Otjihavera Experience thrills
Event attracts more than 230 riders
The FNB Otjihavera Experience, in association with Novel Ford, had one of the biggest fields of riders Namibia has ever seen in a multistage marathon event when it was staged on 20 and 21 August.
More than 230 riders lined up for the two-day event through the mountains around Midgard.
The Klein Aus Vista team of Piet Swiegers and Herbert Peters set the pace from the front on the first day of action while the Podium Contenders team of Costa and Junior de Koe had some technical problems early on with a flat tyre.
As a result the pair had to work hard to try and catch up with the front bunch where Wim Steenkamp and Ingram Cuff were fighting it out with the Fruit & Veg team of Fanie Steenkamp and Pierre Knoetze.
“In the end Klein Aus Vista team proved to be too strong to catch and chalked up the win for the first stage,” said FNB executive Gordon Pokolo
In the women’s category the Cycletec Chicks came through with a very fast time, leaving most of the men’s teams in their dust.
The Master Men’s category was claimed by the FNB Old Boys Stefan Bohlke and Hans du Toit.
The Rhino Category, for guys over 90kg, was taken on day one by Team Cathy & Canopy Centre Combo’s Andre de Klerk and Danny Villinger, still eighth overall.
The mixed category on day one was won by the FNB husband-and-wife combo of Frank and Sophia Snyman.
Day two again belonged to Klein Aus Vista with the overall win, defending their 2015 title.
Team Subvetters of Steenkamp and Cuff used the flat sections to their advantage but it was not enough on the overall time, with Costa and Junior de Koe still taking the overall second position for the race.
In the other categories FNB Masters Men and FNB Mixed maintained their dominance and won their categories on the second day and overall. In the women’s event Elenor Grassow and Gen Weber of Cycletec Chicks had a great ride and won the title as well as claiming 14th overall ahead of most men’s teams.
In the Rhino category the young legs of Andre de Klerk and Danny Villinger proved too strong for the rest of the contenders.
The organisers maintain that the race was a great success and more than N$50 000 as well as many lucky-draw prizes were taken home by the competitors.
“Such a race would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors FNB Namibia and Novel Ford, with supporting sponsorship from Fruit & Veg City, O&L Leisure, Namibia Breweries, Nivea and Milo/Bar One. A big thank you also to Leopard Lodge and Otjiterazu for making their farmland available for the race,” said Conrad Dempsey, chairperson of the Rock & Rut Mountain Bike Club, who staged the event.
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More than 230 riders lined up for the two-day event through the mountains around Midgard.
The Klein Aus Vista team of Piet Swiegers and Herbert Peters set the pace from the front on the first day of action while the Podium Contenders team of Costa and Junior de Koe had some technical problems early on with a flat tyre.
As a result the pair had to work hard to try and catch up with the front bunch where Wim Steenkamp and Ingram Cuff were fighting it out with the Fruit & Veg team of Fanie Steenkamp and Pierre Knoetze.
“In the end Klein Aus Vista team proved to be too strong to catch and chalked up the win for the first stage,” said FNB executive Gordon Pokolo
In the women’s category the Cycletec Chicks came through with a very fast time, leaving most of the men’s teams in their dust.
The Master Men’s category was claimed by the FNB Old Boys Stefan Bohlke and Hans du Toit.
The Rhino Category, for guys over 90kg, was taken on day one by Team Cathy & Canopy Centre Combo’s Andre de Klerk and Danny Villinger, still eighth overall.
The mixed category on day one was won by the FNB husband-and-wife combo of Frank and Sophia Snyman.
Day two again belonged to Klein Aus Vista with the overall win, defending their 2015 title.
Team Subvetters of Steenkamp and Cuff used the flat sections to their advantage but it was not enough on the overall time, with Costa and Junior de Koe still taking the overall second position for the race.
In the other categories FNB Masters Men and FNB Mixed maintained their dominance and won their categories on the second day and overall. In the women’s event Elenor Grassow and Gen Weber of Cycletec Chicks had a great ride and won the title as well as claiming 14th overall ahead of most men’s teams.
In the Rhino category the young legs of Andre de Klerk and Danny Villinger proved too strong for the rest of the contenders.
The organisers maintain that the race was a great success and more than N$50 000 as well as many lucky-draw prizes were taken home by the competitors.
“Such a race would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors FNB Namibia and Novel Ford, with supporting sponsorship from Fruit & Veg City, O&L Leisure, Namibia Breweries, Nivea and Milo/Bar One. A big thank you also to Leopard Lodge and Otjiterazu for making their farmland available for the race,” said Conrad Dempsey, chairperson of the Rock & Rut Mountain Bike Club, who staged the event.
SPORT REPORTER
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