2nd April 2011
Race Report by Brett Coates:
Well I guess I gotta start with the awesome mountain biking spectacular that was the ‘Sappi Mankele Challenge Presented by Alan Hudson Motors’ last weekend, and as big as the title is then so was the race!
For the first time in its 4 years existence (4 years already!) we had over 400 riders and after the excellent presentation on Saturday I think over 500 will easily be breached in 2012. The new Sappi branding lent an air of professionalism to the race whilst the ‘Kerk’ stalls retained its local homegrown atmosphere that makes this race so special, other local races may have history and tradition on their sides but few have the enthusiasm and authentisism brought on by a race organized by ‘real’ mountain bikers, for ‘real’ mountain bikers.
I was so proud to be able to cheer in the competitors this year and for many it was their first taste of what some of us continually rave about – single track and bush tunnels, Mankele style! The Chaingang was out in force on Saturday and I think I could count on one hand the number of our members not present and correct, it was at times, a flood of blue Lowveld Chaingang jerseys freewheeling across the line and by all accounts everyone had had a blast out there, I was very jealous!
Max Knox pulled on his new Ghost/Do It Now kit and promptly won the race for his new sponsor, our own Lourens Luus gave him a run for his money and shadowed Max onto the finish straight to come an awesome 2nd, Guatenger Shawn Silver came in third some 25 minutes behind Max and Lourens who blitzed the course in 2 hrs 54 mins, an incredible time! In the ladies our own Sam Sanders took it easy as she is on her training schedule for the X-C World Cup in PMB but still cruised to victory in 3:39 and came 6th overall, she’s in hot form and on track for that World Cup.
In the 35km the younger Luus Bro, PJ, took it easily over Johnny Diedricks and Mathew Schofield and with the likes of Declan Sidey in the mix it was dominated by the guys from last years school series showing what an awesome proving ground this is. In the ladies the Vosloo girls came over the line together and almost crashed whilst trying to hold hands a-la Cape Epic, quite a few riders tried this and almost all came close to bailing with Francis Van Tonder actually managing to guide her partner into the fence, note: practice this before you try in public! The results are attached and a big shout out to those who pulled a podium particularly Chris Davel in the Masters and Jorge Cordiera for not getting caught with a motor in his back hub- yeah Jorge it’s a 14 speed Rohloff Internal Geared hub, we know yadda yadda.
This race will only grow and grow and with the quality of riding on offer could become the one day Sani to Sea, it didn’t harm that its now the same time as the Epic as most guys are very fired up and just wanna ride their bikes – well done Mark, Geoff, Sappi, Alan Hudson Motors and Coke!
RESULTS
Click here for the 2011 race results
Click here for the 2010 race results
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