Seibeb narrowly edges past Pretorius in Ugab race

Raul Costa Seibeb won the Elite Men’s division of the Ugab Terrace MTB Challenge on Saturday after a hard-fought battle with Team KIA Elite rider Michael Pretorius near the northern town of Outjo. The race, which took the participants of all the various racing classes over one single route instead of loops, marked the third event of this year’s KIA MTB series. N$88 500 in prize money was up for grabs. Seibeb crossed the finish line after a gruelling 70 kilometres in a time of 2:37:19, leaving Pretorius less than a minute behind him (2:37:58). Tjipe Murangi, riding for Mannie’s Bike Mecca, finished in third place with a time of 2:42:32 In the Elite Women’s category there was no stopping Irene Steyn. She clocked in at 2:59:34, way ahead of Silke Bean (3:29:49) and Michelle Doman (3:29:51) who came second and third respectively. The Sub-veteran Men’s class saw another close call. Winner Heino Windisch managed to just keep ahead of second-placed Philip Steyn by a hair’s breadth. Both riders clocked 2:44:06 after 70 km. Jacques Celliers followed in third place (3:00:04). Meanwhile, Gesa Kock had less trouble in the Women’s Sub-veteran race. She clinched the first place in 3:35:13, while Andri du Toit (3:58:37) and Rosi Hennes had to settle for second and third place respectively. Other results: Veteran Men (70 km) 1. Hilko Marschall 2:44:05 2. Mannie Heymans 2:46:17 3. Eugene Spangenberg 2:59:31 Veteran Women (70 km) 1. Wilmien Chamberlain 3:18:59 2. Dawn Adams-Redelingshuys 3:54:50 Master Men (70 km) 1. Frank Snyman 2:53:58 2. Andre Huysamen 3:09:34 3. Sakkie Scheuder 3:17:44 Master Women (70 km) 1. Mandy Huysamen 3:33:15 2. Karin Brockmann 3:54:50 3. Ingeborg Winsauer 4:09:38 Open Men (40 km) 1. Luke Munting 1:40:22 2. Armin Schommarz 1:45:58 3. Radie Kotze 1:50:52 Open Women (40 km) 1. Hilde Goebel 2:14:24 2. Jacky Coetzee 2:18:13 3. Lelani Swart 2:24:05 Boys 1. Schalk van der Merwe 1:46:48 2. De Wet Steyn 1:55:18 Girls 1. Natascha Kuehl 2:21:53 2. Kaelen Spangenberg 3:07:46 Male (15 km) 1. Sylvanus Afrikaner 0:52:05 2. Beno Goebel 0:53:55 3. Xander Pretorius 0:56:15 Female (15 km) 1. Zimone Goebel 1:13:03 2. Carlia Kotze 1:24:05 3. Ronel Toll 1:34:11 WINDHOEK-PROACTIVE