The popular The Munga mountain bike race, a single-stage 1000km race across the arid Karoo, is not for the faint-hearted. It stretches from Bloemfontein, Free State to Wellington, Western Cape, mostly offroad. In the height of summer.
This year, riders had a bit of a different challenge than the usual heat, drought and dust. Unusual rains in the Karoo resulted in flooding of the roads, and participants nearly swam more than they rode.
‘This is a race for those who are determined, and only the toughest of the tough complete it,’ said Sarel Coetsee, a participant who entered in a team, and finished the race. ‘This year is said to be the most difficult Munga yet. Only three of the five teams that entered, finished the race.’ This year’s race took place from December 1 to 6. ‘Bad roads, strong winds and temperatures of 40 degrees were overshadowed by thunderstorms that were very unusual for the Tankwa Karoo,’ Coetsee added.
Here are some incredible images by Llewellyn Lloyd of Reblex Photography. The Munga like you’ve never seen it before.
Other parts of the Karoo also received heavy rain, and Prince Albert resident and photographer Marlene Malan shared images of the Gamka River in the Great Karoo with us.
Further north, more torrential downpours. Didingwe River Lodge shared images of flooding in the Limpopo province.
And yet more flooding in Mpumalanga. Below is incredible footage of a waterfall in Watervalboven going to the Crocodile River down to Nelspruit, shared to Storm Report SA.
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