Team Toyota Specialized Melon Mobile claim victory at KAP sani2c nonstop
Photo credit: Anthony Grote
Travis Stedman and Warren Moolman, Team Toyota Specialized Melon Mobile, are the champions of KAP sani2c nonstop 2025, after covering 256.9kms in 11 hours, 25 Minutes and fourteen seconds, on the trails between Underberg and Scottburgh. Werner Moolman was the support driver.
In an impressive ride, the pair claimed a convincing win, 47 minutes and 9 seconds faster than the previous fastest time set at the 2024 edition. The next team to reach the beach finish at Cutty Sark was Kevin Benkenstein and Tyronne White, Team Benky Rides (11:55:31), with support driver Mikayla Benkenstein. In third place was Team Grit And Grind (13:21:44), made up of Marc Adam and Paul Snyman, with supporter Marie Snyman.
The race, which started at 2am on Saturday 21 June, is a 24-hour cut-off, teamed mountain bike marathon event; a point-to-point endurance ride starting at the base of the Sani Pass and finishing on the shores of Scottburgh beach, it covers a total distance of 256.9 kms.
KAP sani2c 2025 podium: From left: Farmer Glen Haw, Paul Snyman, Marie Snyman, Marc Adam (Third Place, Team Grit and Grind); Werner Moolman, Travis Stedman, Warren Moolman (First Place, Team Toyota Specialized Melon Mobile); Tyronne White, Kevin Benkinstein, Mikayla Benkenstein (Second Place, Team Benky Rides).
Moolman says he and Stedman have grown up racing and training together and were teammates when they were a lot younger, so he knew they would make a good team. Moolman races predominantly on the road, and has built his endurance legs after a few UCI Tours in Europe: “I knew I would have the endurance from the road to keep pushing the pace all day, but the biggest doubt I had in myself was if my body could handle the demands of racing on the MTB for this long, and I must say every part of my body was broken at the end.”
“I really loved the trails. I think these are some of the best trails around, and they are always well maintained when we get the opportunity to race them.The best part of the race for me was the first few hours of riding in the dark. It was just a new and amazing experience for me, flying through the trees on singletrack in the dark. It felt like you had tunnel vision because you could only see what your light was shining on, which was a really cool experience. I love an epic ride, and this is certainly one of them.”
The magic of nonstop is a night sky full of stars.
Stedman agrees: “Doing it in the dark, riding by lights, is something really special. I kept saying to Warren, ‘just turn off your lights for a few seconds and just look up - you're riding in the stars’. The whole race is something really special, where it's not necessarily at racing speed the whole time, but it's a consistent effort. It’s one that definitely challenges the body. We need to push to get some more guys to ride with us next year, I think it's going to be really fun.”
Moolman says he was a bit worried about descending the Umko Drop, as they arrived in the dark: “But it was actually alright. I just followed Travis and trusted his skill in the technical sections, which made it easier for me to judge how much speed I could carry through certain sections.”
Benky says he was blown away by the speed of the young pair during the race: “They carried their speed later in the race much better than we did. To see them put that together for 11 and a half hours is really awesome, and makes me excited for what they could do in the future. I definitely think that in time, with the right riders, and especially a larger quantity of the right riders pushing each other, a time of ten and a half hours may be possible. I really hope that we get more of the pro teams for the race in the future.”
He says of his ride: “For Ty and I, it was awesome. We had fun. We get along really well and could push each other when we needed to. He was understanding at the moments where I was weak, and I just took responsibility on the sections that I knew would suit me, the flatter, rolling stuff.”
Team selfies at numerous checkpoints is a hallmark of a sani2c nonstop race.
Though an experienced rider, this was White’s first sani2c nonstop: “Kev is very experienced in these longer rides so it was great to learn from him and use his knowledge to help pace our effort through the event. I really enjoyed the night time riding, and a highlight was starting the Umko Drop in the dark and then slowly seeing the bright red colours start to show from the sunrise, as we descended to the river. It was unreal.
“I feel that having a support driver is a huge help. I can understand that going unsupported makes it a lot easier logistically for those travelling from far, but if it's possible to have one, it's definitely worth it. The energy and help that Mikayla brought to each Checkpoint was huge, helping keep our spirits up and keeping us well fed throughout the ride.”
A warm meal at Mackenzie Club and Jolivet, and the provisions of your support driver, ensures a well-fuelled ride.
Team Grit and Grind’s Paul Snyman, who was part of the second-placed team in 2023, says: “Riding through the night is both humbling and surreal. There’s a rhythm to it - focused, almost meditative, and then, just when fatigue threatens to take hold, the race offers its signature reward: the golden light of dawn spilling into the Umkomaas Valley. The sunrise here is not just beautiful, it’s spiritual.
“It’s more than a race; the experience tests your limits, strengthens bonds, and leaves you grateful for every person who helps get you across the finish line. At 55 years old, my teammate Marc raced with the fire and grit of someone half his age. His strength through every climb, every push, was inspiring. We suffered, laughed, dug deep, and kept going. And Marie, my wife and our unwavering rock, was the heartbeat of our race.”
Some riders head into the Umko Drop just as the sun begins to rise, others feel the sun on their backs.
Snyman says he will definitely be back: “That final step on the podium still calls, and I’ll be back to chase it. But podiums aside, it’s the experience that stays with you.”
Marie Snyman says of her role as support driver: “When I agreed to second my husband and Marc I thought I’d be standing in the background, handing out snacks, filling bottles, and waiting at checkpoints. But from the moment the race began at 2am in icy conditions, I realised this was going to be much more. I wasn’t just a helper - I was part of their rhythm, their push forward. Following them in the vehicle on the longest climb of the day was a moment I’ll never forget. Seeing the effort, the fatigue, the determination - it pulled me in completely. I felt every metre with them. Reaching the summit felt like a shared win. This race isn’t just a challenge for the riders - it brings everyone in.”
The long hard climb out of the Valley is made easier by the company of the support vehicle.
‘Farmer’ Glen Haw, race founder and organiser with the rest of the Haw family, says that this is what nonstop is about: “As a family who grew up doing Dusi Canoe Marathon, the concept of seconds as an integral part of the team is exactly what we had in mind for nonstop, and it is so rewarding to see the support drivers having this sort of experience. It takes a lot of grit to get through 256 kms of tough trails through the night, and for some riding into a second night - I take my hat off to all the riders who made it to the beach on Saturday.”
In fourth place was Team Glencairn (13:32:49), Bianca Haw and Wade Young, with supporter Nigel Young, and fifth was Team MOG3 (13:43:02), Lance Chapman and Andrew Booyens, with supporters Sue and Robs Chapman.
After 22 hours, 13 minutes and 21 seconds, Team Colab was the final team to cross the finish line. Congratulations to Gerhard Van Wyk and Johan Viljoen, and their support driver Michelle Viljoen.
On the trails of Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve you may just catch the scent of the sea.
Top 5 Teams Overall
1. Toyota Specialized Melon Mobile – 11:25:14
Travis Stedman/Warren Moolman with supporter Werner Moolman
2. Benky Rides - 11:55:31
Kevin Benkenstein/Tyronne White with supporter Mikayla Benkenstein
3. Grit And Grind - 13:21:44
Marc Adam/Paul Snyman with supporter Marie Snyman
4. Glencairn - 13:32:49
Bianca Haw/Wade Young with supporter Nigel Young
5. MOG3 - 13:43:05
Lance Chapman/Andrew Booyens with supporter Robs Chapman
A tough stretch of beach for tired legs at the finish line at Cutty Sark, Scottburgh.
Teams of 3
1. We Just Wanna Ride Our Bikes – 14:36:22
Kobus Venter/Per Lofstrand/Cameron Daly with supporter Simon Venter
2. Cycopaths – 15:48:21
Jean Paul Van Der Linde/Luan Nieuwoudt/Hayden Hutton with supporters Alberto Puddu and Megs O’Connor
3. Chasing the Sun - 16:16:13
Matthew Elliot/Mike Ford/Kyle Gallagher with supporter Francois Vermaak
Teams of 4
1. UNITRANS – 16:50:47
JohnKettlewell/RyanBrooke/
2. Wildebrakirishsnake – 16:54:43
Daniel Otto/Hayley Smith/Guy Dudley/Jasen Welsh and supporters Nicky Smith and Luca Dudley
3. FBCC BAT Boys - 18:23:17
David Cochrane/Glen Baptiste/Albert Retief/Alan Cotton with supporter Deon Retief
For more information about KAP sani2c nonstop visit https://nonstop.sani2c.co.za/