The 2025 Roof of Africa has wrapped up in Lesotho, closing the HEWC season in classic hard enduro style. This year felt a bit different as nine-time winner Wade Young was out due to a burns injury. Huge loss for the event… get well soon, Wade!
Day 1 – Time Trials
The weekend started with Time Trials across Silver, Bronze, Iron, and Gold classes. Billy Bolt set the fastest time, followed by World Champion Mani Lettenbichler. James Moore also put in a strong performance, taking third and carrying South African hopes in Wade’s absence. Navigation and minor crashes made the day challenging for many riders.
Day 2 – South Africans Take the Lead
Day two featured a fast, cross-country/hard enduro hybrid course, favoring riders with local knowledge. James Moore led most of the day, finishing in 5 hours 27 minutes, with Will Slater and Mathew Stevens completing the podium. Interestingly, the top seven riders were all South African.
HEWC regulars had to chase hard. Mario Roman finished eighth, followed by Alfredo Gomez and Mitch Brightmore. Billy Bolt ended the day 13th, and Mani Lettenbichler 11th, leaving the overall standings wide open for the final day.
Day 3 – Moore Claims Maiden HEWC Win
The final day returned to classic Roof of Africa style, with technical and extreme sections challenging every rider. Billy Bolt won the day, making up for his day two setback, while Mani Lettenbichler fought back from P11 to challenge Moore.
In the end, James Moore held on to secure his first HEWC victory, finishing 1 minute 52 seconds ahead of Mani. Bolt took third overall, while Mario Roman and Mitch Brightmore completed the top five. Teodor Kabakchiev was strong early but crashed near a waterfall, ending his season.
Class Winners
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Silver: Grant Burton Durham
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Bronze: Stiaan van Den Heever
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Iron: Gideon Malherbe
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Best Female Rider: Sandra Gomez (10th overall)
Enduro Channel Take
Roof of Africa once again proved why it’s called “The Mother of Hard Enduro.” Tough terrain, minimal route marking, and extreme sections tested every rider. Moore stepped up in Wade’s absence, South Africans dominated day two, and the HEWC stars battled back for the final podium.
Another exciting season wraps up, and Lesotho continues to be one of the toughest and most thrilling hard enduro destinations in the world.
