Adventure News: Mountain Bikers prepare for SPUR School Regional Finals

Adventure News: Mountain Bikers prepare for SPUR School Regional Finals - Ndorfin, South Africa

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Thursday, 16 August 2012
Mountain Bikers prepare for SPUR School Regional Finals

Josef Bester of John Voster Pretoria giving it his all to keep ahead of the pack in the Junior Men Category of the Anatomic Spur School MTB League Race at Hartebeespoort High
(Photo Courtesy Peridot Communications)

The 2012 Spur School Mountain Bike League has already generated more than 3300 entries surpassing the 2011 participation record with still a month and seven events to go before the finals.

Riders still hoping to qualify for the 2012 Spur School MTB League finals, which takes place during the weekend of 22-23 September at Bekker School, will be battling it out at various regional events around the country.

On Saturday, 18 August, the second Anatomic Spur School race will be hosted at Bekker School in Magaliesburg and organisers are again expecting a massive field of about 600 riders. According to Gauteng league co-ordinator Deon Steyn, the track for this weekend�s race is less technically challenging than the mountainous course riders had to tackle at Hartebeespoort High School last month.

�Although less technical, it will still be a huge challenge. Fitness levels and stamina will definitely be put to the test as the front runners vie for line honours and top log positions. The pressure is on for defending champion for the past two years, Waterkloof High School, to retain their lead,� says Steyn.

The top 25 cyclists in the men�s category receive points on a sliding scale from 26 points for the winner to 2 points for the 25th spot. Every other rider completing the race receives a point for their school. The top 10 girls in each race are awarded points on a sliding scale from 11 to 2 with a point per rider completing the race thereafter.

Riders in Mpumalanga will again have the opportunity to cycle through the Gustav Klingbiel Nature Reserve with its beautifully scenic mountain bike tracks on Saturday, 18 August. According to event organiser Brett Coates, they are expecting close to 300 riders from as far afield as Piet Retief, Hoedspruit and even Swaziland.   The established track consists of a combination of single tracks with bush tunnels as well as jeep track trails that run through the nature reserve and riders might even be lucky enough to spot some game. Currently Uplands College tops the leader board, followed by Penring College and Lydenburg.

The second round of the 2012 Spur High School Mountain Bike League in the Southern Cape will take place on Saturday, 25 August in George. The race will once again be at the Waterworks in Denne-oord in George with a not too technical, but fast track with limited inclines. Exciting racing is expected with Glenwood House leading the log by one point with Langenhoven Gymnasium in a close second and Outeniqua and York High sharing third place.

For more information and an update on the national calendar, visit the Spur School Mountain Bike League website www.spur.co.za/mtb or contact Amarider on 021 884 4547.

ANATOMIC SPUR SCHOOL MOUNTAIN BIKE REGIONALS AT BEKKER SCHOOL

DATE: 18 AUGUST

DIRECTIONS: See http://www.hsbekker.co.za/padkaart   GPS co-ordinates: S 25�56'25,5" / E 027�33'9,5"

FRIDAY NUMBER PICK-UP AND ENTRIES:

12:00 � 16:00 at the Anatomic Factory Outlet in Johannesburg (179 Beyers Naude Drive, Johannesburg)

18:00 � 19:00 at the venue in the clubhouse

Riders may still enter at normal rates

SATURDAY NUMBER PICK-UP AND LATE ENTRIES:

07:30 � 08:30 Late entries at R100/entry

07:30 � 11:00 Number pick-up only at the event venue

STARTING TIMES for SERIES

07:30 Course opens for practice

07:30 � 8:30 Late entries at R100.00/entry

08:30 Team Managers Meeting

08:45 Loading of Sub-Juniors start

08:45 Welcoming by MC

08:45 Access to course closed for training.

08:55 Briefing � Sub Juniors

09:00 Sub-Junior Boys start = 3 laps

09:05 Sub-Junior Girls start = 2 laps

09:45 Loading of Youth-15�s start

09:55 Briefing Youth-15�s

10:00 Youth-15 Men start = 3 laps

10:05 Youth-15 Girls start = 2 laps

10:45 Loading of Youth-16�s

10:55 Briefing Youth-16�s

11:00 Youth-16 Men start = 3 laps

11:05 Youth-16 Girls start = 2 laps

11:45 Loading of Juniors start

11:55 Briefing Juniors

12:00 Junior Men start = 4 laps

12:05 Junior Girls start = 3 laps

13:45 Prize giving or earliest convenience

SEEDING: Top 20 boys from Tour de Dam are seeded and will be called by name to enter the seeding area � top 5 for the girls.

Hanno van der Walt of Hartebeespoort High finished first in the sub junior boys category of the Anatomic Spur School MTB League race
(Photo Courtesy Peridot Communications)