Three days. One city. The loudest onslaught of MX bikes we’ve experienced in a long time.
Photo’s by: Brodalka Photography
Words and some pics by: Sean Hendley
Some trips start gently. This one did not.
Our World Supercross Cape Town adventure kicked off with a late flight out of Joburg, seriously delayed by a proper Highveld thunderstorm that reminded us who’s boss. By the time we touched down in Cape Town it was already close to 23:30. Bags collected, ride sorted, sleeper couch claimed, (we were so excited about this event we were prepared to sleep on the floor of the stadium toilets if needed), lights out at around 12:30am… and then straight back at it again at 05:30.
With barely enough time for a strong coffee and a gear check, we pointed ourselves straight into the heart of that infamous Cape Town traffic and headed for our first official stop, a World Supercross publicity shoot on Table Mountain and then at Maidens Cove in Camps Bay, ahead of the WSX finale at DHL Stadium on Saturday, 13 December 2025.
Day 1:
Despite the lack of sleep, the moment you crest the city and see Table Mountain looming above you, things shift. Jet lagged or not, Cape Town has a way of reminding you exactly where you are, and why events like this choose it as a backdrop.
The rider line up for the shoot was seriously impressive. South Africa’s own Cameron Durow was there, alongside a stacked international contingent including Joey Savatgy, Jason Anderson, Christian Craig, Jordi Tixier, Michael Hicks, Cullin Park, and Matt Moss. Add to that the official WSX media crew and representatives from Showtime Management, the hosts of the event in South Africa, and you had a proper global Supercross gathering.
Without exception, every single international guest was blown away. Table Mountain, Camps Bay, the weather, the light, that unreal Cape Town colour palette that somehow looks filtered even in real life. Pristine blue skies, bright sunshine and scattered white clouds played along perfectly, as if the city itself was aware that cameras were rolling.
We rushed down to Maidens Cove, and if ever there was a day when that iconic spot decided to show off, this was it. Clear aqua blue water with patches of seaweed swirling in the shallows, waves breaking over smooth granite boulders, and flawless white sand tucked beneath luxury villas and the dramatic green slopes of the Twelve Apostles. It was postcard stuff.
A young man proposed to his girlfriend on the slopes above the beach. She said yes. Cheers erupted from strangers scattered across the rocks and grass. A spontaneous, real life moment. Cool!
That evening, we swapped dust and cameras for something slightly smarter and headed to the Red Bull South Africa head office at the V&A Waterfront for a gala event. VVIPs, sponsors, media, team principals and riders all gathered under one roof, cocktails in hand, for a night of conversation, laughs, finger food of the highest order, and a few Q&A sessions recapping the WSX season so far.
It was another late evening, but so worth it.
Day 2:
Another short night later and we were back at it. Cameras checked, batteries charged, social posts uploaded and then it was back into traffic, this time cutting through the city centre, past the Waterfront and into Green Point where DHL Stadium stands.
Cape Town traffic deserves its reputation. It is thick, slow, and unrelenting. Go and rent a scooter from the Scoot Squad guys if you visit.
Still, seeing official traffic warning signs announcing the upcoming WSX event felt strangely cool!
The weather, however, had turned. Gone were the blue skies. Instead, we were greeted with cold, blustery conditions and rain that ranged from light drizzle to heavy downpours. Not exactly ideal for building a Supercross track.
Arriving at the stadium was… as you can imagine, chaotic. Credentials secured, we made our way into the press conference with team principals and riders before finally getting trackside.
This was our first real look at the track layout, and it didn’t disappoint. We watched and filmed sections of the build as diggers and scrapers worked around intermittent rain delays. One key detail immediately stood out: This was reportedly the only track in the WSX series with a right hand first corner.
That’s a massive deal in Supercross.
In tight stadium racing, the holeshot is everything. Passing opportunities are limited at this level, so track position early on often decides races. Riders rely heavily on late braking and controlled rear wheel slides and that rear brake is operated by the right foot. On a right hand first corner, riders lead in with that same right foot off the peg, meaning no rear brake control when it matters most.
The anticipated result? Potential chaos. Different lines. Different tactics. And possibly a few mistakes. Great for fans and photographers. A real test for the riders.
We also picked up some fascinating insight into track design. For example, there’s apparently a maximum of nine or so whoops allowed in a row and on one section we counted ten…
How so? Upon further inspection we noticed a bigger gap between number seven and number eight whoop.
Any more and suspension components could possibly overheat, oil performance may drop, bikes might become unpredictable, and riders risk getting bucked or whipped off, often quite spectacularly.
There’s far more engineering and safety science behind Supercross tracks than most of us realise.
Eventually the rain stopped play mid afternoon, giving everyone a breather. For us, that meant an early dinner and a decent night’s sleep ahead of race day.
Make no mistake, covering Supercross is hard work. You’re constantly moving, carrying a rucksack full of camera gear, hydration and energy snacks, chasing angles and that perfect shot. There’s no time to queue for food or drinks when something big might happen. And while all access passes sound glamorous, your “seat” is usually a media centre far away from the action. We spent as little time there as possible.
Day 3:
Saturday arrived, and with it, race day.
We got to the stadium early with the kind of excitement that has you pacing while checking camera settings for the tenth time. The track was still being finalised, with final lips shaped and landings smoothed.
Once the machinery cleared, riders and crews were called in for briefings before track walks and a 10 minute free practice session for each class.
Everything happened under the intense scrutiny of the FIM officials, team principals and riders from the the other class. Another briefing followed, adjustments were suggested, debated, agreed upon and immediately implemented. Precision and safety ruled the day.
Then came the lull before the storm…
Free practice allowed teams to analyse bikes and riders in motion, making last minute setup changes while riders refuelled and reset ahead of qualifying and SuperPole.
SuperPole remains one of the coolest formats in Supercross.
After two qualifying sessions, the fastest four riders go out individually, racing the clock. One sighting lap. One flying lap. No traffic. No excuses. That single lap determines gate position and gives each rider their 60 seconds of pure spotlight.
From there, the racing kicked off properly. SX2 (250cc) first, then SX1 (450cc). Curiously, the 250s were consistently around two seconds a lap faster than the 450s.
The opening ceremony followed, with teams riding into the stadium like modern day gladiators, colours flying, crowds roaring. Then came the South African national anthem. If you’ve never heard your anthem sung by a packed stadium, you’re missing out. It hits differently.
And then… Racing!
It’s relentless!
As soon as one class finishes, the next rolls out. Engines roar. Gates drop. The commentators are almost drowned out by the noise. The energy inside DHL Stadium was insane, bottle it and you’d probably solve load shedding in GP for a year.
On track, it was absolute madness. Hard block passes. Massive jumps. Hang time that felt unreal. Bikes everywhere. Action happening in every corner, all the time. We genuinely didn’t know where to point our cameras.
Ansley took the SX2 honours as predicted, but the SX1 final was the race to watch. Joey Savatgy and Jason Anderson went full elbows out, trading block passes and pushing each other to the limit. The crowd was on its feet, screaming. Anderson threw everything at it, including some outrageous jump ins and mid corner moves, eventually taking the win in one of the most exciting Supercross races ever seen.
Unreal doesn’t quite cover it.
Final Thoughts:
Three days. Too little sleep. Too much excitement. And one unforgettable Supercross finale.
WSX Cape Town 2025 delivered in every possible way and then some. We will not be missing the next one at the end of 2026.
Honestly? You’d be mad to miss it too.
Eish… what a way to end the WSX season and the year. Well done guys!
See You trackside in 2026!
