GEORGE NEWS - For the first year since 2020, when Covid-19 caused a hold on all sporting events, primary and high school learners from schools across the Southern Cape, this year started taking part again in the Southern Cape Schools MTB League.
The league is about introducing more learners to biking and encouraging schools to adopt mountain biking as an official school sport.
The Southern Cape became part of the Spur Schools MTB League in 2012 with the assistance of Chain Gang Events who orgainsed the events.
In 2020, Spur withdrew sponsorship and the event was put on hold due to Covid-19. Last year, schools in the Southern Cape decided to host the series again with the help of Chain Gang Events.
Without sponsorship for the high cost of running a series like this and with low entry fees, it was a huge challenge.
The committee then approached Dean Hahn from Geronimo and Timber Wolf Spurs, and Vickus Boshoff from Coimbra Cycle House to assist with sponsorships and a three-year contract was entered into between the parties.
Vickus Boshoff, Juan Botes and Dean Hahn. Photo: Charl Gerber Sports Photography
The event
The series consists of four events for both primary and high school learners in the Southern Cape. At this stage, after the second event, Hoërskool Outeniqua and Laerskool George-Suid are in the lead with 145 and 150 points respectively.
Glenwood House, in second place in the high school section is breathing down Outeniqua's neck and Laerskool Blanco and Knysna Primary Schools are hot on George-Suid's heals with 126 and 122 points respectively. Currently 162 riders are taking part in this growing event.
The four events are hosted by Glenwood House in George, Oakhill in Knysna and Knysna Montessori. For the latest results, please go to chaingangevents.co.za.
"The Southern Cape has talented mountain bike riders like Tristan Nortje, who is the current SA u.23 XCO (cross country Olympic) champ, and Anya du Plessis who obtained Protea and South African colours in road cycling. Both started off with the schools cycling league," said Chain Gang Events' Juan Botes.
The events are hosted in the MTB XCO format which includes cross country and obstacles on the routes. XCO is not about how far you ride, but about the laps you can complete in a certain time on courses ranging from 1.5km to 5km.
The next event will take place on 22 July at Oakhill in Knysna which will be followed by the final at Knysna Montessori on 12 August.
President of the school cycling league Tobias Lubbe (right) with Juan Botes from Chain Gang Events. Photo: Charl Gerber Sports Photography
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