17 August 2023
“The Glacier Storms River Traverse is one of Glacier’s signature sponsorships, and is highly anticipated by novice and seasoned mountain biking enthusiasts,” says Khanyi Nzukuma, Glacier's Chief Executive. “It speaks to three of the employee values that we embrace as a company – live, acting with heart, and Ubuntu, and we are very proud to sponsor and host this amazing initiative.”
“This year, we were delighted to host Paul Hanratty, CEO of the Sanlam Group, his wife, Cathy, Anton Gildenhuys, CEO of Sanlam Retail Affluent as well as his son. My wife, Veli and I were also excited to take to the trails, and we all did so with great gusto”, smiles Khanyi.
“And that’s precisely the purpose of the Traverse – a weekend to engage, in beautiful, relaxing surroundings, with intermediaries, employees, and our Sanlam partners, in the context of a family-friendly event,” he said.
World-class sponsorship
Now in its 11th year, the Glacier Storms River Traverse, from the feedback from participants, once again, was a resounding success. The natural surroundings, bike trails, hospitality, waterpoints and general pampering of participants (especially the female guests to mark Women’s Month), makes this a world-class event in every sense.
“Glacier by Sanlam has been the perfect partners for the Traverse mountain-bike events,” Henco Rademeyer of Dryland Event Management praised. “Their attention to detail and desire to create a long weekend where mountain bikers and their families can spend quality time together, has helped create events with a cult following. We are excited to continue working with them to provide riders and non-riders alike life-long memories experienced at the Glacier Traverse events.”
The spirit of the Glacier Storms River Traverse
Due to the social nature of the event, the Glacier Storms River Traverse truly encapsulates the spirit of mountain biking. While there are some who take it seriously and race for the best result possible, many are more concerned about stopping at water points, taking photos or spending time with fellow riders in the Chill Zone after a few hours on the trail.
And of course, the panoramic beauty of the Tsitsikamma landscape, through which the trails meander, is food for the soul, and riders may be forgiven for stopping, just to breathe and observe the incredible vistas.
Girl Power at the Traverse
Known for fun in the mud, the Glacier Storms River Traverse has built a reputation as a fiercely social stage race. The routes are challenging enough to ensure a good workout but not so tough as to prevent post-ride fun with family and friends. It also is perfect for eBikes, with 30% of the 2023 field having taken on the race with electric assistance. Most importantly, though, especially given its Women’s Month race date, it featured a field where 40% of the competitors were women.
Women fittingly dominated the race from 11 to 13 August. Anel Strampe was the fastest overall, crossing the line first on two of the three days. She was only bested on the final day, by Kobus Weyers, though Strampe had done enough on the preceding stages to take the overall title.
Abigail Kitshoff, business development manager at Glacier International, also showed up strong and participated with her husband, Theo Kitshoff. They loved the fact that the eBike made it possible for them to do races and rides together.
The fastest riders on traditional bikes, over the course of the long weekend, were the women’s team winners: Yolande de Villiers and Stephanie Wohlters. The formidable pairing won the first two stages, before placing second to the young guns, Karla Stumpf and Kelsey van Schoor on Stage 3.
The first Glacier Waterberg Traverse in 2024
For avid mountain bikers who missed the Glacier Storms River Traverse, or those who want to repeat the amazing experience in a different location, there is the inaugural Glacier Waterberg Traverse in Limpopo from 3 to 5 May 2024, to look forward to. Registration has opened, and spots are limited.
