Equine stars gallops closer to the Vodacom Durban July

With just ten days to go before the Vodacom Durban July, the legendary "July Fever" swept across Durban as all eyes were fixed on the sixteen thoroughbreds listed in the final field galloping around Greyville Racecourse.

The traditional Gallops, which are now a condition of entry for the country’s greatest horse race, give the public a taste of what to expect on race day, and more importantly, who to place their winning hopes on.

While the trainers and connections are traditionally loathe to give away too much in their gallops, the sixteen stars evidenced the strength and depth of the field for this year's Vodacom Durban July, from the top merit-rated King of Pain to the much talked about Capetown Noir and Louis The King.

Each person in the crowd of hardened punters walked away with a clearer idea of who to back for the R3,5 million Vodacom Durban July, but many were left reconsidering after the traditional prediction by a sangoma just after the Gallops.

Local sangoma Makhosonke Msoni inhaled his imphephu smoke and after conversing with his elders predicted that the main race would be won by Captain America from White Line Fever and Futura.

In amongst the enthusiastic crowd, enjoying free sticky buns and coffee on a warm mid-winters morning, were numerous finalist from the pre-race day fashion competitions, adding glamour to the occasion.

The 2014 Vodacom Durban July will be staged at Greyville racecourse on Saturday 5 July 2014. More information can be found at www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za   

Masterful show from Hill and Louw to claim 2014 dusi2c

Having negotiated some bitterly cold conditions early in the day riders once again had clear skies and dry trails for the second day of the 2014 BSi Steel dusi2c and it was the Team TIB pair of Andrew Hill and Adriaan Louw who inflated their overnight lead by a minute to cross the finish line at Blue Lagoon in Durban ahead of the chasing two teams of Quattro’s Tyron Bird and Tim Stark and Team Safire’s Trevor Rowe and Warren Price.

Following an interesting duel with Bird and Stark for a lot of the race the leaders made a break that the chasing teams could not match and it was enough to give them the second stage win and the overall crown but Hill explained his apprehension heading into the final stage and mentioned that he knew he and Louw were going to have work hard before they could relax.

"We had a nice little lead going into the final stage but anything can happen in mountain biking,” a relieved Hill said. “You just have to consolidate and make sure that you put a bit of lead into the guys before you can rest a bit on your laurels.”

The route had been changed slightly with a new, permanent foot bridge being put in and Hill explains that the changes that were made have been good for the race. The race was getting close towards the end but a push from the leading pair meant that they opened up a big enough lead to claim the victory.

"From the gun we knew that we had a bit of a water crossing coming up with the change of route this year and that change was actually really good. Crossing the river early on was nice and then a brand new foot bridge that is helping a lot of the locals in the area was also a nice change. 

"This year's route had some welcome changes with a lot of things that cannot be changed and add to true mountain biking experience that you get at dusi2c.

"Coming towards the end the group came together again but after the Silver Pipes Bridge the group split up again and Adriaan and myself accelerated and managed to put a bit of time into the guys,” a satisfied Team TIB rider added.

Arriving at the 2014 dusi2c as a greenhorn meant that Adriaan Louw had a fresh perspective and it seems that the young Western Cape rider enjoyed his first race in the Valley of a Thousand Hills and he explained that he looks forward to the new concepts that 'Farmer Glen' Haw might offer in years to come.

"It really is an amazing event. That is all you can say!

"It is a mountain biking dream and it is the pinnacle of trail riding. The race will only get better over time and I believe that next year they are doing a non-stop dusi2c which will become a marathon spectacle and that should be a fun race to participate in."

Louw and Hill will join the rest of the South African team for the upcoming UCI MTB Marathon World Championships in Pietermaritzburg and Louw believes that the dusi2c was great preparation for the event.

“The race is part of our preparation for World Champs next weekend and we didn't want to race for too long so that’s why we decided to sit out the national marathon on Sunday and rather have a shorter day in the saddle and rest up well for the race next weekend,” the Fairview Swift rider mentioned.

The eventual runners-up in this year’s race Tyron Bird and Tim Stark were chasing the race on day two and with a better knowledge of the first day Bird was happy with the way in which they were able to stay with the leading duo for the majority of final stage.

"We were a bit on and off them for the entire race as they would make a gap and then make a mistake and we would catch them mainly because it is a more tricky stage today compared to yesterday.

“I remembered the first stage better than I did the second so it meant that navigation was always going to be a bit of an issue but we managed to keep the leaders in check,” he said.

The Quattro star won the inaugural edition of the dusi2c in 2013 with Hill but he was still satisfied with the runner-up finish.

"We couldn't be happier to get that second place position for Quattro!”

Tim Stark mentioned that the game plan going into the final day was simple and it was a matter of keeping themselves in their position but if the opportunity arose to put pressure on the leaders they would give it a bash but following a mistake from him that option disappeared.

"Our plan going into today was to keep our overall position; we were quite easy on what was going to happen as long as we maintained our second place.

"We were thinking about making a few attacks on the lead guys but I unfortunately made some stupid mistakes and went up a hill that I shouldn't have and the helicopter sent me back! 

"I spent a bit too much energy chasing back up to the guys and so we couldn’t give it a go,” the Pyga Bikes rider commented.

It was a day for the stronger riders, it seemed, as Team Safire - Trevor Rowe and Warren Price - moved up into the podium positions with a powerful ride that saw them end in a share for the third place with RMB Change a Life/BSi Steel's powerhouse combination John Ntuli and Ndumiso Dontso.

"Warren and myself are power riders and there was not too much climbing today so there were not a lot of places for the lighter guys to get away. There were a lot of descents and tar roads so we could use our power and Warren today was stronger than I have ever seen him so I was comfortable sucking his back wheel!

"Yesterday we knew we had six minutes to make up, it was a long shot due to the nature of the course today but we knew if we could get into a group and extend the lead then we could move up places and it worked,” Rowe concluded. 

The mixed race was won by 2013 African Mountain Bike Cross Country Champion Yolande Speedy and her partner Eugene Botha for TIB Insurance Brokers. 

The combination lead the race through both days and won by a handsome margin of 27 minutes over Gavin and Jean Meyer. Having picked up a mechanical during the second stage the pair of Owen Gandar and Tamika Haw lost out their second place to the Meyer duo but managed to hold on to the final podium spot. 

SUMMARY OF RESULTS – BSi Steel dusi2c STAGE TWO
Overall
1. Andrew Hill/Adriaan Louw (Team TIB) 02:18:42 04:51:02
2. Tyron Bird/Tim Stark (Quattro) 02:20:03 04:56:41
*3. Warren Price/Trevor Rowe (Team Safire) 02:20:02 05:11:17
*3. John Ntuli/Ndumiso Dontso (RMB Change a Life/BSi Steel) 02:29:31 05:14:18
5. Grant Usher/Sean Henderson (Team Nutrilite) 02:38:01 05:27:40
6. Robert Scott/Klaas Meitjies (Fittrack KZN) 02:38:20 05:34:12
7. Sthembiso Msango/Mboneni Ngcobo (RMB Change a Life/BSi Steel) 02:29:11 05:42:35
8. Michael Hay/Andrew Houston (FutureLife) 02:35:16 05:36:10
9. Bongumusa Zikhali/Sipho Kupiso (RMB Change a Life/BSi Steel) 02:51:27 05:42:35
10. Kevin Leveridge/Tim Keep (Pure Adventure Wear) 02:42:26 05:45:53

Mixed
1. Eugene Botha/Yolande Speedy (TIB Insurance Brokers) 02:51:30 06:04:11
2. Gavin Meyer/Jean Meyer (Margs and Jules) 02:57:45 06:31:21
3. Owen Gandar/Tamika Haw (Simply da Best) 03:11:48 06:35:24

Women
1. Camilla Howard-browne/Jeanne Grace (Passion and Pain) 03:34:00 07:42:33

* Both teams were awarded third place overall

More information can be found at www.dusi2c.co.za 

Bestmed Sondela MTB Classic – Entry Deadline

Mountain bikers looking for a weekend of single-track riding and multiple game sightings have a small window of opportunity left to enter the Bestmed Sondela Mountain Bike Classic before entries close on Sunday (June 22).

To enter, click here

The fifth edition of the event, which is presented by ASG, takes place on the 4 700-hectare Sondela Game Reserve near Bela-Bela in the Limpopo province on June 28 and 29.

Billed as the biggest mountain biking bash in the Bushveld, the weekend festival starts with the kiddies’ rides and 20km and 40km distances on the Saturday, before culminating in the 60km feature race on the Sunday.

Race organiser Wynand de Villiers said the event provided the ideal mini-break for families in pristine surrounds. “In my experience there is no other mountain biking weekend that is as geared towards the whole family, and the resort does a wonderful job of hosting our mountain bikers.

“It’s a proper festival of riding combined with quality family time in a relaxed environment where the kids are as happy as the parents.”

De Villiers said the event offered a cost-effective and quality racing option, with special combination deals for riders opting to do more than one distance.

“About a third of the field takes up one of the combo deals, which we offered for the first time last year. It makes a whole weekend’s worth of riding more affordable to the participants.”

He said the event continued to grow in popularity year on year and that would-be participants should not wait until the last minute to enter. “This is again illustrated by an increase in pre-entries to date, which total almost a thousand.”

Describing it as a jewel in the crown of ASG’s stable of mountain biking races, De Villiers said the event was all about a balance of great riding and family entertainment.

“It offers some long stretches of fast single-track that have no equal in the country.”

There are still ample accomodation alternatives in and around Bela-Bela. “But it’s just under an hour’s drive on a beautiful highway from Pretoria, so it’s ideal for day trippers too. Sondela is right next to the main off-ramp to the town.”

De Villiers said shower facilities would be made available for day visitors at the race village adjacent to the caravan park.

“Riders can also enjoy a cold one and some live music at the beer garden.”

Enter at www.asgevents.co.za before June 22. R10 from every entry fee will be donated to the Cancer Association of South Africa.

For more information, contact ASG Events on 076 621 1807 or e-maileventsupport@asgworld.co.za.

Strong South African challenge for Oklahoma World Champs

Following a tightly contested South African Canoe Marathon Championships at the Homestead Lake in Benoni a week ago the South African Canoe Marathon committee has selected a powerful national team that includes a number of world champions for the 2014 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships that will be taking place in Oklahoma City USA from 23 to 28 September.

For South African Canoe Marathon Committee Chairman Brett Austen Smith they have managed to select the strongest possible side for the trip. He understands the financial pressure that a trip like this could place on paddlers but is happy with the team that will represent South Africa.

“I am very happy with the team that we have selected,” Austen Smith said. “It is a really expensive trip and so under the circumstances I am happy with the team we have selected. The tour is mostly self-funded, or part funded for Protea paddlers, so we have to see who can afford it. This often means some of the strongest paddlers can’t go for financial reasons which is very unfortunate. Once the final paperwork has been dealt with, we will be able to see who is in the final team.”

The usual suspects made a charge for a spot on the plane for Oklahoma when they took part in the biggest South African Canoe Marathon Championships ever and it was three-time Canoe Marathon World champion Hank McGregor who won the men’s K1 as well as men’s K2 title with partner Jasper Mocké. 

With the criteria stating that the top two in each of the senior and junior events would be selected for the South African team reigning Under-23 K1 World Champion Andy Birkett missed out on a K1 selection but he and partner Greg Louw earned selection in a K2. Although Birkett and Louw were third in the SA Champs, they gained selection due to former Junior and U23 World Champion Grant van Der Walt being unavailable for the Tour.

“Grant has been studying recently and so he hasn’t been focusing on his paddling which meant that he made himself unavailable for selection,” said Austen Smith.

“That ultimately meant that we could include Andy (Birkett) and Greg (Louw) in the side to go to Oklahoma.

“This really highlights the depth in the senior men’s canoe marathon discipline. With a world champion unable to make the men’s K1 team just shows the strength that we possess,” an excited Austen Smith explained.

The women’s team will be made up of one K1 and two K2’s with Olympic bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley being the only women’s K1 and Abby Adie and Laura O’Donoghue making up the one K2 with Under-23 K1 hopeful Jenna Ward and Hayley Arthur partnering up in the second women’s K2. 

“Bridgitte was in a class of her own in the K1 final,” Austen Smith commented. “The depth in women’s canoe marathon paddling is not where it was a year ago and this is something we as a Committee need to address in the build-up to 2017”. In the Junior Girls category, the winning boat won’t be going to Oklahoma as, unfortunately the junior K2 team made themselves unavailable for selection because one of the girls is under-16 and has a hectic schedule, recently having been to the African Youth Games in Botswana, and then going to the Youth Olympics later this year.

“It is a little disappointing not being able to see them race at World Champs.

Never the less it will be a strong South African contingent and Austen Smith is confident that there are good paddlers coming through with the Under-23 age group being one to watch from a men’s point of view, he said.

“The Under-23 men are very strong this year and I think that both Brandon van der Walt and Stuart Maclaren are world class paddlers and I believe that we can do really well there.

“We will be strong in the seniors again as well as the masters. We send a very strong field to the World Champs in the masters categories and this year should be no different although it is not the biggest team we have sent to a World Champs,” added an upbeat Austen Smith.

SOUTH AFRICAN CANOE MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM - Canoe Marathon World Championships Oklahoma City 2014

Senior Men: Hank McGregor K1&K2, Jasper Mocké K1&K2, Andrew Birkett K2, Greg Louw K2
Senior Women: Bridgitte Hartley K1, Nikki Russel K1, Abby Adie K2, Laura O'Donoghue K2, Jenna Ward K2, Hayley Arthur K2
Under-23 Men: Brandon van der Walt K1, Stuart Maclaren K1
Under-23 Women: Jenna Ward K1, Brittany Petersen K1
Junior boys: Bryan leroux K1&K2, Louis Hattingh K1&K2, Jean van der Westhuizen K2, Stuart Bristow K2
Junior Girls: Julia Trodd K1, Martine Beukes K1

Masters Team:
Marion Young K1&K1 SV, Gustav Smook K1&K2 SM, Gustav Radloff K1&K2 SM, Katarzyna Lapacz K1 M, Hilde Lapere K1 SGM, Lee McGregor K1&K2 SGM, Alan Hold K1&K2 GM, Chris van den Berg K1 SGGM, John Evans K1&K2 GM, Len Jenkins Snr K1 GGM, Nigel Briggs K2 GM, Cathy Doherty-Bigara K2 SV, Linton Hope K1 SGM.

For more information go to www.canoesa.org.za

Cavani Ready to Rewrite History for Uruguay

Few countries have a football heritage as strong as Uruguay's. Striker Edinson Cavani is ready to bring glory back to the tournament's first winner.

Uruguay has had some great football legends and champions over the years. Edinson Cavani, unfazed by his country's past, is ready to write a new chapter in his country's history at the World Cup in Brazil. The weight of history on his shoulders has been brought to life in this inspiring photo from adidas.

Live streaming to take World Champs to a global audience

Fans of marathon mountain bike racing worldwide will be able to follow each moment of the UCI MTB Marathon World Championships at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg on 29 June, thanks to a new live streaming television collaboration.

While Pietermaritzburg’s recent international events such as the UCI MTB World Cup and the 2013 UCI MTB and Trials World Championships brought with them major global live streaming TV infrastructure, the 2014 Marathon World title decider does not, leaving the door open for local event organisers and the national federation to step in.

Cycling South Africa’s General Manager Mike Bradley said that their new collaboration with local live streaming company StreamIt360 had been tested during the South African National MTB Marathon Championships at the Cascades venue on Sunday 8 June, serving as a dress rehearsal for the World Champs.

Without any advanced marketing, over 200 people watched the national marathon champs live streaming telecast, many of them from Europe.

“This proves that there is an on-going demand to watch our cycling events live,” said Bradley. “This new partnership to bring live streaming to all of our major events will give the events more visibility and more spectators, and thereby add more media value to each event and to the sport as a whole.”

“A Marathon World Champs is pretty much the ultimate test, given the distances and logistical challenges, but I am confident that we will deliver top class production to the global audience at the end of the month.

“As far as we know, no-one has ever provided full live coverage of a marathon world championships before,” he added.

Bradley also added that, with word of the live coverage already emerging on social media, interest was being expressed by TV channels worldwide to carry the live coverage.

With 95 kilometres of course to be covered, the live streaming telecast, which will be anchored by a panel of presenters, with the use of 12 cameras and a helicopter to provide coverage of the races.

The technical demands of covering the event live included dealing with weak cellphone signals and communications facilities in the remote parts of the route. Numerous camera sites will be serviced by fibre-optic cables and satellite uplinks, with the helicopter providing coverage in the most remote areas.

The production will include profiles and interviews with the key marathon personalities, and will be screened on televisions at the start/finish venue in addition to the worldwide live internet streaming platform.

The event will also be covered in a 54 minute package screened locally on SuperSport shortly after the conclusion of the World Champs.

The UCI MTB Marathon World Championships takes place at the Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg on 29 June 2014. More information can be found at www.mtbworldchamps.co.za