Champs go head to head at African cross tri

[Matt]

The stage is set for a storming showdown between three of the country’s top off-road athletes at the ATU Cross Triathlon African Championships at Hartbeespoort outside Johannesburg on Sunday.

 

Newly crowned national cross triathlon champion Theo Blignaut and U/23 continental triathlon titleholder Rudolf Naudé will go head to head with Pieter van der Mescht, who made a clean sweep of the three Sasol off-road events leading up to the race.

 

African U/23 triathlon champion Rudolf Naudé is aiming to make it a double continental title at the ATU Cross Triathlon African Championships at Hartbeespoort on Sunday. Photo: Supplied

 

Naudé (Team Future Life), last year’s series winner, said his victory in Mauritius two weeks ago indicated an encouraging return to form following an Achilles tendon injury earlier this season.

 

“Hopefully, after this weekend, I can have a double African champ title to my name!”

 

The standard distance off-road event takes place at The Islands Estate and will comprise a 1km swim, 26km mountain bike section and 7km trail run.

 

The 21-year-old said his current condition was good and that his legs felt strong for the run, but he expected tough competition from the two Team Inov8-Rebel athletes on the bike.

 

Blignaut, who claimed the SA cross triathlon title in Bloemfontein a fortnight ago, said Naudé was “a tough little guy” and a “fighter on the run” but also expected a strong challenge from Van der Mescht.

 

 

Newly crowned South African cross triathlon champion Theo Blignaut will be vying for the continental title at the ATU Cross Triathlon African Championships at Hartbeespoort on Sunday. Photo: Supplied

 

“He’s an all-rounder, a very good racer and always a big threat.”

 

He said he expected the three of them to lead the swim. “But I think the first big climb five kilometres into the bike will break up the group.”

 

The 23-year-old said he planned to make his move there and then open up a gap on the technical descent.

 

“I’ve been riding the course and know practically every rock out there. So I know what to expect and I’m excited.”

 

Blignaut, who is new to the off-road version of the sport, said he had found his niche and looked forward to specialising in it in the future.

 

“On the road, if you’re a fairly fast runner, you can do well. Off-road, it’s a combination of power, strength, skill and speed.”

 

Although his national title would have given him a psychological boost, Blignaut said over-confidence was dangerous.

 

“It’s a case of one foot in front of the other. I need to be in control of what I do and not focus on the others.”

 

In the women’s race, national XTERRA champion Carla van Huyssteen (Team Inov8-Rebel), who has won all three of this year’s Sasol events, will face stiff competition from Sylvia van Tromp and Susan Sloane (Team Salomon).

 

Highlights will be screened on DStv’s SuperSport 6 channel at 6.30pm on May 1.

 

Registration is from 3pm to 4pm on Saturday and late entries will be accepted from 6am on Sunday. Racing starts at 8am.

 

In conjunction with the main event, there will be a sprint distance race for 16 to 19-year-old ATU athletes and social participants. It consists of a 500m swim, 13.5km bike and 3.5km run.

 

The popular kids’ duathlon event will also take place.

 

Registered ATU athletes can enter at www.triathlonsa.co.za and all other competitors at www.cyclelab.com.

 

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