Summarize

2019 South African Rotax Mini Max karting champion Troy Snyman is quietly confident ahead of his Northern Regions Junior Max debut at the brand new Formula K kart Track on leap year Saturday 29 February. In a season in which Snyman plans to scale new heights in more ways than one, the ‘Maritzburg lightie is raring to race while also building up on his plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro later in the year.

“I'm really looking forward to the new season on track, as much as I’m enjoying climbing a few mountains this year,” South Africa’s Mini Max world finalist Troy confirmed. “We have been quietly building up to the new season — it's a big step up from Mini to Junior Max — the kart is far more powerful and we are now in a full-sized chassis versus the kid kart in Mini, so it's much heavier and harder to drive too.

“So we have had to prepare more than usual this year — I first drove a Junior late last year and I raced in the opening rounds of both the KZN and Cape Max regionals this month and have to admit I'm happy with the results. “We race on a brand new track this weekend and I also have some tough rivals in the new class, so it’s not going to be easy — the plan is to enjoy a solid weekend and score as many points as possible.” 

Troy is meanwhile fully focussed on his plans to climb Kilimanjaro and he took advantage of racing in Cape Town last week to train with an ascent of Table Mountain the day after. “We climbed from the Camps Bay side past the old cableway station — it was very rocky and the howling wind was funnelling mist up the steep kloof, but we made it up to the highest point at Maclear's Beacon in the first step of our thrilling adventure!”