Cool running wins Rust de Winter 4x4

Hundreds of 4x4 enthusiasts and their families descended on the home of the 4x4 ATV Club of Pretoria on the banks of the Elands River in Limpopo over the Freedom Day weekend for the 33rd Rust de Winter 4x4 Jamboree.

After two days of getting seriously down and dirty, husband and wife crew Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe, in an SVM, showed that consistency is key, finishing second in Friday's 50km mountain test and third in Saturday's all-day gymkhana to come out the overall winners.

Runners up, out of a full-house entry of 150 crews in a variety of 4x4 vehicles, were Juan Vosloo and Jean-Pierre Dellemyn in a Toyota Hilux (who finished second in Saturday's gymkhana) and Dirk and Verna van Wyk, in another Hilux.

The competition started on Friday with a challenging 50km mountain 4x4 route, which took the crews from the campsite past the Rust de Winter dam and into the hills in the south and was designed to test the off-road driving skills of even experienced crews.

The winners were Christo and Karien van Wyk in a Toyota Land Cruiser pickup from the Van der Merwes and Johan du Plessis and Francien de Beer in a Mitsubishi Pajero.

IMAGINATIVE AND ENTERTAINING DRIVING TESTS

Saturday was devoted to a variety of imaginative and entertaining short driving tests within the Rust de Winter area, along the river banks, which were watched by a large and appreciative crowd of family members and supporters.

The gymkhana winners were Jack Paulsen and Francois Crous in a Toyota Hilux from Vosloo and Dellemyn, and the Van der Merwes.

Long-term sponsors Toyota had invited owners of Toyota 4x4s more than 20 years old to join the jamboree, and special awards went to Louis Cronje and his 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser pickup (the oldest running Toyota), Willie Naude and his 1987 Toyota Hilux 2.2 4Y (the most original Toyota) and Johan Lock and his extraordinary 1984 Toyota Hilux double cab (the most accessorised Toyota).

Lock's Hilux has had more than R300 000 worth of extras and special treatment, including a Lexus V8 engine, powder-coated chassis and a state-of-the-art sound system that fills the entire load box.

MAIN ATTRACTION

These three winners and another 30 lucky draw ticket holders, each got a ride with multiple off-road racing champion Duncan Vos in the works Toyota Hilux that finished 10th overall in the 2012 Dakar Rally.

The sight and sound of the V8-engined truck, as it charged around a 2.5km bush course alongside the Rust de Winter camp site, was one of the main attractions on Saturday and attracted a large and appreciative crowd.

At the prize-giving, clerk of the course Dirk van Wyk commented that the jamboree had grown from a small gathering of die-hard 4x4 owners in specialist vehicles into a jamboree that attracted enthusiasts and their families in mostly standard production 4x4 and 4x2 modern-day SUVs and leisure pickups.

RESULTS - MOUNTAIN ROUTE

1 Christo and Karien van Wyk - Toyota Land Cruiser pickup

2 Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe - SVM

3 Johan du Plessis and Francien de Beer - Mitsubishi Pajero

GYMKHANA

1 Jack Paulsen and Francois Crous - Toyota Hilux

2 Juan Vosloo and Jean-Pierre Dellemyn - Toyota Hilux

3 Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe - SVM

OVERALL

1 Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe - SVM

2 Juan Vosloo and Jean-Pierre Dellemyn - Toyota Hilux

3 Dirk and Verna van Wyk - Toyota Hilux

Motoring newsletter - click here to keep up to speed with the best in motoring