Sunday 2 August saw the third round of the Junior Eliminator Series for Gauteng hosted by Heronbridge College in Nietgedacht. After a very technical course in round two, riders arrived to find a lot more friendly course in terms of technicality but still testing with two short sharp leg burning climbs with plenty of overtaking space to see who had the power to attack and push over the top.
The atmosphere was electric as another fantastic turnout saw riders being cheered on by many friends and family as well as a large host of Diepsloot MTB Academy supporters who gave a deafening cheer as their team members raced past and advanced through heats.
Racing was made difficult by the extremely high pace that riders charged around the course and made seemingly light work of the climbs as they attacked at full steam ahead trying to get their hands on the lions share of the incredible prizes up for grabs.
It was another dominant performance by Andrea de Waal who streaked ahead to walk away victorious amongst the u/14 girls ahead of a hard chasing Havannah Blem who finished second with Alison Crichton rounding off the podium.
1. Andre de Waal (Potchefstroom Girls)
2. Havannah Blem (Sutherland)
3. Alison Crichton (Sutherland)
Paul Meyer was one of many who feel victim to a snapped chain off the start as he watched the other three race away in the u/14 boys final. New comer and 11year old Ben Du Plessis was display great speed all day, but it was Richard Nel and Stehan Wolmarans who powered away and into a sprint finish where Richard pulled the slightest margin to steal the victory!
1. Richard Nel (Hartebeespoort)
2. Stehan Wolmarans (Hartebeespoort)
3. Ben du Plessis (Menlo Park)
In the u/16 girls Prayer Mbulawa had to settle for third as she just could not match the pace of Kaylin Prinsloo and Danielle Muller who returned after a heavy crash in round two and put up a great fight, but it was Kaylin who snuck ahead to walk away victorious.
1. Kaylin Prinsloo (Hartebeespoort)
2. Danielle Muller (Hartebeespoort)
3. Prayer Mbulawa (Diepsloot MTB Academy)
Majority of the u/16 boys final was closely contested until the final climb where Melcolm Botes feel slightly off the pace and couldnt close the gap to Chad Fikkert who crashed in the round two final and a charging Bendeon Myburgh who was looking to repeat his round two victory. It was only over the final obstacle that Bendeon opened a bikes length gap to once again jump on the top step of the podium.
1. Bendeon Myburgh (Waterkloof)
2. Chad Fikkert (Midstream)
3. Melcolm Botes (Montana)
The u/19 boys offered up some intense action with elbow to elbow racing sometimes leading to handlebar to handlebar and a few riders on the floor. Jacques Lloyd left the other three finalists looking for parking as he blasted ahead to comfortably roll across the line victorious leaving CJ van Eyk and Johannes Masetla to fight it out for the minor steps of the podium. It must have been the hype and support from the Diepsloot MTB Academy spectators that gave Johannes the boost he needed to get ahead of CJ.
1. Jacques LLoyd (Zwartkop)
2. Johannes Masetla (Diepsloot MTB Academy)
3. CJ van Eyk (Zwartkop)
Overall results for Gauteng:
With this being the third and final round for Gauteng, overall champions needed to be crowned. Results were decided by the best two out of three events which gave everyone the safety of one round for things not to go their way, it also made the final round more exciting as there were no clear leaders and the final heats would be the deciding factors!
u/14 girls
1. Andrea de Waal (Potchefstroom Girls)
2. Havannah Blem (Sutherland)
3. Alison Crichton (Sutherland)
u/14 boys
1. Richard Nel (Hartebeespoort)
2. Marco Moolman (Menlo Park)
3. James Moore (Heronbridge)
u/16 girls
1. Kaylin Prinsloo (Hartebeespoort)
2. Kelsi Chomse (Fourways)
3. Prayer Mbulawa (Diepsloot MTB Academy)
u/16 boys
1. Bendeon Myburgh (Waterkloof)
2. Jared Cowan (Sutherland)
3. Chad Fikkert (Midstream)
u/19 girls
1. Saffron Vosloo (Menlo Park)
u/19 boys
1. Jacques Lloyd (Zwartkop)
2. Deon Du Toit (Montana)
3. Ruan de Villiers (Pretoria Boys)
However it was the Overall School Team prize that everyone was waiting to hear announced with a cheque for R10 000 Enjoy Fitness cycling kit and a Rayne Camera up for grabs. Gauteng gave us the closest contest for the overall team with a minute 632 points separating first and third – a mere one, maybe two extra riders or rounds advanced.
It was the same three teams fighting it out as in the year before with Zwartkop High School bitterly close once again having to settle for second place. It was first and third from 2014 that swapped over with the Diepsloot MTB Academy finishing third this year and Sutherland High School jumping up onto the top step and walking away with all the spoils!
1. Sutherland High School (10630)
2. Zwartkop High School (10138)
3. Diepsloot MTB Academy (9998)
Well done to all the riders representing the 26 School Teams that participated in the Gauteng leg of the Junior Eliminator Series for 2015. A huge thank you to our sponsors Trek Bikes, Fox Racing, Enjoy Fitness, Skullcandy, OGIO, Rayne Camera and Paul Bothner Music for helping make the whole series possible!
