Legends of the Pedal unite at gala dinner

The Legends of the Pedal organisation assembled together at a glitzy black-tie gala dinner held at Ongegund Lodge, a magnificent wine estate set on the outskirts of Somerset West in the Western Cape, on 4 December 2014.

Photo: (from left to right) Johnny Koen, Freddie Joubert and William Newman at the Legends of the Pedal gala dinner in the Western Cape on Thursday 4 December 2014. Credit: Annelene Coetzee.

The momentous occasion takes place once a year and celebrates the colourful lives of the legends of cycling from days gone by. Guests are required to wear formal attire while those previous champions wear their high-merit representative sports blazer and tie for The Legends of the Pedal Gala Dinner. No fewer than 19 of the esteemed Legends of the Legends of the Pedal attended the prestigious event on Thursday 4 December.

The Legends of the Pedal began in 2007. Founder Johnny Koen, a name familiar to all cycling enthusiasts as the man behind the lens on SABC’s Pedal Talk, recognised that cycling had been an active sport in South Africa since 1881, yet there was nothing in place to honour “the old guys”. No one knew who they were, and what their achievements were. Pedal Talk producer, Carina Grobler, wanted to talk to the elite band of guys – the record makers from the old days, and feature them on the show.

Photo: Four new Legends were inducted into the Legend of the Pedal fold: Sammy Davids, Freddie Joubert, Cathy Carstens, Linus van Onselen. Credit: Annelene Coetzee

“It began by hosting an interview with some legendary cyclists to depict “a day in the life” of these guys,” said Johnny Koen. “The legends started with three guys who had a cheap lunch at an Italian restaurant in Emmarentia one day. Today, the Legend of the Pedal gala dinner hosts 150 people and is oversubscribed – it's a sold out event!”

Lawrence Whittaker was the first person to be inducted as a Legend of the Pedal and was the first President of Cycling South Africa (Gotty Hansen was the last President of the South African Cycling Federation – as it was previously known). A few reputable South African cyclists took a poll and they came up with 50 names that they recognised seen as legends of South African cycling. Out of those names, 30 were selected to be part of the Legends of the Pedal.

The gala dinner is a get together to re-establish relationships and to raise some funds for any of those wanting legends. The sell-out event raised a record sum of approximately R80 000 for the Legends of the Pedal Benevolent Fund, which assists any Legends in need, and which is kindly managed and administered by Legends William Newman and Johan Nicol on their behalf.

“We’ve got the talent in cycling,” said Koen. “Until Penny Heyns claimed two Olympic gold medals at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, Legend of the Pedal Tommy Shardelow was the most acclaimed Olympian from a bygone era. Tommy competed in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics, winning silver medals in the 4000m Team Pursuit and 2000m Tandem events in 1952.” Shardelow was the guest Legend of Honour on Thursday evening at Ongegund Lodge in Somerset West.

Four new Legends were inducted into the Legend of the Pedal fold. Sammy Davids, the first champion cyclist of colour since South Africa’s re-admission into the international sporting arena; Cathy Carstens, the first “Lady Legend” and previous World Champion; Linus van Onselen, double World Champion; and Freddie Joubert, who has dedicated 60 years+ of his life to cycling. Joubert was a cyclist, administrator and is still operating as a Commissaire today.

The owner of Ongedund Lodge, Alwyn Gey van Pittius, went out of his way to ensure that the “Legends” were provided with five-star treatment, from the moment they arrived until the moment they left. Van Pittius is a keen mountain biker and a past athletics National Champion and record holder. The Ongedund Lodge sponsors the entire evening and is the single biggest contributor to the Legends of the Pedal Benevolent Fund. Koen expressed sincere gratitude to Van Pittius and the Ongedund Lodge for all their contribution and support of the Legends of the Pedal.

Brief CVs of those Legends of the Pedal who were in attendance at the 2014 Legends of the Pedal Gala Dinner:

Eddie Kriel
SA 20km, Tandem (with Hennie Wentzel!), Ind Pursuit and Team Pursuit Champion
Springbok
Married to Susan Binneman

Elrick Kulsen
1986 1st Springbok of Colour
Multiple SA Champions Track
Manager CSA National Teams
Coach/manger CSA National Paracycling Teams

Phil Liggett
The Voice of Cycling
Honorary Legend of the Pedal: he virtually lives here.
9 Olympic Games
4 Winter Olympics
TdF since 1973
Emmy Award Winner
2005 MBE
2007 American Hall of Fame

Martin Edward Charles Nefdt
The Self-Proclaimed Mayor of Perridgvale
Springbok
Multiple National Champion, Sprint, 5 Times Tandem, 1000m TT and 1500m
1500m in 73 One of the Very Best Races we have seen

William Newman
Elected not to Race in the Window Dressed Era“No normal sport in an abnormal society”

Multiple Tour de Boland Winner
The Best SACOS rider of All Time
Held all of the SACOS Records+ Captained the SACOS National Team
First Legend to be elected as the President of CSA

Johan Nicol
The Son of William Nicol, the Administrator of the then Transvaal
SA Junior TT Record stood for 25 Years
SA Senior TT Record
SA 10-Mile Record
Still an Active Cyclist: MTB

Rowan Peacock
Rome Olympic Games
1965 First SA Rider to Beat the 5 min Pursuit Barrier: 4:55
Twice Boxing Day Winner
1970 All SA TT Records 1500m TO 100km

Roy Peacock
Represented WP and Captained Natal
3 Times SA Team Pursuit Champion

Children Lizelle and Roy both Represented SA at Swimming

Andy Theron
Multiple SA Pursuit Champion
Boxing Day Winner
1973 SA Hour Record 44.7 km at Pretoria vs. Eddy Merckx’s 49.473 at Mexico City
1973 SA Record Pursuit 4:52 when the WR was 4:46… still stands on a “bicycle” no aero equipment… 6 secs off World Record

Tin Thiart
Extremely Popular
1969 Springbok
Twice Boxing Day Winner
SA Champion
Rembrandt Tour Rider

Theo von Ruben
Has had a CSA Racing License since 1967
Winner All Senior EP Championships but the Sprint
World Masters Games 10km Champion
World Masters Games Omnium Champion

Lawrence Whittaker
Natal Colours
Co Founder CTCT
Winner 1st CTCT
1st President CSA
The Bridge Between Then and Now: Racing & Recreational

Chris Willemse
Only Rider Ever to Win Juvenile, Junior and Senior National Road Titles
Took Part in 5 SA Road Championships and Won 5 Medals
Boxing Day Winner
Multiple SA and RSA Games National Titles on the Track
Youngest VP of SACF

Gauteng claim SA Canoe Polo Champs gold

The Gauteng Barbarians produced an upset win over the Gauteng Men’s team at the end of the South African Canoe Polo Championships on the weekend, winning the final of the Senior Men’s division at Emmarentia dam.

Teams from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape entered an assortment of men’s and mixed teams in two categories: U21 and Senior. Traditional rivals Gauteng and KZN were given more than a run for their money by the teams from the Western Cape.

The Saturday's action involved the teams fighting it out during the pool stages of the competition which continued into the early part of Sunday before the teams moved on to the semi-finals and finals later in the day.

The competition was fierce as teams vied for a place in the play-off games with spectators being treated to some hard-fought matches on both days and culminated in an all Gauteng final in the senior category and a north-south derby in the Under-21 age group final.

In the Under-21 category, the Gauteng Scouts proved their mettle, playing for the first time in a competition of this nature and enjoying games of a high standard against their rival teams. The true competition in this category was between Gauteng U21 and the Aurecon Western Cape U21 teams. The final was a hotly contested game that had parents and spectators cheering loudly. After 20 minutes, there was still no score, so the game went to Golden Goal. The Western Cape team just pipped the Gauteng team to the post.

In the senior division, there were surprises in store. KZN’s mixed team played Western Cape, who beat them in the play-off for 3rd and 4th place. The real competition and undoubtedly the match of the tournament was the senior final, between two Gauteng teams: Gauteng Men and Gauteng Barbarians. The battle was fought between the two local sides, with the score see-sawing back-and-forth, ending in a draw. The game went to Golden Goal and the Gauteng Barbarians paddled away with the gold much to the delight of their supporters.

The final results for the tournament were:
U21: Gold - Aurecon Western Cape U21; Silver - Gauteng U21; Bronze - Gauteng Scouts.
Senior: Gold - Gauteng Barbarians; Silver - Gauteng Men; Bronze - Western Cape

For any further information go and have a look at the Canoeing South Africa website atwww.canoesa.org.za. 

A chat with Lewis Hamilton

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton knows he has plenty of rivalry for the 2015 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award next month, including major sports stars like Novak Djokovic, Rory McIlroy and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Rory’s done an amazing job.  Ronaldo, what a great player he is, Djokovic, I mean he’s killed everything,” said British two-time world champion Hamilton, in an interview with Laureus.com.

But also in the interview, the Mercedes AMG Petronas driver surprisingly revealed that if there was one place he would like to seemore competition, it is on the race track, when this year’s Formula One season gets under way in Melbourne on March 15.

In 2014, Hamilton, with 11 Grand Prix wins, and team-mate Nico Rosberg, with five, won all but three races on the calendar, giving the Mercedes AMG Petronas team a comfortable victory in the World Constructors’ Championship.

A perfect season on the face of it, but Hamilton told Laureus.com: “I like to race, I really like to race. The 2015 cars are going to be evolutions of last year’s cars, so it’ll be the same people that we were racing with last year.  Red Bull, Williams, and then you’re hoping that it’s a bit of a better year for those like McLaren and Ferrari, so that we have more people to race. The more the merrier.

“There was one year the first seven races were won by a different driver, a different team, that’s what people want to see. But, most importantly, if the cars are close you can have real races where you’re overtaking and battling and that’s what I love doing. That’s what racing’s about.”

Having just turned 30 in January, Hamilton also revealed his thoughts about the future, insisting he will know when it’s time to stop, though he believes that will be a long way down the road.

“If I’m lucky enough to be able to live out my whole Formula One career then I think I’ve got a good seven, eight years left in me. I’m sure I could go longer, but I think there’s only 22 seats in Formula One, so you’ve got to imagine that there’s going to be kids coming up along the way. I don’t plan on hogging my seat, particularly if I’m not competitive in my later years. I’ll definitely stop.

“Of course I look ahead to try and imagine what my life will be like in the future, but to be honest, generally the way I live my life is day by day, because I honestly believe you never know when it’s going to be your last day, so I want to make sure that I enjoy as much as I can whatever it is I’m doing, workwise or in my personal life.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have this incredible career, the incredible life that I have, the family, good people around me, so I try and enjoy it. There’s so many youngsters or people in the world who would love to be doing what I’m doing.” 

Hamilton said he is ‘very grateful and proud’ to be one of the six Nominees for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award, following his thrilling victory in last year’s world championship. Also nominated are Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, world golf No.1 Rory McIlory, Spain’s World MotoGP champion Marc Márquez, tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic and Renaud Lavillenie, the French pole vaulter who broke Sergey Bubka’s 21-year-old world record.

The names of the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards will be announced in Shanghai on April 15. Hamilton was also thewinner of the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award in 2008.

He said: “I think 2014 was definitely one of the best, if not the best year of my career, it was just an exceptional year, where the team came together, did an amazing job with the car. We had some ups and downs. Even though we were at the front of the field the majority of the time, it was still a challenge to try and improve all the time. But we want to be better this year, we want to try and dominate even more.”

“I’ve never won the big Award at Laureus and obviously seen the greats that have. So, you know, I’d be massively privileged if I was amongst those. Knowing how prestigious the Laureus Award is I feel very, very grateful and proud to be amongst the great athletes that have been nominated. “

So can he win a second straight world title – the third in his career? With the first Grand Prix just more than a week away, Hamilton said: “I feel fresh, I feel fit.  I will plan to drive as good as I did last year, but I want to be better.  I hope that we have the package and I hope that we have some good races, but I’m just grateful that I get to race again.” 

TomTom GPS Sports Watches now Compatible with Nike+Running App

TomTom today announces that its range of TomTom Runner and Multi-Sport GPS Sport Watches will now connect to Nike+.  Users can now track their progress, challenge their friends and share their successes with the Nike+ running community and earn NikeFuel.

“This is the next step in a partnership with Nike that began in 2011 with the launch of the Nike+ Sportwatch, which was powered by TomTom,” says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director and Founder, TomTom Consumer. “We’re excited to add an industry-leader like Nike+ to the list of platforms available to TomTom users.”

“Whether it’s an athlete’s first or fastest run, Nike+ has been there to provide inspiration and information to motivate all runners. Together with best-in-class partners, we can now deliver these experiences to even more runners, regardless of where they run or the device they prefer,” says Adam Roth, VP of Nike Global Running Brand Marketing. “This expansion is all about the runner – giving him or her even more ways to access the benefits of being a Nike+ Running member.”

TomTom GPS  Sport Watches automatically sync activities to multiple running sites and apps including Nike+, TomTom MySports, RunKeeper, MapMyFitness, Jawbone, Endomondo and Strava.  Activities can also be uploaded manually to other open platform communities.

TomTom GPS Sport Watches track real time information including time, distance, pace, speed, heart rate and calories burnt during an activity.

For more information visit www.tomtom.com/sports

Cycling SA denounces racism in sport

Press release sent out today:

Cycling South Africa reports that a case of racism has been brought to its attention. The matter involved the rider Dusty Day who referred to fellow cyclist Luthando Kaka by the derogatory “K-word” during a road race on 15 February 2015.

The matter was presented to Cycling SA’s Disciplinary Committee (DC). As per the DC process, when a charge is brought against a member and there is “prima facie” evidence to support the charges, the person is placed under provisional suspension immediately while the DC process is completed. In this case Mr. Day was provisionally suspended immediately.

A few days later, Mr. Day laid a counter charge against Mr. Kaka, and following the same disciplinary process, Kaka was placed under provisional suspension. Upon representation from Kaka’s advisors to Cycling SA, by mutual agreement between the parties, Kaka’s provisional suspension was lifted on 27 February 2015 until the finalisation of the disciplinary hearing.

Cycling SA awaits the finalisation of the DC process after which further statements will be made.

Cycling SA would like to place on record its utter disappointment at this very unfortunate incident and we view the matter in a very serious light. There is no place for such racial behaviour in our sport and society.

Cycling SA further reiterates its zero tolerance approach to racism in any sport. No person should be treated the way Luthando Kaka was treated and we apologise to Luthando on him having been subjected to this very embarrassing and humiliating experience.

It relates to this story as published by DestinyConnet.com 

Holistic approach to sports and arts programmes is impacting children’s lives

According to 19-year-old Nkosikhona Ndebele of Diepsloot Number 3 High School, the Tsogo Sun Arts Academy “inspired me to become a better person”. That’s the holistic nature of the Tsogo Sun CSI flaghship school programmes that impact thousands of children’s lives every year.

“Our sports and arts programme are designed to have a tangible impact on young lives – particularly the lives of disadvantaged children – and to do more than just foster an interest in a sport or the arts. Our Tsogo Sun academies use sports and arts as a medium to deliver life skills, leadership and healthy lifestyle information, while also reinforcing the importance of education to young learners in school, ultimately aiming to nurture the children’s wellbeing,” says Vusi Dlamini, HR Director for Tsogo Sun.

It’s paying off, according to reports from youngsters, facilitators, teachers and parents. Ndebele says he used to be a bully at school, taking other kids’ money because “everyone else was doing it” and hanging out with a bad crowd that negatively influenced him. “But my attitude changed when I joined the Tsogo Sun Arts Academy.   It has helped me become more respectful and more disciplined and made me see the importance of being a positive role model to others. It has taught me to be humble and to communicate with other people without being violent. There is now a lot of progress in my life.” As a result, his school also discovered he had leadership skills and he was elected school president.

Child psychologist, Sheryl Cohen, says, “Children learn through cognitive, emotional and sensory experience – touching, moving, smelling, watching, and hearing are all powerful sensory experiences which facilitate learning.  Sports and arts programmes do just that! They use sensory experiences to help children learn and develop. These sensory styles of learning also expect the child to be an active participant in the process of learning, rather than a passive recipient. Sport and creative arts activities also encourage the development of social skills and teamwork. When an individual works towards the benefit of the whole team (such as soccer or a group stage performance), he or she learns about good impulse control, turn taking and participation. These are important life skills.”

With personal experience in the Tsogo Sun Soccer Academy, international footballer Morgan Gould, who plays for Kaizer Chiefs FC and Bafana Bafana, comments on its programme: “It is overwhelming to see the impact such a programme has as an extra-curricular activity in schools, encouraging the boys to develop discipline and camaraderie. This programme teaches a range of skills I wish I understood from a younger age.”  He says the boys commit to school just to play soccer, “but more importantly they strive to excel at school in order to be part of the programme. Some of the boys may become sporting heroes or maybe lawyers, but it is the Tsogo Sun Soccer Academy that is laying the fundamental life skills through sport that will allow them to succeed and accomplish better lives.”

Holistic-education.net says children need to develop academic capacities, but “much more than this is needed”. Children need to begin to learn about themselves. Conveying to children that they are worthy of time and attention, not only from their peers, parents and programmes such as Tsogo Sun’s CSI programme, but also through taking the time to get to know and develop themselves and their inherent skills as individuals, seems fundamental to healthy self-respect and self-esteem. “Children also need to learn about relationships. As our societies become increasingly pluralist, complex, and fraught, social development becomes more difficult as well as more necessary.”

The Tsogo Sun school programmes cover these aspects and encourage the children to write reflectively about their experiences and learning.

Bree Street Primary School is running both the chess and arts programme through Tsogo Sun and educator Waheeda Mohamed states that it is making a dramatic difference in the children’s lives. Most of the children are from communities that “would have very little or no opportunity to attend programmes like these without sponsors,” she says.

Sheila Digoro, a mother of one of the soccer players in the sports programme, Keabetswe Digoro, says her son became a lot more focused in his school work when he started playing soccer. “His behaviour improved too. Before he spent a lot of time in the streets and was often in trouble. Now he helps out at home, he is always on time for soccer, and I can rest easier knowing that that he is working hard.”

There are many other children in both the Tsogo Sun sports and the arts academies who testify to the holistic benefits of the programmes in their lives, such as Nompumelelo Moyo, 16-year-old pupil at Diepsloot West Secondary school, who says the Arts Academy has “built my personality as well as developed my artistic side that I never knew existed. This whole experience has made me a better person. I am now more confident and able to perform in front of a group of people. I also started a choir with some of my friends which helps other children stay off the streets. It has helped me in numerous ways such as being disciplined, working hard in my academics, and being a respectful person.”

RORY MCILROY ‘HONOURED’

The No.1 golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy, has described his Nomination for the 2015 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award as ‘a prestigious honour’.

Speaking to Laureus.com, the Northern Ireland super star, who won two Major Championships last year and was the leading money winner on the US and European Tours, also said: “To be nominated for the Laureus Awards and be up against some of the greats of world sport is an honour. We'll see what happens. I hope to win it one day.”

McIlroy will complete golf’s Grand Slam of the four Major Championships if he wins The Masters next month, just three days before the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards are announced in Shanghai on April 15.

In the exclusive interview, McIlroy looks back on an amazing 12 months. He said: “It was an incredible year for me.  I got off to a decent start, it was solid. I didn't have any wins for the first five months.  My first win of the year was at Wentworth [European Tour PGA Championship], a course that I've historically not played very well.  This was a huge confidence boost for me and set me up for the summer.

“Once you get on a roll and you have some momentum, you just try and ride it as long as you possibly can.  I was able to hold on to it the whole way through the summer and pick up a couple of Major Championships. You're always hoping that you're going to have a successful year, but you don't expect to win two Majors in a row or to play the golf that I did.

“To be 25 years of age and to have all these accolades and to have four Major Championships to my name already is very special.  But, at the same time, I'm just embarking on my career as a professional golfer and I want to maximise it as much as I possibly can and try and win even more.  2014 was an absolutely incredible year, but hopefully I'll have more years like that in me as well,” he added.

Laureus World Sports Academy Member Gary Player, one of just five men who have completed the Grand Slam of golf, added his congratulations. “If Rory can continue to stay happy and healthy, he’ll be the next Grand Slam winner – he’s only got The Masters to add to his growing collection. He’s on top of the world right now, with tons of confidence. I told him the day after his first Major that I for one truly believe that he can do it. If he does not win the Masters in 2015, I believe it will only be a matter of time.”

In the interview Rory was asked to pick his three key moments of the year. He opted for:

·         “The win at Wentworth. It had been 17 months since I had won on the European Tour, so it had been a long time coming. To win there was huge and to birdie the final two holes and to post a number that was good enough to win, was very satisfying.”

·         “How I finished on Saturday evening at the Open [Championship]: from being one shot in the lead playing the 14^th, to finishing that day with a six shot lead with two eagles in the final three holes. The two iron shots I hit into the 16^th and 18^th were two of the best shots I hit all year.” 

·         “Standing on the 10^th fairway of the final day of the USPGA at Valhalla, being three behind and hitting that three wood that was, admittedly, a little lucky, and making eagle to produce a charge on the back nine to overtake the likes of Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson. I proved to myself that I can do it when I'm coming from behind.”

However, McIlroy faces a fierce challenge if he is to win the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award this year. Also nominated are Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic, Spain’s World MotoGP champion Mark Márquez and Renaud Lavillenie, the French pole vaulter who broke Sergey Bubka’s 21-year-old world record.