We have all heard about The Munga now – it made huge news when announced due to the one million dollars prize money – an unheard of prize purse for mountain bike racing. The Munga is a 1000km, single-stage race that promoters claim will elevate the sport of mountain biking by giving these sports enthusiasts a prize to be excited about – one that demands attention.
“The Munga offers more than just a race, it’s a test against the toughest of external elements and against the human body, but most importantly, it’s a game changer,” says Alex Harris, renowned explorer and Race Director of The Munga. “With The Munga’s prize money significantly more than that of current event prizes, it is a massive leap for the sport and one that we hope will bring greater recognition to the sport and to the racer in all of us.”
The Mungais a two-person team, single stage mountain bike race that will take place from the 3rd of December 2014. The 1000km route for The Munga’s inaugural race will start in Bloemfontein, South Africa, leading riders through vast distances across the Karoo, and conclude at the finish line at the Waterford Wine Estate, in the heart of Stellenbosch. The route has been designed to combine endurance, experience and strategy. It is set to take riders through some of South Africa’s lesser travelled paths – a trail that showcases South Africa’s remoteness – while testing the strongest of wills.
“The world is not short of tough things to do. It’s short of tough people willing to tackle tough things. And this is set to be one of the toughest races on earth. Do you have what it takes to compete in The Munga and win your share of a million dollars?” concludes Harris.
Entry doesn’t come cheaply – and at $10 000 there is a suggestion where the funding for the prize purse comes from. Of course that would require 100 teams to enter to just cover the total prize pool, with the winners take $750 000, 2nd taking $100 000, 3rd $50 000 and the rest of the top 10 winning an entry to the 2015 event. The other $100 000 is up for the ‘under dog’ prize for a team that finishes in under 5 days.
With a certain disbelief that a mountain bike race could attract such investment, Eversheds has confirmed that The Munga prize money is 100% secured – $1 million ready for the taking!
“With prize money at the level of The Munga’s, it is life changing for the winners. We therefore decided to get external certification from our Legal Team at Eversheds (SA) confirming that the prize money is not just a novel concept to create race excitement, but rather a secured reality,” says Alex Harris, Race Director of The Munga.
With the mad rush to secure entries to the ABSA Cape Epic, and a country that is going crazy with MTB Stage Racing – the presence of a race like The Munga isn’t as absurd as it may seem at first. Riders around the globe are capable of riding long distances in one hit, and there are countless endurance athletes who are comfortable with sleep deprivation. Add to that personal challenge and this may well appeal to many who not only think they might have a chance to win – but who want to be able to tell the story, and not rely on a lottery for an entry.
For more details, see the event website.