Cyclingnews sits down for a “proper” chat with Old Mutual joBerg2c organiser and reformed ad man Craig “Wappo” Wapnick about life, love and labouring on perfectly manicured single-track.
Race organiser Craig “Wappo” Wapnick. Photo: Kelvin Trautman
Q: How did the nickname Proper Wappo come about?
A: Unfortunately, the Wappo part only comes from my surname and “proper” from my constant use of the word to describe anything that is real and authentic – like “Proper single-track”.
Q: How many months of the year do you spend working on the nine-day Old Mutual joBerg2c?
A: It is a year-round experience. Not full time, but full year.
Q: You were one of the best squash players ever produced by South Africa – where does mountain biking fit in?
A: Squash is an awesome sport but it is very hard on the body. After 20 years of serious squash it was great to find something as fun and exhilarating as mountain biking. First ride with my mate Andrew Broom and I was hooked.
Q: Give us one or two highlights of your squash career.
A: I suppose winning the national championships, playing on the world circuit for eight years, playing in the Commonwealth Games and captaining South Africa in the world team championships on a few occasions.
Q: Somewhere between squash and mountain biking there was an advertising career. Tell us about your “moonlighting”.
A: Ja, I was a partner in a great agency called Cross Colours and my advertising career spanned 10 years. Working on clients like Nando’s was fun but eventually I needed to get some fresh air.
Q: The Old Mutual joBerg2c is seen by many as an extension of the Nedbank sani2c and FedGroup Berg & Bush. Tell us about the day the farmers (Glen Haw and Gary Green) approached you and your thoughts on their proposition.
A: I was one of the fortunate few who rode the initial sani2c dry runs with Farmer Glen and his crew. It was a great phase in mountain biking. Everything was new. We formed a great relationship. Farmer Glen heard I had left advertising and approached me to help him with joBerg2c. I said yes immediately. We then spotted Farmer Gary in a Joburg coffee shop and Glen said, “Gary are you doing joBerg2c with us? You do middle three days, Wappo will do the first three and then we end with sani2c route”. He looked up from his coffee and said yes – and, just like that, he was in too. From that August (2009) until the following April we put joBerg2c together.
Q: What was the biggest obstacle in turning three days in the flat Free State into prime mountain biking property?
A: Winning over the farmers in areas where they had never heard of mountain biking.
Q: The event crosses around 100 private farms. Since John Deere and Massey Ferguson do not produce mountain bikes, we guess there was some sort of educational process involved with the farmers. Tell us about that and how your ideas were received.
A: For sure, this was the most fun part. Getting to know the characters that feed South Africa. It was not long before I was drinking brandy and Coke on the porch in the middle of the eastern Free State. Our relationship with these farmers is what makes the Old Mutual joBerg2c so special.
Q: Talk us through the differences in mindset between a city boy like yourself and your farming colleagues, Glen and Gary.
A: They dress funny.
Q: The race is based on a community model where the latter benefits directly from hosting race villages at the event. Give us one example of a standout success story.
A: All our race villages are hosted by schools along the way. Some of the schools make up to R200 000 profit out of the event. The entire model is a success story.
Q: It’s fair to say that you’re quite a jovial character and that you believe the gees is intrinsic to this event. Tell us about this philosophy.
A: Gees is a great word to describe something real yet intangible. It is not something you can manufacture or some advertising concept. If you love mountain biking, if you love seeing riders happy and you embrace communities, I think the natural outcome is gees. I am very fortunate to work with a bunch of people who are genuine in everything they do. The result is something special.
Q: Your mountain bike is apparently central to one of your personal success stories (meeting your wife Kelly). Besides your bike, tell us how you met the other great love of your life.
A: I first spotted her at sani2c a few years ago but I was still more in love with my bike. Then I met her at a party and found out she had more to offer than my six-inch trail bike. We hit it off when we realised we love riding together. Best move I have ever made.
Q: We all know you’re an entrepreneur at heart. Anything brewing in the pipeline?
A: I am working with some passionate trail riders to start the SwitchBack Series – a super-technical stage race series with short stages for a small field that will test riders to their limits.
Q: You spend a whole year creating a spectacular mountain bike ride and then only get to watch as 800+ riders pedal off without you. Tell us about your emotions watching from the sidelines at the start at Heidelberg.
A: It is weird creating something that I would love to ride myself but, next to the pleasure of riding my bike, watching others have a great time is a close second.
Q: Each one of the three organisers has accepted responsibility for three days of the event. Initially you took a beating (having been allocated the flat Free State) within your friendly rivalry. Do you ever feel ganged up on and what do you believe you’ve brought to the event?
A: The farmers’ barks are bigger than their bite. Together we have upped the game across the whole route. Our friendly banter has ensured we innovate to keep each other on our toes.
Q: GPS navigation was introduced at this year’s event, which means theoretically no one could get lost. Did any interesting stories arise from this?
A: It was a massive success. Occasionally some would go wrong but no one got lost. It is always interesting when riders come in and say, “I took a wrong turn but I wasn’t following my GPS”. This form of navigation is the future and it will only get better.
Q: Tell us about the most inspirational story that you’ve witnessed at this year’s (or any other) event.
A: Undoubtedly it was watching Paulo Beltramo, who has stage four cancer, finishing the journey. This is real stuff and it is very emotional.
Q: The Old Mutual joBerg2c is now a truly international event. What is the typical feedback that you get from foreign riders after taking part?
A: This year we had a really fantastic bunch of riders from all over the world. They are more trail riders than racing snakes and this is great for the event. They have ridden many of the best trails in the world and they still seemed to really love the event. They are our best international marketing mouths.
Q: The Old Mutual joBerg2c has a very special tradition after the last rider crosses the finish. Tell us a bit about this.
A: There is nothing like our mass swim as a few hundred riders all line up and splash into the warm Indian Ocean. It typifies the spirit of the event. A fitting end to a great story.
Q: If you could see five years into the future, what do you envision for the race?
A: Our main goal is to keep the same “route is king” philosophy in an event that is full of soul. So as long as people love proper mountain biking and as long as we keep looking after the schools that look after our riders, we should have some great years to come.
*Wappo says there are some exciting innovations planned for the 2015 edition of the race. Watch this space.
