Oudtshoorn crowns road cycling champions

23 April 2013 – The 2013 SA National Vets, Masters, U16 and Para-Cycling Road & Time Trial Championships culminated with the road racing in Oudtshoorn on Friday.

The road race disciplines started on Thursday 18 April for the greater part of the day with the final categories wrapping up on Friday 19^th.

The 97km road race consisted of two laps of the undulating 48.5-kilometre circuit, taking competitors out of Oudtshoorn along the Calitzdorp Road turning left on Vollmoed Road to heading toward Armoed where the climbing began. At the highest point, cyclists turned and joined the Mossel Bay Road heading back towards the outskirts of Oudtshoorn.

Some of the age categories had to complete a 78km and 50km route.

The under-14 boys and u16 girls’ categories had clear winners in the 50 kilometre distance as Devin Shortt and Shannon-Leigh Bradford blitzed their categories in 1 hour 39 minutes and 32 seconds and 01:47:30; Shortt claimed victory by two minutes and twenty-nine seconds, while Bradford stayed clear of her rivals by six minutes and ten seconds.

Staying in the 50km distance, it was tight racing for the veteran women as Amanda Akom and Liefie Day claimed top honours by mere seconds in their 45-49 and 50-54 year categories. For the men, the contest was much the same with at least two contenders vying for the gold. Peter Barber, Jan van den Berg and Bob Clayton came out tops in the 60-64, 65-69 and 70+ age groups.

The 78km race presented some close challenges especially amongst the u16 Boys, and veteran men 45-49, and 50-54 age groups. Raymond van der Walt claimed gold ahead of Nafees Isaacs (silver) and Bradley Gouveris (bronze) in the u16 group, crossing the line in 02:25:55. Anton Duvenhage was the victor in the 45-49 chase, beating Jackie van Eeden and Marius Nel into second and third respectively in 02:08:09. Gary Beneke (50-54) successfully pipped Hendrik Olivier (2^nd) and Mark Thijs (3^rd) to the finish line as they all recorded the same time of 02:06:19.

Paul Furbank (55-59) put on an impressive display to win gold. Furbank had also claimed the championship title in the time trial race earlier in the week, as well as winning his category at the second round of the national mountain bike series in Pietermaritzburg the weekend prior. Furbank finished in 02:14:24, with Rassie Smit and Joe Visser sprinting it out for second and third, 1 minute and 10 seconds behind.

Also in the 78km distance, Odelle Joubert and Yolande de Villiers commanded the lead in their 35-39 and 40-44 age categories, clocking 02:16:01 and 02:18:51 respectively.

The 97km race distance was held on Friday and also presented some close race results. J.C. Jooste, Jacques Fullard and Rynard van Hoven were successors in the sprint finishes in the 30-34, 35-39 and 40-44 groups respectively. Jooste’s winning time was 02:35:32, with Ignus Oosthuizen and Egon Campbell claiming second and third place.

Fullard’s (35-39) sprint finish was with Nicholas Cape and Alastair Davies, who won the silver and bronze medals respectively whilst all recording the same time of 02:35:36. Van Hoven (40-44) earned his gold medal and championship title against Moolman Welgemoed and Andy Davies in 02:26:09.

The women’s race saw a clear winner as Andrea Steyn (30-34) took the win by more than eight minutes against Denni Cartwright and Carine van der Merwe in 02:59:25. In the tandem race, Joe van der Westhuizen and Glen Campbell crossed the finish line first in the sprint against second placed Pieter and Heinrich Lategan and third placed Uwe Schmidt and Marius Nel. The winning time was 02:26:22.

The cyclists of the week to claim double championship titles were Paul Furbank (55-59), Andrea Steyn (30-34) and Liefie Day (50-54), winning both the time trial and road race championships in their age categories. Devin Shortt (u14) won both his time trail and road race events as well.

The National Championships saw various age categories outside of Elite, U23 and Junior being acknowledged with national championship status throughout the six days of racing, ranging from the under-16 class and from age 30 and above, as well as tandem cycles and the Para-cycling road racing disciplines.

In addition, there are also U10, U12 and U14 age category races, which are tackled as a fun ride, and not for SA Championship colours. These young cyclists will still however be rewarded for their efforts with a SWD medal.

Full details of race information as well as all the results lists can be found on the dedicated event web page on the Cycling SA website

Summary of Road Race Results – 2013 SA National Vets, Masters, U16 Champs

U14 Boys – 50km

1. Devin Shortt 1.39’32”
2. Imraan Gasant 1.42’01” +2’29”
3. Alexander Smith 1.42’07” +2’35”

U16 Boys – 78km

1. Raymond Van der Walt 2.25’55”
2. Nafees Isaacs 2.25’55”
3. Bradley Gouveris 2.25’55”

U16 Girls – 50km

1. Shannon-Leigh Bradford 1.47’30”
2. Anja Gerber 1.53’40” +6’10”
3. Amé Venter 1.54’12” +6’42”

Vets Men 30-34 – 97km

1. J.C. Jooste 2.35’32”
2. Ignus Oosthuizen 2.35’32”
3. Egon Campbell 2.35’32”

Vets Men 35-39 – 97km

1. Jacques Fullard 2.35’36”
2. Nicholas Cape 2.35’36”
3. Alastair Davies 2.35’36”

Vets Men 40-44 – 97km

1. Rynard Van Hoven 2.26’09”
2. Moolman Welgemoed 2.26’09”
3. Andy Davies 2.26’09”

Vets Men 45-49 – 78km

1. Anton Duvenhage 2.08’09”
2. Jackie Van Eeden 2.08’09”
3. Marius Nel 2.08’09”

Vets Men 50-54 – 78km

1. Gary Beneke 2.06’19”
2. Hendrik Olivier 2.06’19”
3. Mark Thijs 2.06’19”

Vets Men 55-59 – 78km

1. Paul Furbank 2.14’24”
2. Rassie Smit 2.15’34” +1’10”
3. Joe Visser 2.15’34” +1’10”

Vets Men 60-64 – 50km

1. Peter Barber 1.28’54”
2. Bobby Nefdt 1.28’55” +1″
3. Chris Rossouw 1.28’56” +2″

Vets Men 65-69 – 50km

1. Jan Van den Berg 1.37’36”
2. John Moss 1.37’37” +1″
3. Peter Allan Haupt 1.37’47” +11″

Vets Men 70+ – 50km

1. Bob Clayton 1.39’44”
2. Vincent Kelly 1.39’45” +1″
3. Mike Smith 1.46’57” +7’13”

Vets Women 30-34 – 97km

1. Andrea Steyn 2.59’25”
2. Denni Cartwright 3.07’43” +8’18”
3. Carine Van der Merwe 3.07’48” +8’23”

Vets Women 35-39 – 78km

1. Odelle Joubert 2.16’01”
2. Juanita Venter 2.16’08” +7″
3. Cashandra Slingerland 2.20’50” +4’49”

Vets Women 40-44 – 78km

1. Yolande De Villiers 2.18’51”
2. Allison Hertel 2.27’30” +8’39”
3. Martie Joubert 2.30’23” +11’32”

Vets Women 45-49 – 50km

1. Amanda Akom 1.38’37”
2. Lauren Wolff 1.38’38” +1″
3. Nienie Steenekamp 1.38’39” +2″

Vets Women 50-54 – 50km

1. Liefie Day 1.39’46”
2. Alma Bester 1.39’47” +1″
3. Shirley Schmidt 1.39’48” +2″

Tandems – 97km

1. Joe Van der Westhuizen/Glen Campbell 2.26’22”
2. Pieter Lategan/Heinrich Lategan 2.26’22”
3. Uwe Schmidt/Marius Nel 2.26’22”