Samantha Sanders Grinds Through Adversity to Defend Her Attakwas Extreme Crown

Samantha Sanders endured through adversity to win the 2025 Attakwas Extreme and defend her 2024 crown ahead of Hayley Preen and Sarah Hill outside of George in the Western Cape, on Saturday, 18 January 2025. Photo: Max Sullivan

Samantha Sanders endured through adversity to win the 2025 Attakwas Extreme and defend her 2024 crown ahead of Hayley Preen and Sarah Hill outside of George in the Western Cape, on Saturday, 18 January 2025.

From the gsport Newsroom Archive January 2024

The Efficient Infiniti Insure rider recovering from a lost SRAM AXS battery in the first 30 kilometres to win the Momentum Medical Scheme Attakwas Extreme, presented by Biogen, women’s race, as well as the Queen of the Mountain hotspot prize.

Sanders said that a steady start helped, when she suffered her mechanical setback. “After that rocky climb, I must have clipped a rock up and it knocked my AXS battery out,” Sanders said.

“Fortunately, my friend Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius gave me her spare, and I was able to chase back and catch the lead group by Water Point 2.”

2025 Attakwas Extreme and Queen of the Mountain Champion, Samantha Sanders

“Then, on the climb to the QOM, Hayley (Preen) pushed on and I followed her until she eased off slightly, then I carried on to claim the hotspot prize. At the summit I made the decision to just keep going, and if Hayley caught me, she caught me!”

From the gsport Newsroom Archive May 2024

Hayley Preen secured second place with Sarah Hill following behind the leading duo, happy to ride her own race.

“I consciously made an effort to stick to my game plan and not go over my limit chasing Hayley and Sam [Sanders]. I just rode the climbs at a bit above threshold and the flats at a bit below tempo,” said Hill. “Still, I finished 18 minutes faster than I did last year.” 

At the front there was no catching Sanders, for the second year in a row she crossed the finish line, in Pine Creek Resort, first. Her winning time was 6 hours, 8 minutes and 23 seconds; which was 14 minutes quicker than Preen’s and 19 ahead of Hill. Yolande de Villiers and Kelsey van Schoor completed the women’s top five. 

From the gsport Newsroom Archive September 2024

Reflecting on her Hell of the South experience Preen stated: “It was tough, but I enjoyed it. It’s a great way to start the season, but I can see why everyone speaks about the race in the reverent tones they do.”

Momentum Medical Scheme 2025 Attakwas Extreme Women’s Race Results, at Pine Creek Resort in the Western Cape, on Saturday, 20 January, 2025

1. Samantha Sanders, Efficient Infiniti Insure (6:08:23)
2. Hayley Preen, Honeycomb 226ers (6:22:48 | +14:25)
3. Sarah Hill, Efficient Infiniti Insure (6:27:55 | +19:32)
4. Yolande de Villiers, Enduroplanet (6:33:37 | +25:14)
5. Kelsey van Schoor, Pirtek (6:33:57 | +25:34)


Original Copy: Seamus Allardice, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: Samantha Sanders endured through adversity to win the 2025 Attakwas Extreme and defend her 2024 crown ahead of Hayley Preen and Sarah Hill outside of George in the Western Cape, on Saturday, 18 January 2025. Photo: Max Sullivan

Photo 2 Caption: Sanders’ bike lost its SRAM AXS battery, but she recovered after assistance to claim back to back wins to defend her 2024 crown. Photo: Oakpics

Photo 3 Caption: Reigning African Women’s Elite Criterium champion Hayley Preen for Honeycomb 226ers finished in second. Photo: Max Sullivan

Photo 4 Caption: Sanders on her QotM prize: “Hayley (Preen) pushed on and I followed her until she eased off, then I carried on to claim the hotspot prize.” Photo: Max Sullivan

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