Following an action packed 2014 season, fierce competition and exciting racing is expected at the North West finals of the Anatomic Spur School MTB Series to be hosted at Hoër Volkskool, Potchefstroom this Saturday, 27 September.
Volkies team mates Gerdeon Vermaak and Chante Fourie catching up on the course during the Spur School MTB League Race recently hosted in Potchefstrrom.
Going into the finals Volkskool Potchefstroom is in a comfortable first place with Potchefstroom Gimnasium in second and Hartebeespoort High School in third. Other schools amongst the top ten on the log include Ferdinand Postma High School, Rustenburg High School, Wagpos High School, Wesvalia High, Klerksdorp High School, Selly Park Secondary School, Mountain Cambridge School and Brits High School.
Wade Prinsloo of Hartebeespoort Hign School is leading the Junior Boys Category in the Spur School MTB League
According to Gauteng league co-ordinator, Deon Steyn the year-on-year growth in the league has been amazing. Since becoming part of the national Spur School Mountain Bike League in 2009, the numbers has shot up from 225 to 609 participants last year. Steyn, who is one of only seven UCI International Moutain Bike Commissaires in South Africa, is invested in establishing the sport of mountain bike riding as an official school sport.
“The Anatomic High School MTB Series has become the biggest XCO series in South Africa, drawing more participants than provincial and even national races. Up until last year the Gauteng Series was open to everybody and we had riders from Limpopo, Freestate, NW and Mpumlanga participating in the Gauteng events. The growth of the league necessitated that we split the regions to avoid racing fields becoming too big for the cross-country lap racing format (also the Olympic format) of the league,” said Steyn.
The route opens for practice will be open from 07h30 to 08h45 for practice with racing starting at 09h00. All riders must be ready at the start 20 minutes before their respective start time: Start order: Primary school (10+yr) 1-lap race start @ 09:00; Sub-junior boys (13-14 years) start at 09:30 and the girls at 09:35. The youth boys (15-16 years) start 10:30 followed by the girls at 10h35. The junior men (17-18 years) and junior women will wrap up the day’s racing at 13:30 and 11:35 respectively with prize giving at 12:15.
For more information on the Spur High School Mountain Bike league and the finals at Bekker School from 4 to 5 October, visit http://www.spur.co.za/about-us/event/spur-mtb-league or www.amarider.co.za or contact Amarider on 021 884 4547.
Bernard Kruger of Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Hi Guys . Any of you that are already in Potch today for tomorrows race , come pop in to my farm and give your kids some nice exposure to the sport .It will be exciting for them to see the racing . 10 kays out of Potch on the Parys road . Take the Rooipoort turnoff and follow that gravel road . First farm on your right ; easy to find . Your kids will enjoy it ! Racing starts at 09:00 .