Having hosted two successful editions of the BSi dusi2c mountain bike stage race already, the event returns in 2015 with a chocker block field expected to assemble for the two-day adventure that takes riders from Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg along the route of the Dusi Canoe Marathon to Blue Lagoon in Durban from 20-21 June.
The brain child of stage racing extraordinaire ‘Farmer’ Glen Haw, the dusi2c uses a similar model to his other popular races – the Old Mutual joberg2c and the Nedbank sani2c – which sees riders camp in the Mngeni Valley at the Mfula Store after Saturday’s first stage before following the Mngeni River to the sea in Durban on Sunday.
The BSi Steel team of Elliot Hall (pictured) and Pieter Maskell took on the 2014 BSi Steel dusi2c and the sponsors are back again in 2015 in what was a no-brainer deal for the steel processors and stockists based in Pietermaritzburg. // Photo: Anthony Grote/ Gameplan Media.
Participants of the 2015 BSi Steel dusi2c can also look forward to a pleasant overnight stop at the iconic Mfula Store after the venue’s recent upgrade which saw a large area being cleared for the overnight stop that will provide riders with a scenic place to relax after a tough day in the saddle.
The popular event is looking forward to having steel processor and stockist BSi Steel back on board as the title sponsor again in 2015 while the Pietermaritzburg based company is also relishing the opportunity to be involved in this local race once more.
“We are delighted to be a part of the event, with its ethos of enthusiasm and passion for riding, team building, promotion of conservation locally and a fantastic sporting event in a pleasant and beautiful environment,” BSi Steel Executive Director Craig Parry said. “Farmer Glen and his team put together an incredibly professional event last year which we were proud to be a part of and we are looking forward to more of the same again this year!”
Having developed a close relationship with the race over the past year, BSi Steel are proud to be involved in a prestigious event that starts in Pietermaritzburg such as the dusi2c.
“Being involved in the dusi2c is such a natural fit for us; with the beautiful trails right on our doorstep why go further afield? It is where our roots are and we are proud of where we have come from,” Parry added.
The 2015 BSi Steel dusi2c promises to be another exciting race and the sponsors BSi Steel have come on board again following a successful partnership in 2014. // Photo: Anthony Grote/ Gameplan Media.
The 2014 edition was sold out within a few days of entries going on sale as riders desperately jockeyed for their spot amongst the 300 two-rider team strong field.
The even further increased popularity of the race then showed once more when entries for the 2015 spectacle were sold out in an even shorter space of time following the conclusion of last year’s race.
While looking to give it’s 600-strong field as greater time as possible over its two days, the race also prides itself on giving back to the communities along the route.
The dusi2c enjoys the unique privilege of giving the responsibility of maintaining the trails to the local community with local residents of the valley responsible for looking after certain sectors of the route.
“This event offers a phenomenal platform for BSi Steel to be involved in the upliftment and development in local communities,” Parry added.
Another vision of the race is to try and create a sustainable model for mountain biking in the Mngeni and Msundusi Valleys with Haw busy equipping the locals with the expertise to be able to manage their own track while also teaching them how to uplift and maintain the ecology of the region.
Having the likes of the Durban Green Corridor on board has also become an important element of the race due to their efforts within the community to uplift the locals and get them involved in the creation of mountain bike trails along the dusi2c route.
More information can be found at www.dusi2c.co.za.
Cant wait!
Last year was fantastic!