sani2c adds third race

The sani2c will become the first multistage mountain bike race in South Africa to add a third leg to cater for an ever-increasing demand, organisers announced on Tuesday.

The sani2c will become the first multistage mountain bike race in South Africa to add a third leg to cater for an ever-increasing demand. Photo: Jon Ivins

Founder Glen Haw said the new component would further entrench the event’s position as the largest fully serviced event in the world. “I know of no other race that takes a three-pronged approach,” he said.

The event currently consists of a race for serious competitors and an adventure component for competent social riders, who tackle the same 270-kilometre course over three days through southern KwaZulu-Natal.

“The new ride, which we’re calling the sani2c trail, will have the same relaxed approach as the adventure,” said Haw.

With the field previously limited to 650 two-man teams per event and previous participants given preference, he said organisers were permanently inundated with requests for entries.

“We’ve created the trail to accommodate some of the thousands of riders who’ve been trying to get into the event for years.”

Haw said entries for 2012 event, which will be presented by BoE Private Clients, had sold out within hours of opening and more than 2 000 teams were placed on the waiting list.

“We’ve combined the race and adventure waiting lists and offered the first 650 teams who registered on the website places in the sani2c trail.” He said all qualifying teams would be notified of their acceptance via e-mail today.

According to Haw, introducing a new race would not only benefit would-be participants but also rural communities along the route. “From a social development perspective, it gives us an opportunity to reach beneficiaries whom we have not been able to assist until now.”

Haw explained that the sani2c operated on a community-driven business model, which saw local schools, churches and other worthy causes making a profit from the services they provided at the various race villages.

He said that 23 charitable organisations in nine different communities had received a share of the R5.2 million generated from this year’s event.

“The bigger sani2c will also hold increased benefits for sponsors, with more riders exposed to their brands and additional media coverage over the extra days.”

The trio of races will run from May 15 to 19 next year, with a staggered start of one day between them. Registration takes place the day prior to each start in Underberg and the races finish at Scottburgh.

For more information, visit www.sani2c.co.za, join the sani2c page on Facebook or follow sani2c_scoop on Twitter.

Sponsored rides available for joBerg2c

The country’s top-tier semi-pro and amateur mountain bikers can now apply to race as “professionals” in next year’s Old Mutual joBerg2c.

Deserving amateurs will be given the opportunity to compete on equal footing with the top professionals in next year’s Old Mutual joBerg2c. This year’s podium was, from left, Brandon Stewart and Darren Lill, Waylon Woolcock and Neil MacDonald, and Adrien Niyonshuti and Max Knox. Photo: Full Stop Communications

Organisers of the nine-day event have made team entries available to worthy applicants in the men’s, ladies’ and mixed categories.

“There is a band of talented young riders who don’t have pro contracts and can’t afford to ride the big stage races,” said one of the organisers Craig Wapnick.

“These sponsorships are a way for them to get spotted, while adding some good flavour to the racing at our event.”

Wapnick said although organisers were looking for young and hungry talent, successful candidates would be obligated to conduct themselves in the spirit of camaraderie that is the hallmark of the event.

He said the chosen teams would be awarded their full entry fee plus free kit in the sponsors’ colours, which they will wear for the duration of the event.

“Although they may not be part of a pro team, the riders will be permitted to have other product or bike partners.”

According to Wapnick, applicants should preferably be between the ages of 18 and 30 and serious contenders for the R330 000 prize purse.

“Prospective teams will need to submit a proposal of two pages or less explaining why they deserve the sponsorship.”

He said the organising trio – comprising himself, Gary Green and Glen Haw –would evaluate the entries based on a range of criteria, including age, socio-economic status and track record in other events.

“We will also look at the effort that went into the proposal. Applicants should make it fun and include a riding photograph of themselves and an accurate set of results.”

Wapnick said the application process would help aspiring pro riders learn how to present and market themselves professionally.

 The closing date for entries is November 30 and successful applicants will be notified by December 31, he said.

“In due course, there may also be other sponsorships specifically for previously disadvantaged riders but at the moment we are looking at any rider capable of racing who cannot afford to enter our event.”

Click here for entry details.

TREAD Ladies Tea & Trail heads for KZN

After two years of success in Johannesburg, TREAD Ladies Trail and Tea, presented by MiWayMTB, an initiative aimed at making mountain biking more accessible to women, will make its debut in KwaZulu-Natal.

Scheduled for Friday 2 September at Holla Trails, Ballito, the first KZN TREAD Ladies Trail & Tea will offer an opportunity for women to ride without any ‘barriers’ and will cater for all levels of rider, from beginner to more serious.
“Unlike most men, who grew up riding bicycles, most women didn’t and lack the confidence to just get on a mountain bike and ride. Our Ladies Trail & Tea events are designed to remove any intimidation elements and make mountain biking fun for all women,” said Joanne Badenhorst, publisher of TREAD Magazine and founder of the Ladies Trail & Tea initiative.

Holla Trails, a popular, safe mountain bike trails venue 30 minutes drive from Durban. Riders will be arranged into groups according to skill and/or fitness level and guided appropriately by experienced female riders.

“As the name suggests, we always follow the ride, which is between 90 minutes and two hours in duration, with a social gathering that includes eats, drinks and a gift. Most women enjoy the social side of mountain biking and we ensure that is firmly in place at all our Trail & Tea events,” said Badenhorst.

The maximum number of riders for the Ladies Trail & Tea is 16 and places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

In addition to the Ladies Trail & Tea event, a TREAD Skills 101 Clinic and a TREAD Confidence Clinic will be held at Holla Trails on Saturday 3 September. The Confidence Clinic is ideal for those new to mountain biking (male and female), while the 101 Clinic is aimed at improving the skills of those who have been riding mountain bikes for at least six months (male and female).

Itinerary:
Friday 2 September: Ladies Trail and Tea (08h30)
Saturday 3 September: 101 Skills Clinic (08h00-12h00)
Saturday 3 September: Confidence Clinic (14h00-16h00)

• For booking and information on the Skills Clinic and Confidence Clinic, visit www.treadmag.co.za and click on the TREAD Skills tab.
• For booking and information on the Ladies Trail and Tea events, email joanne@treadmag.co.za

For more information on the TREAD Skills Clinics, click here.

Nine-hour window for sani2c entries

Starting from noon today, riders will have a nine-hour window period to enter the seventh edition of the sani2c mountain bike stage race.

Starting from noon today (Thursday), prospective participants will have a nine-hour window period to enter the seventh edition of the sani2c mountain bike stage race. Photo: Jon Ivins

The 2012 event, presented by new title sponsor BoE Private Clients, will take place through southern KwaZulu-Natal from May 16 to 19 next year.

Founder Glen Haw said sought-after slots in the three-day racing and adventure components would be limited to 650 teams per event, with 100 of these allocated to sponsors.

Haw said his organising team were bracing themselves for a flood of interest. “This year’s event, for example, sold out in just one hour and 5 000 applicants were placed on the waiting list.”

He said a new rush entry system had been introduced to deal more efficiently with the demand.

“Applicants will have from midday until 9pm to register their details on our website. Those who raced last year will be recognised by the system and given preference.

“All applicants will then be notified immediately via a system-generated e-mail whether they have been accepted or placed on the waiting list.”

Once accepted, Haw said riders would have until midnight on Sunday to pay the entry fee via credit card and take up their place. “We will then fill up the free spots, if available, from the waiting list.”

However, he said, there was some potentially good news for those riders who found themselves without an entry.

“We are currently looking at the possibility of adding a third event. If it proves to be viable in terms of logistics and rider demand, we will notify those people on the waiting list.”

Haw said the new component would follow the same 270-kilometre route and format as the existing ones, with a staggered start of one day between each of them.

“Should the new ride happen, it would probably be targeted at casual riders, first-timers and corporates.”

He said riders who secured an entry could once again look forward to a number of innovations and improvements on the route.

“This year, we introduced the first suspended floating bridge over the Umkomaas River. For the next one, we want to build a suspension bridge over a waterfall – we’re busy with the environmental impact assessments at the moment.”

Enter at www.sani2c.co.za or join the community on Facebook or Twitter (sani2c_scoop).

For more info on joberg2c entries, click here.

Solo entries open for joBerg2c

Due to public demand, organisers of the nine-day Old Mutual joBerg2c mountain bike race have announced a special non-racing solo category, for which entries open today (Wednesday, 10 August 2011).

Photo: Kelvin Trautman

In a departure from the first two editions, the 2012 event, which starts on April 27, will accommodate a limited field of individual riders, said organiser Craig Wapnick.

“We’ve had a lot of requests from international riders, media representatives and people in small towns who struggle to find suitable partners to commit to the challenge.”

The 910-kilometre event, which is the longest paired stage race in South Africa, takes riders from Heidelberg in Gauteng, across the Free State and along the foothills of the Drakensberg to Scottburgh on the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

Wapnick said individual riders need not fear riding without a partner in case of mechanical or medical problems.

“Thanks to our easily accessible route and off-road rescue support, solo riders will have good back-up and assistance if needed.”

He said every rider would be monitored throughout the journey and there would be regular checkpoints along the route.

Wapnick said the new category would allow more participants to experience the camaraderie of the event.

“The riding might be solo but the atmosphere of the event encourages them to meet, mix and mingle. Who knows, the solo guys might even find a partner to ride with in the future.”

Although individual entrants will not be allowed to compete for the R300 000 prize money, Wapnick said they would still receive official times and positions relative to the field. “They will be batched according to these times, along with the teams, at the start of each stage.”

He said the racing section would remain team-based in accordance with international stage racing rules.

“The Old Mutual joBerg2c will always remain a team event. The solo category simply gives passionate mountain bikers, who would otherwise miss out, the opportunity to experience the adventure of a lifetime.”

Click here for entry details and cost info. 

Teenager upstages big guns to win Clover Lowveld Tour

Nineteen-year-old Toyota CSA Academy member, Louis Meintjes, upstaged some of South Africa’s most experienced professionals to win the five-day Clover Lowveld road cycling stage race that finished in Graskop, Mpumalanga on Tuesday.

Photo: Craig Dutton

Meintjes claimed the overall title after six stages of high quality racing, 34 seconds ahead of reigning South African Elite road race champion, Darren Lill (Bonitas) and 58 seconds ahead of third placed Dennis van Niekerk, MTN Qhubeka’s stage race specialist.

It was a David and Goliath style victory in more ways than one. This is Meintjes’ first year out of the Junior ranks, a period in a bike racer’s life that’s usually one of the toughest as he’s forced to adjust to increased race distances and racing line-ups with far more depth, topped by the by the high-profile, established stars.

At this particular six-stage race, Meintjes was a member of a five-rider Toyota CSA Under-23 team, comprising upcoming Under-23 riders. They were up against the country’s two biggest professional teams, Bonitas (which started with 10 riders) and MTN Qhubeka (which started with eight riders).

“I went into the race with the intention of having a good result, but knew that winning would be a huge task in the circumstances. I’m obviously very happy with my result, but grateful to my team for their amazing support both on and off the bike,” said a weary, but satisfied Meintjes on Tuesday.

After conceding more than six minutes on the first stage to early leader, Gawie Combrink (Bonitas), it seemed even a podium finish would be bonus. But on Stage 2, Meintjes managed to finish third – behind Jason Bakke and Lill (both Bonitas) as the main field splintered on the final 20km ascent from Sabie to the finish at Graskop at the end of a tough 156km stage.

“That day was important for me because it was the stage I moved up to fourth on the GC and eliminated the main MTN team threat. Then I just had to focus on the three Bonitas riders ahead of me,” explained Meintjes.

Stage 4a, a 127km stage of six laps of the God’s Window circuit saw Lill take the overall lead from teammate and early leader, Combrink. Meintjes, third on the stage, moved into a close second on the General Classification. The afternoon’s Stage 4b, a 7.5km hillclimb time trial up Kowyns Pass, became the battleground for the overall lead between Lill, the seasoned campaigner and Meintjes, the talented upstart.

“I managed to finish third on the stage, but more importantly, I beat Lill by 40 seconds, which gave me a 34-second lead going into the final stage. I needed to make sure I kept Lill and Van Niekerk (third at 58 seconds) close to me on the last stage if I wanted to win the race.”

Meintjes rode the final 96km stage sensibly, letting his team set the pace on the front of the main bunch for the first 70km and then taking the final kilometres into his own hands after a race-lead threatening solo attack by Van Niekerk. In the end Van Niekerk claimed the stage win just ahead of Lill with Meintjes third, losing no time to his rivals and in the process securing the overall victory.

“Louis is a phenomenon and has a very bright future. He is humble, calm and smart as well as physically suited to stage racing success,” said former professional, Nic White, manager of the Toyota CSA Academy. “But it’s important to remember that he had the support of a committed, talented young team, which helped facilitate this win. And our team manager for the race, Mark van der Merwe did a great job too.”

Meintjes, who won a stage in a tour in Belgium earlier this year and finished second in both the Under-23 national road race and time trial championships, is now focused on success at the inaugural Tour de Free State later this month and the 2011 Under-23 World Road Championships in Norway next month.

Stay on the right track when buying and insuring your bike

So, you love getting out on the open road and pushing your body to the limit as you tackle the steep inclines of the city’s highways and byways? Or maybe you love the thrill of pitting your skills against nature as you navigate boulders, bushes and gloriously grubby mud puddles? Either way, if cycling’s in your blood we know how much you love your bike and all the bits that go with it.

The downside is, so do all the peddlers of fake cycling goods. These nasties are waiting in the wings to sell you fake bikes, rubbish rip-offs and even, in some cases, bikes stolen in bikejackings. Unfortunately, that’s the reality of this lucrative sport, where bikes and accessories fetch a pretty penny both online and in-store.

But buying fake cycling goods can land you in hot water, particularly with your insurer.

Too good to be true

Beware of cheap and nasty goods sold online or through ‘freelance merchants’. For example, if a Pinarello Dogma frame costs 100USD on an Asian-based website compared to the R50 000 price tag in a local bike shop, chances are it’s a fake.  And if that offer from the nice guy who’s selling the bike of your dreams seems too good to be true, it probably is!

These scenarios are common, but if you buy a fake bike and intentionally insure it as the real deal, you’re committing insurance fraud and that comes with serious consequences.

‘I had no idea…’

Con artists are good at their game and being duped into buying an expensive bike that’s actually a fake does happen. But what happens when you insure that bike, not knowing it’s a fake? Well, when the time to comes to claim, your insurer will follow normal procedures as with any high-value claim and ask for things like your proof of purchase to validate ownership. If you’re claiming against damage to the bike, they may also ask you to bring the bike in to verify its originality.

At this point, if your seemingly genuine bike turns out to be fake, your insurer is only obligated to pay out an amount based on the estimated value of the fake, and not on an original’s replacement value. 

Proof of ownership

When taking out insurance on your bike, your insurer will ask you to verify proof of ownership.  If you can’t get an original invoice/purchase order or proof of ownership, simply take your bike to a reputable bike shop and ask them for a replacement quote. You can then submit this along with a photo of the bike to your insurer.  Also remember to record the serial numbers found on the frame and keep these safe, as in most cases the manufacturer will be able to verify the authenticity of the bike.

 Keep these tips in mind when buying and insuring your bike:

• Don’t buy counterfeit goods
• Don’t buy goods from untrusted sources
• Be aware of cheap bikes and accessories, particularly from unknown overseas manufacturers
• Write down your bike’s serial numbers, and keep it this information somewhere safe
• Don’t be tempted to insure a fake item at the original replacement cost – you won’t be paid out in the event it gets damaged or stolen and your dishonesty could land you in hot water
• Always keep your proof of ownership and submit this along with your claim to save time
• If you’re not sure of your bike’s authenticity, take it to an approved bike agent and ask them to verify its originality
• Always be honest with your insurer

Follow @MiWayMTB

MiWayMTB and TREAD team up to offer MTB skills clinics

In an effort to improve the South African mountain biking experience even further, MiWayMTB, the mountain bike initiative driven by direct insurer MiWay, has teamed up with TREAD Magazine’s very successful skills improvement initiative.

Started in April 2010, TREAD Skills Clinics have helped improve the skills of hundreds of mountain bikers through a combination of improved control, comfort and confidence.

According to MiWayMTB’s Carine Conradie, the clinics are designed to equip mountain biking enthusiasts with the skills they need to safely enjoy the sport. “TREAD editor, Sean Badenhorst, and his team will provide riders with tips and techniques to help maximise their performance while making the whole experience as enjoyable – and as painless – as possible,” says Conradie.

The clinics cater for newcomers and more experienced riders looking to sharpen their technical skills and improve specific performance areas. The clinics are broken into two levels, 101 and 201 in order to cover all the relevant areas of importance. Once a rider has graduated from a 101 level, he or she may then, after some weeks of practising, attend a 201 clinic. A Confidence Clinic will be also introduced for those brand new to mountain biking.

“Mountain biking enjoyment and fulfillment can only really be achieved when you have the confidence to tackle the various trail or race obstacles such as ruts, roots, rocks, drop-offs, steep ascents and descents etc,” says Badenhorst.. “Our clinics are designed to teach mountain bikers the correct technique to be able to conquer these obstacles and are appropriate for all mountain bikers. Our clinics are also very popular with road cyclists converting to mountain biking.”

To participate in TREAD Skills Clinics, presented by MiWayMTB, simply email info@treadmag.co.za for more information. You can also join the MiWayMTB Facebook fan page on www.facebook.com/miwaymtb and keep up to date with these events.

Other articles you might be interested in:

• Want to improve your MTB performance?
• TREAD Ladies Tea & Trail head for KZN

Follow @MiWayMTB

Want to improve your MTB performance?

Of course you can ride your bike, but how about learning how to ride faster and better, with less effort, and without all those hard falls? Skills clinics offer the perfect opportunity for you to not only improve your overall mountain biking experience, but also hone your technical skills. 

Most MTB enthusiasts mistakenly believe that the fitter you are, the faster and better the ride. This isn’t always the case. You can easily improve your ride just by refining your skills, such as attending skills clinics – even if you’re an experienced rider.

Skills clinics generally cater for all levels of riders. Entry-level riders get to learn the basics properly, the first time around, while experienced riders are exposed to what can be described as the MTB version of an advanced driving course.

Although that said, such clinics actually go beyond merely improving riding confidence and also teach riders how to use their bikes and riding gear properly and to their full capacity. This includes helping riders identify their weaknesses and bad riding habits, and providing them with the practical advice they need to successfully address these.

TREAD Skills Clinics, presented by MiWay, which start in Johannesburg on 14 August 2011, are designed to improve your riding experience no matter what your level of mountain biking experience.

For more information on these clinics, email info@treadmag.co.za. You can also join the MiWayMTB Facebook fan page and keep up to date with these events!

Other articles you might be interested in: MiWayMTB & TREAD Team up to offer MTB Clinics

Follow @MiWayMTB

TREAD collaborates with MiWay on MiWayMTB TV show

MiWayMTB, the mountain bike initiative driven by direct insurer MiWay, has announced a partnership with leading mountain biking magazine, TREAD, that will see editor Sean Badenhorst and his experienced team, contributing to the initiative’s popular TV show of the same name.

TREAD Magazine editor, Sean Badenhorst

The MiWayMTB TV show, broadcast on SuperSport 1 every Monday night with repeats throughout the week, features specific mountain biking-related content, including product reviews, race coverage and upcoming MTB events. This new partnership, which also includes other collaborative efforts outside of the show, will see TREAD contributing to product reviews, set-up advice, buying tips and other points of interest to South African mountain bikers, adding more depth to each episode.

“Sean is not only an experienced, passionate mountain biker but has also built an excellent reputation as a bicycling editor and journalist. He brings with him the type of gravitas we were looking for with regard to South African-specific mountain bike content. The TREAD team is very hands-on and all bikes, products and accessories are ridden in South African conditions, making the content authoritative and entirely relevant to our audience,” explains MiWayMTB’s Carine Conradie.

All products reviewed on the show are featured in more detail in TREAD magazine or on www.treadmag.co.za. The reviews will also be made available on the MiWayMTB website, after each week’s show.

MTB riders and enthusiasts can also join the growing MiWayMTB community of fans on Facebook which features events calendars, product reviews, previews of what’s to come on the MiWay MTB TV show and, in the near future, a discussion forum offering expert advice.

Follow @MiWayMTB