With a week to go to the start of the UCI Mountain Bike Masters World Championships, which precedes the UCI MTB & Trials World Championships, organisers and visiting riders have given an unqualified thumbs up to the tracks and the infrastructure that has spring up at the Cascades MTB park course.
Organisers of the UCI MTB Masters World Championships and the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships in Pietermaritzburg are thrilled with the progress of the installation of the infrastructure that has been made over the past few days and has brought an element of excitement and expectation to the Cascades MTB Park.
Photo: Darren Goddard/Gameplan Media
With work running like clockwork thus far the half-finished structures that have been erected have already created quite a stir amongst riders currently adding the final touches to their preparations on course.
“The biggest logistical challenge these two events present is the need for us to get everything setup for the elite competition before the masters programme gets underway,” explained event coordinator Stu Berry. “The setup has gone very quickly though and we’re extremely happy with how things have progressed thus far.”
“There was a group of 10 Spanish masters competitors that came to have a look at things on Tuesday and they could not believe how good the venue was looking already.
“They commented on the visual appeal of the trials course, they went for a few laps of the masters cross country course and loved it and were extremely positive about their experience of everything relating to the masters event thus far which is very encouraging.
With Mother Nature having been cooperative in the period leading up to the setting up of the infrastructure, progress has been smooth and efficient and a lot has been achieved in a short space of time.
“The weather has been ideal and the firm ground underfoot really has helped a lot in the process. Already we are halfway through all of the team sites with all of these marquees and containers in place,” said Berry.
“The 45m long glass marquee which will serve as the media centre is also half finished as well as half of the various scaffolding around the venue.
“We’re expecting to have toilets, finish arches and the likes completed by Friday lunchtime and by then the venue really will have a very special and near completed feel to it.”
Whilst much of the focus is currently on the area around the bottom of ‘the hill’ where the teams, media and finish areas will be situated, exciting plans for temporary facilities to be erected along the spectator pathways in the forests are also very much top of mind.
“Spectators who come to watch the various events will have access to a variety of food, drinks outlets and toilet facilities out on the spectator pathways of the routes meaning they won’t have to hassle with coming down the hill every time they need something.
“There will be two refreshment facilities on each of the cross country and the downhill courses.
The UCI MTB & Trials World Championships take place at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg from 26 August – 1 September and are preceded by the UCI MTB Masters World Championships from 21 – 25 August 2013. Tickets for the UCI MTB & Trials World Championships can be purchased via www.roag.co.za and more information can be found at www.mtbworldchamps.co.za
Nice boys you making us proud. All the hard work will pay off.
