[Event] Youth Festival

[Louis Visser]

Event Name: Youth Festival
When: 24 June 2013 - 27 June 2013
Where: Oudtshoorn, Western Cape
Category: Road

Oudtshoorn Gearing up for Youth Festival

Oudtshoorn is ready for the 3^rd annual Cycling Youth festival taking place from 24-27 June.

 

The youth festival is mainly aimed at provincial teams competing against each other in 5 different cycling events, three road and two MTB. Although this event is oriented at teams competing individual riders are also welcome and will also contribute points towards their provinces. The events are a road race, criterium, team time trial, MTB marathon and MTB cross country. All the podium finishers, irrespective of riding for a team or not, for each event will receive a medal at the prize giving at the end of each day.

 

This year’s event will also be host to a youth and junior racing format that will run simultaneous to the festival. These boys will be riding longer distances and will consist of teams of minimum 4 riders or individual riders. There is a big need for competitions like this to prepare these youngsters for the road ahead. There are no other events in which they can compete as a team and learn the skills needed to compete at a higher level.

 

We are also very excited to announce that Team Bonitas, a pro cycling team, will be in Oudtshoorn during the week of the Festival. The team will have a training camp in Oudtshoorn and interact with the children at the festival. The idea is to expose the children to the Pro riders and also talk to them about being a professional cyclist.

 

The youth Festival’s role in identifying new talent must not be underrated as this event exposes cyclists to different disciplines. A very good example is a Junior lady from Knysna,Mikayla Oliver, a keen MTB rider that took part in the National XCO series, was exposed to road cycling. Her talent was exposed at the youth Festival in 2012 and subsequently taken to the SA National Track Champ in Cape Town. She has now been selected to represent South Africa at the World Junior Track Champs in Scotland.

 

SWD cycling, the host for this event would like to invite all under 18 cyclists not yet entered to this event to do so, even as an individual. SWD has successfully hosted the veterans and junior road champs in Oudtshoorn in April and the organization for this event promise to be at the same high standard. SWD Cycling has worked very hard to uphold a very high standard and was awarded the best Sport Federation for 2012 in the Western Cape.

 

For those still wanting to enter, all the information can be found on the CSA Website under development www.cyclingsa.com/development.aspx#32. For more information contact Corné Botha, Cell: 073 194 2948, Email: odnmeubel@telkomsa.net. Entries close on Thursday 20 June 2013. Late entries will be accepted at registration 23 June 2013 13:00-17:00

 

Corné Bence

 

President: SWD Cycling Association

 

 

 

Go to Event Page

[Ward]

Its a pity both Gariep and the Oudtshoorn have made their distances so long, i get that SA Cycling is trying to get on par with European cycling but instead of taking the Junior raod race from 100km to 150km, take it from 100km and then up to 115km, slowly build it up. Ive represented WP as an U14 and as an U16 for two years, and last year was terrible, we're made to travel for 10hours, just to be told we must race 105km(or more i cant quite remember) as U16s, and not just race it we must do it after we had down a TTT of 20km is the morning and the Road Race starts at 1pm and those of you that have been up to Gariep you know how hot it can get. Because of last year, i dont think WP are even sending a team up this year.