.
The oldest hard enduro race in the world, the first Roof of Africa was back in 1967 when cars and bikes took to the mad mountain race. The Roof later became a motorcycle-only race as it evolved to become among the toughest hard enduros on the planet.
The race runs between 250 and 350 km depending on the class, at a minimum elevation of 1,400 metres.
The 38 Gold class entries this year include the Roof of Africa King and South African international star Wade Young and SA E2 champion Brett Swanepoel riding for Sherco. Matthew Green is another SA international star, while Husqvarna is fielding Travis Teasdale and Ryan Pelser.
Add a fleet of KTMs for South African hard enduro champion William-Waide Slater, James Moore, Dylan Jones, Luke Walker, Thomas Scales, Matt Stevens, Jordan Cowley and Kyle and Cayden Purchase.
Heinrich Aust makes his first appearance on the new GasGas, Tristan Tamsen is on a GasGas, Will Gillit (complete with a spare chain) is on a Beta from Russel Campbell Racing (great to see that brand making its way back) and Yamaha is represented by Mauritz Meiring among a crack field of top class riders.
Something interesting:
Among the many Bronze entries, Tork Craft Racing father and son team, Ryan and Reece Hunt are ready for the big adventure.
“We can’t wait for the Roof,” former multiple South African and international motocross champion, Ryan Hunt Says.
Ryan will ride a 300 KTM Team Tork Craft bike, and Reece a 150.
“Because I’m under eighteen, Roof of Africa rules say that I must ride the smaller bike,” Reece explained. “The gentler and lighter machine is probably an advantage anyway up in the mountains, where the going really will be tough. We are also most excited to be riding against MotoGP heroes Brad and Darryn Binder in the Bronze class!”
The Roof of Africa starts on Thursday with the traditional Maseru Round the Houses before the Mountain Prologue on Thursday, and then two days of rock hopping in the Maloti Mountains Friday and Saturday.
See you in the Mountains!
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