All Africa Challenge set for success

[Matt]

Pietermaritzburg – A ground-breaking new cycling festival will be hosted in Pietermaritzburg from 25 to 30 April, entrenching the city’s status as a premier cycling destination, and providing a rare opportunity for spectators and the cycling community to enjoy elite BMX, track and mountain biking events all in close proximity.

 

The CSA KZN All Africa Challenge will include national championships for BMX and track racers at the purpose built facilities in Alexandra park, and a top-end innovative MTB competition on the Cascades MTB Park that successfully hosted the RockyRoads UCI MTB World Cup held at Cascades just a few weeks ago.

 

“It is a pretty ground breaking concept that we are working with here by merging three of cycling’s disciplines into one event, staged at the same time and in the same city and we are really glad to once again be able to hold such an event in Pietermaritzburg,” said event director Alec Lenferna.

 

“After 2010’s BMX World Champs Pietermaritzburg has held numerous world class events and has done itself proud on every occasion so to be able to draw on those experiences and utilise the world class facilities in the city is great,” he added.

 

The country's BMX community will descend upon PMB in two weeks' time for the SA National BMX Championships which make up one third of the new CSA KZN All Africa Challenge.

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Head of KZN BMX Jason Nichol echoed Lenferna’s sentiments. “This is another step that the Pietermaritzburg municipality and Tourism KZN have taken to ensure that Pietermaritzburg becomes the cycling capital of South Africa.”

 

“It shows that cycling is taken very seriously by the community which bodes well for the development of future local stars. It also puts us on the international map and reminds everyone of our ability to carry off large scale events of world class quality,” he added.

 

Not only will the event be one of a kind whereby riders of the three disciplines will be afforded a rare opportunity to interact with one another and develop an appreciation for what some of their fellow riders do, but it doubles as the prestigious SA National BMX Championships and SA National Track and Para Cycling Championships as well.

 

Having recently arrived back on South African soil after achieving a silver medal in the 15km Scratch at the World Track Champs in Melbourne, Australia Tasol GT rider Nolan Hoffmann is one of many of the country's top track cyclists heading for Pietermaritzburg to take part in the SA National Track Championships at the CSA KZN All Africa Challenge in two weeks' time.

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“We are extremely excited for this year’s National Track Champs and the fact that we will be right next door to the BMX track and just down the drag from Cascades MTB park where all the mountain bike action will take place is really awesome,” said Track organiser Mike Adey.

 

“Hardly ever do we get a chance to watch and appreciate just what goes into all the other cycling disciplines and whilst there are some distinct differences between the various disciplines there are also many similarities.”

 

“It will be great to be able to try pick up on some of these and interact with others in the cycling world especially with the BMX and track events taking place right alongside each other,” he added.

 

Whilst the event is not the MTB national champs, those who take part in this facet of the event will be treated to some of the very latest concepts in the mountain biking world when they try their hand at the two stage enduro on Saturday morning, the pulsating cross country eliminator on Saturday afternoon and the MTB Classic with a difference on Sunday.

 

“There is a lot to look forward to for all the MTB enthusiasts out there at the CSA KZN All Africa Challenge,” said Mike Bradley, Cycling South Africa’s National Director: MTB.

 

Many of South Africa's mountain bikers will be exposed to a variety of mountain bike racing formats for the first time when they tackle the CSA KZN All Africa MTB Challenge which forms part of the CSA KZN All Africa Challenge in two weeks' time.

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“We have some really exciting events lined up for our riders which many of our local guys wouldn’t have ever tried before and we’ve even taken the traditional MTB Classic format and tweaked it slightly to keep things fresh and exciting for all,” he added.

 

The CSA KZN All Africa Challenge is comprised of the SA National Track and Para Cycling Championships at Alexandra Park Track from 25-30 April, the SA National BMX Championships at Alexandra Park from 27-29 April and the CSA KZN All Africa MTB Challenge at Cascades MTB park on 28 & 29 April. More info can be found at www.cyclingsa.com

 

More info can be found at www.cyclingsa.com

 

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