Eighteen-year old Wade Young won the Roof of Africa held in Lesotho this past weekend, his second victory in the iconic motorcycle enduro race.
In 2012, aged 16, he became the youngest rider to take the title in the 45-year history of the iconic race, known as “the mother of hard enduros”. It also made him the first South African to take the title in the three-day event since 2007.
After a disappointing result last year where he experienced mechanical problems, the teenager bounced back to win the gruelling three-day, 400km event for a second time on Saturday aboard a Red Bull Brother KTM EXC 300.
The Kwazulu-Natal teenager, who has been described by his coach as having the mental toughness of a 35 year old, prepared intensively for this year’s race by participating in various extreme enduro events across the world and won the recent Ukupacha Extreme Enduro in Argentina.
Second place in this year’s Roof was taken by fellow South African Brett Swanepoel (19) on a Proudly Bidvest Yamaha, and third was defending champion Graham Jarvis from Britain, riding a Husqvarna TE300. SA’s Altus de Wet, on a Cargo-Tec Husqvarna, was fourth.
“It was probably not the most technical Roof we've had in recent years, but it was tough and exhausting,” said fourth-placed De Wet.
“I spent nine hours in the saddle on both days and no matter how fit you are, it is still tough, but we still enjoy it,” he commented.
Only 143 out of 375 entered riders finished the three-day race which ended on Saturday, living up to the Roof of Africa’s reputation as one of the toughest off-road endurance events in the world. It attracts the world’s best Xtreme Enduro competitors to take on the challenge.