National mountain bike event in PE at weekend

Nelson Mandela Bay will welcome South Africa’s leading mountain bikers at the weekend for the second round of the CSA National Mountain Bike Series.

Following on from a highly successful UCI World CupMountain Bike event held recently in Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth is next in line  to experience the thrill of Cross Country and Downhill Racing at its best.

Thousands of spectators lined the course in Pietermaritzburg in one of the most successful mountain bike events ever held on African shores. “We hope to build on the excitement that the UCI World Cup generated and showcase the sport of mountain biking to the residents of N elson Mandela Bay Metro” says Brad Jackson, event co‐ordinator.

The C ross Country racing (XC) will take place on Saturday 7th May right in the centre of town. The course which is set in the Baakens Valley comprises one of the most technical and challenging courses that local riders have seen in a number of years. “Spectators will be able to see our country’s top riders tackle one of t he most technical tracks in South Africa” says Julie Briggs, who has competed at a number of other national events in the past.

- Advertisement -

The XC course consists of 6km laps through the Baakens Valley and incorporates rock‐gardens, single‐track paths and steep downhill sections which provide spectacular viewing opportunities.

Racing commences at 8am on Saturday May 7 and kicks off with a Fun‐Class which is open to anyone wanting to experience racing in the official XC event.

A number of other activities are planned in and around the cross‐country race village which is situated at the EP Badminton Hall in Walmer Downs. A night ride presented by Magiclight is scheduled for Friday evening (May 6) and a skills clinic presented by Momsen Bikes is planned for Friday afternoon. Food and beverages will be on sale throughout the day as well as a number of exhibitors who will be on hand to show their wares.

- Advertisement -

For the more extreme aspect of the sport, the Downhill (DH) event will be taking place on the Sunday (May 8) at Loerie Ruskamp Resort just outside Port Elizabeth. The downhill course comprises a 1.2km track in which the rider aims to descend to the bottom of the track in the quickest possible time. The high  peed event promises to entertain crowds  with its jumps, rocks and drop‐off sections.

For those who are looking for something less extreme, the Mountain Events Mini‐marathon event will also be taking place on the Sunday morning at the Loerie Ruskamp Resort just outside Loerie. This will consist of 4 laps of an 8km circuit involving less technical riding than the XC format and should be a great opportunity to ride on never before ridden trails. The event will conclude in time for riders and spectators to catch all the downhill action which takes place at the same venue. “Loerie Ruskamp Resort has a wide range of accommodation options to meet all budgets so why not make a weekend of it and bring the whole family?” states Margie Rudman, accommodation co‐ordinator for the event.

Contact the official event co‐ ordinators at Mountain Events: Brad Jackson,  Mobile: 082 65 1 9182, Email: brad@mountainevents.co.za; or Julie Briggs, Mobile: 083 30 4 2646, Email: julie@mountainevents.co.za

Download map of the cross country course in the Baakens Valley.

Click to join movement