Cycloholics to take on Nedbank Desert Dash

SPORTS REPORTER WINDHOEKThe Janine and Suzelle Davin Sport Trust was started as a memorial to two outstanding Namibian sportswomen, Janine and Suzelle Davin, in 2007.The trust raises funds to help develop Namibian sportsmen and -women to participate internationally by assisting them financially with coaching, travel and accommodation costs.The trust supports, on average, between 12 and 24 sportsmen and -women every year. Some notable beneficiaries in 2020 are Olympian Michelle Vorster, Namibia’s top female mountain biker, as well as gymnast Emil Pitt, sprinter Jolene Jacobs, cyclist and triathlon athlete Drikus Coetzee, junior tennis players Sedi and Tuki Jacobs and Ernst Narib, the 2017 400m champion.The trust hosts annual events to raise funds. These include the Davin Desert Cycle Relay and the Davin Trust Golf and Bowls Day. Dream teamThis year, a team of four will cycle under the Cycloholics banner to support these fundraising efforts.They are: Tertius Stears (49), CEO of Sanlam Namibia; Henk Schlechter (54), head of niche markets at Santam Namibia; Renier Taljaard (61), who works in the insurance industry, and Andrew Muller (44), a baker and factory manager.These experienced cyclists have cumulatively participated in over 25 Desert Dashes and say their main aim is to enjoy the event while raising funds for a worthy cause.Investment in my healthStears shared that he started cycling about 15 years ago and enjoys off-road events. “I will be participating in my 10th Dash and have enjoyed each one. Mostly for the time spent outdoors with good friends struggling together.“I take part in the Dash for enjoyment and, at the same time, as an investment in my health. This year will be special as we represent the Davin Trust and the good work done by them.”Schlechter added that he started cycling in 2004 to get in shape.“But as most people know, it grew on me, and since then, I’m an avid social cyclist with the only aim to complete events I enter for.”In high school and beyond he played volleyball, representing Stellenbosch University and Namibia from 1987 to 1997. It’s about friendshipSchlechter and the Cycloholics team have stuck together and are now attempting a fifth Dash. He added that their main goal is to complete the 373km race in the allotted time.“We are friends who cycle together a lot, and the Dash is something we’d like to end off each year with, as it challenges and motivates us to train a bit harder. Mostly it is about friendship and this year, of course, in support of the Janine and Suzelle Davin Sport Trust,” he said.Taljaard started cycling in 1998 and can count eight successive four-man team finishes in the Dash. Muller began cycling in 2009 after being introduced by a friend and enjoys the camaraderie amongst his teammates.He has so far completed five dashes, citing the first as the most challenging one. “Each Dash has been different in the sense the ride is never the same. Each one feels unique. For instance, one year, you cycle well, and the next year, the cycle seems a bit tougher even though you do the same stage. Overall, the experience has been wonderful and challenging,” he answered.Giving back when it mattersNedbank Namibia’s chief financial officer and chairman of the bank’s social investment committee, JG van Graan, applauded the Cycloholics, saying: “This is what the Dash is all about - having fun and giving back to worthy causes.“The heart and soul of the Desert Dash is best reflected in the spirit of those who cycle for a cause greater than themselves.“The Dash provides the perfect backdrop for those intent on challenging themselves, and in doing so, also make an immense contribution to society,” he added.

Cycloholics to take on Nedbank Desert Dash

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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Cycloholics to take on Nedbank Desert Dash

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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