There are training weekends, and then there are training weekends that actually change the way you ride. The difference usually comes down to one thing — who’s planning it, and whether they genuinely know what they’re talking about.
At White River Trails, you’re not being guided by someone who read a training manual. You’re riding with Julia Westoby and Caroline Jack — two women who between them have forgotten more about mountain biking than most people will ever know. Here’s why that matters for your riding.
Julia has been riding the White River trails for over twelve years. She hasn’t just visited the area — she lives here, she knows every climb, every technical section, every hidden gem of singletrack, and every spot worth stopping for. If there’s a better line, Julia knows it. If there’s a route that will give you exactly what you need from a training day, Julia has ridden it a hundred times.
As a semi-professional cyclist, Julia brings a deep understanding of what structured, purposeful training looks like — and how to tailor a riding experience to what each rider genuinely needs. She’s not just a guide; she’s a resource that most riders simply don’t have access to.
Caroline Jack represented South Africa at the Olympic Games — as a field hockey player. The discipline, the mental toughness, the understanding of what elite sporting performance requires — all of that came with her when she discovered mountain biking, and it shows. Caroline brings an Olympian’s approach to preparation, race-day execution, and getting the absolute most out of your body under pressure.
Since falling in love with the Mpumalanga Lowveld four years ago, Caroline has immersed herself in the trails and built a deep knowledge of what this extraordinary part of South Africa has to offer riders of every level. She’s also translated that elite sporting mentality directly onto the mountain bike — with podium finishes to prove it. She brings the same precision and intent to planning your training weekend that she applied to Olympic-level sport. Just with better scenery and no penalty corners.
The combined race experience between Julia and Caroline is, frankly, ridiculous. Three Cape Epics. Countless Sani2Cs. Multiple Berg ‘n Bush finishes. Wines2Whales. Trans Baviaans. Tankwa Trek. Sabie Extreme, Munga Grit. And more single-stage races than either of them can count without a spreadsheet.
And it’s not just about finishing — both Julia and Caroline have stood on the podium. Individually and together, they’ve raced at the front end of the field across multiple events and disciplines. That podium experience changes how you think about preparation, pacing, nutrition, and race-day execution — and it’s exactly what informs how we plan and run our training weekends.
These aren’t just names on a résumé — they’re thousands of kilometres of hard-won knowledge about what it takes to prepare for, start, finish, and race well at the events on your bucket list. We know what different races demand physically. We know what riders consistently get wrong in preparation. And we know what makes the difference between surviving a race and actually loving every kilometre of it.
When you come to White River Trails for a training weekend, all of that is yours.
Between the two of us, we’ve covered thousands of hours and kilometres on the trails in and around White River. Julia has twelve years of riding every corner of this trail network. Caroline has spent four years adding her own deep knowledge of the area on top of that.
We know the good spots. We know the climbs that will break you in the best possible way. We know the singletrack that will sharpen your skills faster than anything else. We know where to go for distance, where to go for technical challenge, and where to take you when you just need to be reminded why you love riding your bike.
When we plan your training weekend, we’re not looking at a map and guessing. We’re drawing on more combined trail knowledge than you’ll find anywhere in the Lowveld.
The thing we’re most proud of about our training weekends is what you don’t have to think about. Routes are planned. Water tables are set. Support is on hand. Logistics are handled. Your accommodation is sorted. Your riding days are structured around exactly what you need — whether that’s Sani2C prep, Wines2Whales training, Berg ‘n Bush legs, or simply a brilliant few days on a mountain bike in one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.
You clip in. We take care of everything else.
We have a genuine love for showing riders what this part of the world has to offer.
If you’re looking for the best possible preparation for your next race — or simply the best possible riding weekend of your life — you’ve found your people.
We can’t wait to ride with you.
👉 Get in touch and let’s start planning: whiterivertrails.com
Follow Julia on Strava: strava.com/athletes/13659846
Follow Caroline on Strava: strava.com/athletes/106492488
Whether you’re training for a major race or simply looking for an unforgettable MTB weekend away, White River Trails offers the trails, support, scenery, and atmosphere to make it special.