I’ve never been able to resist a good challenge. Throughout school and university, I played netball. Then, in my third year, a friend asked me to help out their water polo team. I could catch and throw a ball, but I didn’t know how to swim freestyle. With a lot of camaraderie and perseverance, six months later I lined up next to the pool as part of the university water polo team.
Then came the next challenge. Now that I could run and swim, my sister challenged me to do a triathlon. I borrowed an old bicycle from my brother and began training. When this “new” sport started to stick, my dad bought me my first bicycle.
By now my family knew my weakness—challenge me, and I’ll say yes. So my brother asked me to do a stage race with him. I remember him explaining the elevation and daily distances, but it was only after I committed that I discovered Sani2C is a mountain bike race.
After a few stage races, my brother started hinting that we should do the Absa Cape Epic for his 40th birthday. It felt unrealistic—but so had every challenge before it.
Then life changed. I became a mom with competing priorities, and my brother is now unfortunately wheelchair-bound. Any conversation about the Absa Cape Epic always brought a smile to my face. It became a dream stored away in a box—covered with fond memories and mountainbiking adventures. I only knew a handful of superhuman men who had finished the Epic, and the idea of me even standing on the start line felt very farfetched.
I am privileged to work for Absa, a company that backs sporting ambition the same way it backs leadership capability. In 2019 my line manager, Ewald Kellerman—one of thosesuperhumans—introduced me to the #SheUntamed program. I joined the #SheUntamed Trippers program for 4 years. Every year I walked away richer. I’ve learned so much from these women, both on and off the bike. I was drawn into a sisterhood of women who celebrate and develop one another—a community that invests deeply in lifting each other up.
Each woman who joined the Trippers has prepared me for the start line, but a few voices still echo in my mind every time I ride:
So why Claire Malik as my partner for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic.
Claire and I met through the Choc Cow initiative. At Choc we cycle to raise funds for children with cancer. Claire is the person who can ride through a swarm of midges and still comment on the privilege of being outside on a bicycle. She keeps her head up and always focuses on the bigger picture. On a tough ride, it’s easy to turn inward and dwell on the pain, but Claire is the one who reminds you to keep perspective. She is resilient and selfless, living each day with a deep appreciation for life.
Our partnership is built on trust, deep respect, and friendship. We look out for each other. Claire provides direction and perspective, while I navigate the risks along the way.
I feel incredibly privileged to have watched the #SheUntamed program grow. I am deeply grateful for all the women who have invested in me along the way—the community, the encouragement, and every single vote of confidence.
