This past weekend, 15 to 17 March, saw De Bos Backpackers & Camping bustling with activity for the 2024 Montagu Rock Rally, and with almost 100 climbers gathered together itching to get on the rock and enjoy a lekker party, the atmosphere was electric and the jol was one for the books!
The event kicked off bright and early with registration and briefing on Saturday and besides a tiny bit of drizzle in the morning, we enjoyed a fantastic day with excellent sending conditions. Legoland was once again a popular spot thanks to its virtually nonexistent walk-in and many fun low-grade routes, along with Bosch Kloof, Bad Kloof and The Steeple.
After a long day spent crushing, whipping and enjoying Montagu’s stellar crags, competitors made their way back to De Bos to get their scores in, take a dip in the De Bos pool and freshen up for the party to come.
By 7 pm the De Bos barn was packed with exhausted and excited climbers waiting to find out who would be stepping onto the podium and winning some goodies from the Rally’s many sponsors including The North Face, Petzl, Black Diamond, First Ascent, La Sportiva, Scarpa and Rainbow Glen.
We celebrated some impressive performances, including Men’s Open winner Ben Louw ticking a whopping 30 routes, and Tiaan le Roux repeating two 30s and three 29s, and heard some great stories from the day, both wholesome and hilarious.
FULL RESULTS
Princes Jasmine (Kahla Hackner), claimed first place in the Best-Dressed competition and won herself an accommodation voucher for the stunning Rainbow Glen Cottages in Montagu. Other special prizes included Crag Donkey (claimed by Jeremy van der Riet, who belayed Ben Louw), Best Whipper, Worst Belay, Worst Shoes and more.
Once all our prizes had been awarded, it was time to get the party started! DJ Danny Phantom delivered the tunes and the vibes were lekker as we re-lived the day’s best moments, made merry and eventually danced the night away after.
Sunday morning was slow and quiet as sleepy campers trickled into the kitchen seeking coffee, planning the day’s climbing and preparing for the trip home. Dani Blanchard led a restorative yoga class at 10:30 am next to the paddocks for anyone looking to give their achy body some love, and the sun peaked out as cars began to rumble down the path and onto the next adventure.
A huge well done to all the winners and a massive thank you to everyone who joined us for a fantastic weekend – we can’t wait to do it all again with you in Montagu next year!
Check out the full gallery from the weekend at the button below, and make sure to mark your calendars for the Boven Rock Rally (19 to 21 July) and the Rocklands Rally (30 August to 1 September)…
Note: If you arrived home with some extra gear or are missing anything from your rack, send an email to info@goodbeta.co.za and we’ll try to sort you out!
