The OCC is the only international wheelchair road racing sporting event in South Africa for persons with disabilities and is recognised as an official championship event by the SA Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD).
It is open to paraplegics, quadriplegics and people with cerebral palsy and offers prizes in four categories: A 42,2 km marathon, a 21,1 km half-marathon, a 10 km distance and a 5 km fun event, where participants were pushed by helpers, friends or family members.
More than 730 people were involved as organisers, volunteers, officials and chair pushers.
And the winners are...
Denis Lemeunier of France won the men’s T53/T54 category racing wheelchair mara-thon for the second year running in a time of 1:32:39. South African Paralympic gold medallist, Ernst van Dyk, came second in a time of 1:41:18 and Eugene Klaasen of the Western Cape was third in a time of 2:37:13.
"It was hard for me - I had a tough race," said Lemeunier.
"It was very hot - in France it is winter and raining - but I am happy to have won and to keep the winner’s title."
The hand cycle marathon was won by Rico Mornau of Canada in a time of 1:12:58, with Stuart McCreadie of South Africa in second (1:14:22) and Kenny Herriot of Scotland in third place (1:24:32).
Nikki Emerson of England took top honours in the women’s T53/T54 racing wheel-chair marathon in a time of 2:35:22.
Details of all the winners are posted on the OCC web site: www.georgeocc.co.za
A race for everyone
The oldest person to take part in the fun event this year was 89-year-old Bernice Vorster from the Fleur de Lis Old Age Home in Franschoek. The youngest was Jayden van Vuu-ren of Pacaltsdorp, aged one year and nine months. Both were pushed by enthusiastic family members.
The crowd applauded appreciatively as television presenters Paul Rothman and Dieter Voigt passed by, along with Melanie du Bois (who plays the role of Felicity in the TV soap, Sewende Laan) and Jeff Tsoutsos, a finalist in the 2010 Mr South Africa competition. All four celebrities pushed a youngster in a buggy in the fun event.
The wheelchair-friendly city of George was once again proud to host the event, with Vodacom as the main sponsor of the race.
The race boasted 96 parti-cipants from George and 66 from neighbouring towns, mostly entrants in the fun event. Relatively few females took part in the race this year.
"Despite early difficulties when one of our major sponsors withdrew, this year’s race was of the best ever with funding coming in from as far afield as Mauritius and Malta," said event director, Esther Watson.
"In addition to the enormous benefits that road racing has for participants in terms of improving health and quality of life, the race has become a significant tourist attraction for the region and an event of growing interest to the interna-tional sporting fraternity."
Photos: Desmond Scholtz
Dennis Lemeunier.
