The 2026 Ford Trailseeker Series delivered a season of relentless high-stakes marathon racing across South Africa, from the vineyards of Banhoek Valley to the bushveld of Sondela and the final showdown on the singletracks of Wellington. With R100 000 on the line for both the men’s and women’s overall champions, the six-round series drew stacked local fields, with big international names dipping in for individual events, producing last-gasp sprints, tactical masterstrokes, puncture-induced drama, and even a crash at the finish line. Marc Pritzen and Sarah Maré eventually emerged as the series champions, banking the six-figure prizes, but only after a campaign that saw six different race winners across the two categories.
Sarah Maré’s second-place finish in Wellington secured her the 2026 overall crown. Photo by James Heron.
Ford Trailseeker Series Round 1: Beers and Lill Win the Opener
The series kicked off in the Banhoek Valley on 31 January with a 63.5-kilometre marathon that featured a stacked men’s field bolstered by international talent.
Men’s Race: Matt Beers of Specialized Off-Road controlled the final 20 kilometres of a fierce four-way battle involving Marc Pritzen, Luke Moir, and Michael Foster. Beers held off Pritzen by a single second, crossing the line in 2:24:30, with Pritzen second and Moir third just 25 seconds further back. With former XCO World Champion Jordan Sarrou, German powerhouse Sascha Weber, and two-time XCM World Champion Andreas Seewald on the start line, Pritzen’s second was particularly hard-fought and showcased his series aspirations.
Having raced the finale perfectly, Matt Beers could afford to celebrate on the line, rather than sprint against Marc Pritzen. Photo by Max Sullivan.
Women’s Race: Candice Lill, riding for Seattle Coffee Co e-Fort Sabi Sabi, claimed victory in 2:49:46. The decisive moment came when Swiss star Alessandra Keller punctured, removing Lill’s primary rival for race victory and depriving the Cape Epic team of an opportunity to race against one another for a full marathon distance event. Tyler Jacobs recovered from a crash to time trial to the finish, taking second, while Keller fought her way back through the field to claim third. Sarah Maré scored a vital 14 points for finishing eighth.
Candice Lill went solo around the halfway mark and never looked back, riding to a victory by 3 minutes and 18 seconds. Photo by Sam Clark.
Ford Trailseeker Series Round 2: Pritzen and Looser Dominate in Cradle Moon
On 2 May, 2 000 riders descended on Cradle Moon Lakeside Game Lodge for a classic Highveld winter’s day of racing on a 62-kilometre course.
Men’s Race: South African Marathon Champion Marc Pritzen made his move within the first 15 kilometres, escaping with Jaedon Terlouw and Arno du Toit. Despite admitting he had barely trained after returning from the Lifetime Grand Prix in California, Pritzen accelerated away from his breakaway companions with 37 kilometres remaining. He won in 2:31:24, finishing three minutes ahead of Terlouw. Ignatius du Preez rode into third after passing Du Toit on the trails in the closing stages.
Marc Pritzen went solo from the 25-kilometre mark and won the Cradle round of the Ford Trailseeker Series by 3 minutes. Photo by Michael Nieuwoudt.
Women’s Race: Vera Looser emerged victorious from a race-long battle with her Efficient Infiniti Insure teammate Samantha Sanders. After 25 kilometres of head-to-head racing, Sanders established a small advantage through the Ford Raptor Rampage segment, but Looser closed the gap and made the winning move at the top of the final climb, just 3 kilometres from the finish. She won in 3:04:34, with Sanders 36 seconds back. Danielle du Toit finished third. Sarah Maré battled through illness to finish fourth and bank 22 points. With Looser scheduled for iliac artery surgery after the Cradle round, and unlikely to race again, the women’s title was wide open.
Vera Looser won round 2 of the Ford Trailseeker Series, in the Cradle of Humankind, on Saturday, 2 May 2026. Photo by Anthony Churchyard.
Ford Trailseeker Series Round 3: Du Preez Wins His First in Van Gaalen, Sanders Takes Charge
The third round of the 2026 Ford Trailseeker Series, at Van Gaalen Cheese Farm, on 6 June featured a gruelling 67.7-kilometre route with 1 200 metres of climbing packed into the first 45 kilometres.
Men’s Race: Ignatius du Preez claimed his maiden Trailseeker victory in dramatic fashion. Series leaders Marc Pritzen and Jaedon Terlouw had established a 30-second lead within the first 10 kilometres, but at the 40-kilometre mark they took a wrong turn at a split with the half-marathon route, losing their advantage. That left Du Preez, Philip Buys, and Jan Withaar to battle for the win. In the final sprint, Du Preez carried too much speed into the last corner, slid into the barriers, and Withaar followed him down in a tangle of bikes. Du Preez untangled himself first and limped across the line in 2:29:06, just six seconds ahead of Withaar. Pritzen and Terlouw finished fourth and fifth, earning 22 and 20 points respectively to draw clear of the rest of the men’s field in the battle for the general classification title.
Ignatius du Preez (left) and Jan Withaar (right) slid into the barriers rounding the final bend, before Du Preez rose first to win his first Ford Trailseeker Series race. Photo by Dom Barnardt.
Women’s Race: Samantha Sanders delivered a commanding performance, attacking early and dropping her rivals decisively. “Sam went out hard, and though we stuck together for a bit, she dropped me pretty early,” Sarah Maré explained. Sanders won in 2:55:00, a full 5:12 ahead of Maré, leapfrogging from sixth to first in the overall standings. Maré’s second ensured that she was just 4 points behind Sanders in second overall.
Samantha Sanders’s victory at Van Gaalen was built on a nearly 60-kilometre solo raid. Photo by Arnon George van der Spuy.
Ford Trailseeker Series Round 4: Maré and Terlouw Wina Tactical Affair in Sondela
The Sondela Nature Reserve round on 27 June presented just 588 metres of climbing over 66.7 kilometres, making it the flattest course of the series and a nervous prospect for strong climbers who would have preferred to avoid a sprint finish.
Men’s Race: A reduced bunch sprint looked inevitable until Jaedon Terlouw launched a perfectly timed flyer with 500 metres to go. Leading into a ninety-degree right-hander by two bike lengths, Terlouw picked the fastest line and powered out of the corner, popping onto his back wheel for a wheelie celebration as he crossed the line. The winning time of 2:17:46 was dead level with Marc Pritzen, who finished second, with Wessel Botha, Jan Withaar, and Philip Buys all crossing within one second of each other in a blanket finish. The result reduced Terlouw’s deficit to Pritzen, at the top of the standings by 10 points, and established title intrigue for the final two rounds.
Jaedon Terlouw’s sprint victory saw him gain a maximum 40 points in his battle for the overall title with Marc Pritzen. Photo by Diwan Krige.
Women’s Race: Sarah Maré seized her first victory of the season and the overall series lead. Informed the night before that her teammate Samantha Sanders was ill and wouldn’t race, Maré was told she had two jobs: win the race and take the leader’s jersey. She rode intelligently, pushing the pace alongside Danielle du Toit on the first long climb. When Du Toit punctured in the singletrack, Maré soloed the final 35 kilometres to victory in 2:40:32, finishing 64 seconds ahead of Frances Swanepoel [Née Janse van Rensburg].
Ford Trailseeker Series Sondela Elite Women’s Podium (from left to right): Danielle du Toit, Frances Janse van Rensburg, Sarah Maré, Roxanne Kemp, and Rachel Seaman. Photo by Arnon George van der Spuy.
Ford Trailseeker Series Round 5: Pritzen’s Perfect Performance, Sanders Strikes Back in Die Bosveld
The penultimate round on 1 August in Die Bosveld, just north of Pretoria, was another fast, flat course where a sprint finish seemed inevitable.
Men’s Race: Marc Pritzen had recced the route midweek and predicted a bunch sprint if nobody escaped early. So he gambled, attacking solo near the 20-kilometre mark. Despite a chasing group containing Jaedon Terlouw, Ignatius du Preez, Michael Foster, and Jan “That’s a lot of horsepower!” Withaar, Pritzen held his advantage at around 45 seconds through the singletrack sections. He crossed the line in 2:21:26, 39 seconds ahead of Withaar, with Terlouw third. The win moved him 35 points clear in the overall standings.
Marc Pritzen powered off the front of the elite men’s field after just 20 kilometres and time trialled to victory. Photo by Anthony Churchyard.
Women’s Race: Samantha Sanders hit back in the title fight, winning in 2:51:46, a minute and 33 seconds ahead of series leader Sarah Maré. By finishing second, Maré limited the damage to just a 10-point loss on the day, maintaining a 26-point buffer heading into the finale. Behind the Efficient Infiniti Insure duo, Rachel Seaman outsprinted Tania Bugarin Ortiz for third.
“If I have to come second to anyone, I’m happy it was Sam!” – Sarah Maré. Photo by Anthony Churchyard.
Ford Trailseeker Series Round 6: Pritzen and Maré Bank R100 000 Each in Wellington
The grand finale on 12 September at Bosman Family Vineyards, in Wellington, decided the champions and the R100 000 prizes.
Men’s Race: Marc Pritzen sealed the overall title in emphatic style by winning the final round of the 2026 Ford Trailseeker Series. He dictated the pace through the Walvanpas Trails, putting his nearest rival Jaedon Terlouw under pressure. On the final climb, Pritzen and Luke Moir distanced the rest of the elite group, which had been fighting for victory throughout the first 55 kilometres of the 63.7-kilometre course. Despite Moir’s trail speed, Pritzen held the cross-country specialist off in a sprint to the line, winning in 2:34:15, just one second ahead of Moir. Terlouw finished sixth on the day, securing second overall. Pritzen ended the series with 202 points, 55 clear of Terlouw. Jan Withaar completed the overall podium places.
Marc Pritzen’s final margin of victory was 55 points over Jaedon Terlouw. Photo by Sam Clark.
Women’s Race: Sarah Maré endured a nervous week and sleepless night ahead of the decider, knowing she held a 26-point lead over Samantha Sanders and would have to finish seventh or better if her teammate won in Wellington. With Sanders attacking on the longest climb after 20 kilometres and soloing to a commanding 7:05 victory, Maré’s task was to manage the gap. She fought a tight battle with Danielle du Toit for second, outsprinting the Safari Essence Titan Racing rider by a single second. That second place earned Maré 30 points, enough to secure the overall title. Sanders finished second overall, 16 points back, while Roxanne Kemp claimed third in the general classification after a solid season across all six events.
Sara Maré won the series by 16 points. Photo by Sam Clark.
Final 2026 Ford Trailseeker Series Standings
Elite Men’s Standings after Round #6 of 6:
- Marc Pritzen: Honeycomb 226ers (202 points)
- Jaedon Terlouw: Toyota Specialized Imbuko (147 | -55 points)
- Jan Withaar: Insect Science (114 | -88 points)
- Ignatius du Preez: Toyota Specialized Imbuko (103 | -99 points)
- Wessel Botha: Insect Science (94 | -108 points)
2026 Ford Trailseeker Series Men’s Podium (from left to right): Jaedon Terlouw, Marc Pritzen, and Jan Withaar. Photo by Sam Clark.
Elite Women’s Standings after Round #6 of 6:
- Sarah Maré: Efficient Infiniti Insure (166 points)
- Samantha Sanders: Efficient Infiniti Insure (150 | -16 points)
- Roxanne Kemp: Safari Essence Titan Racing (93 | -73 points)
- Danielle du Toit: Safari Essence Titan Racing (82 | -84 points)
- Sanchia Malan: Index Property Solutions (73 | -93 points)
2026 Ford Trailseeker Series Women’s Podium (from left to right): Samantha Sanders, Sarah Maré, and Roxanne Kemp. Photo by Sam Clark.
Click here to view the full standings from the 2026 Ford Trailseeker Series.
