09 May 2012 Van Wyk thrilled with victory at African Continental Championships, Mauritius
The 2012 African Continental Championships was held on the lovely island of Mauritius on the 5th of May. Team bizhub-FCF’s Junior Linda Van Wyk participated in the ...
Jade Roberts
(January 2010, Clarence Training Camp)
THOMAS RIVER MTB CHALLENGE
Thomas River is a restored historical village just off the N6 near Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape. The little village has much to offer for passing travelers, such as various museums, private library, pub, accommodation and also many outdoor activities – one of these being supreme mountain biking. Every year in November, the village hosts its very own MTB race. I was very pleased when I first heard that this event was on our calendar. Being originally from the Eastern Cape, it’s always nice for me to support these local races and see old racing friends again.
My fellow team mate, Ischen Stopforth, joined me on the start line on a fairly chilly morning along with many other eager racers. I had an idea of what type of terrain to expect - plenty of jeep tracks, single track and a couple lung-busting climbs. Going from sea-level to 1500m the very next day really had an effect on me during the first half of the race. But I tried my best to ignore my burning chest and the taste of blood creeping up my throat.
By the time I adapted to the altitude, Ischen had been long gone into the distance, but that didn’t faze me much as she was after all my team mate. Luckily there was no other fierce competition pressuring me for 2nd, so I was able to enjoy the race and try to take in some of the spectacular views.
Ischen not only took the victory, but also bruised some male egos, coming in 4th overall! I kept my 2nd spot and claimed 10th overall. After the race, all the riders were spoiled with a ‘Mean Cuisine’ buffet for lunch. Prize giving was just as satisfying, as we were rewarded with a whole sheep for 1st and half a sheep for 2nd!
It was such an enjoyable weekend and it’s great to stock up the freezer with more reminders of my previous home.
