Spur Schools MTB League

[matthieup]

First one for my daughter (8) as well, and she doesn't get to ride that often. Great event, but she was quite overwhelmed. She did fall at some point and was helped up by some other parent and carried on to finish.

[Sbloomer]

Congrats.  Your school got some good points on the bord !

 

 

Maritz was the only one from his school to race ... so just 1 point on the bord.  His buddy was in bed with the flu ..... Hoping to have more entrants for the next one.

 

Thanks.  Supper chuffed with them both.  They can't wait until #2 at Bloemendal.

 

There are some impressive subnippers and nippers out there.

[matthieup]

and some kids have some serious high end bikes

[Rolling Stone]

In the Western Cape the "split" is as follows -

 

PRIMARY school kids register and practice from 8:00 to 9:00.  Then the different age groups have their rides.

 

Lunch time the high school kids register and practice.  Then they ride in their age groups.

 

 

This works very well to keep the skill levels separate.  Granted some of the older primary school kids start jumping ... though they do stay clear of the little ones.  The high school kids are impressive to say the least !!

Western Cape numbers are really impressive, double that of Gauteng at the moment.

Here we have High schools split into separate leagues, Gauteng North and South  and primary schools on their own. Looking at your numbers, I can only imagine where we are going to end up in Gauteng.

 

If we can only get 10% of these kids on the road or track as well, our cycling future will be a bright one.

Edited June 10, 2019 by Rolling Stone

[Sbloomer]

Western Cape numbers are really impressive, double that of Gauteng at the moment.

Here we have High schools split into separate leagues, Gauteng North and South  and primary schools on their own. Looking at your numbers, I can only imagine where we are going to end up in Gauteng.

 

If we can only get 10% of these kids on the road or track as well, our cycling future will be a bright one.

 

On Saturday there were 800 riders which was apparently 5 riders more than rode in the whole first year alone (according to the announcer)

[Sbloomer]

Some of my photos

 

 

 

 

[Sbloomer]

Today there were 100 riders more than the Southey Vines leg.  Seemed a bit more chaotic though

 

But a great day out.

 

I was a little annoyed though as they didn't allow our kids to wear the GoPros.  Only allowed to attach to the bike.  Not knowing this I didn't have the bike mounts

 

On Saturday there were 800 riders which was apparently 5 riders more than rode in the whole first year alone (according to the announcer)

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by Sbloomer

[WrightJnr]

Today there were 100 riders more than the Southey Vines leg. Seemed a bit more chaotic though

 

But a great day out.

 

I was a little annoyed though as they didn't allow our kids to wear the GoPros. Only allowed to attach to the bike. Not knowing this I didn't have the bike mounts

 

Nothing new regarding cameras. Most rider mounted positions are not safe. So bike only mounts. Been the norm for the last few years in MTB events I’ve done.

 

Probably find that was mentioned somewhere in the rules/refs.

 

But for sure, it’s disappointing to not be able to capture the action having not known.

[Sbloomer]

Nothing new regarding cameras. Most rider mounted positions are not safe. So bike only mounts. Been the norm for the last few years in MTB events I’ve done.

 

Probably find that was mentioned somewhere in the rules/refs.

 

But for sure, it’s disappointing to not be able to capture the action having not known.

 

I guess it makes sense.  Just wish I had thought about bringing other mounts with me.

[Riamich]

By the look of it the numbers grew. Our girls were racing sub junior kids are machines in this cat and nippers. Only took up mtb 2 weeks ago and they had a blast

[ChrisF]

Today there were 100 riders more than the Southey Vines leg.  Seemed a bit more chaotic though

 

But a great day out.

 

I was a little annoyed though as they didn't allow our kids to wear the GoPros.  Only allowed to attach to the bike.  Not knowing this I didn't have the bike mounts

 

...

 

Jip, surely was "chaotic" start to the event .... 

 

.....

 

 

EDIT - spoke to one of the schools coaches last night .... the series grown to the point where they are overlapping the races as we saw, and yet the events only wrapped up just before 18:00 !!     So as much as their is room for improvement, BIG THANKS to the team putting it all together !! 

 

 

 

 

I do recall reading about the GoPro rule .... It is NOT on the SPUR website (just checked again).  Also not in the registration email.  Think I saw it in the email they send to the "school co-ordinators".

Edited August 4, 2019 by ChrisF

[ChrisF]

Logistics aside, it surely was a perfect day for cycling !!    

 

nice and cool, but no need for jackets.

 

no wind

 

trails properly compacted after the rain, and easy enough to miss the few mud puddles.  (though a few cars probably got stuck in the parking area ..)

 

 

And then the race was ON

 

 

 

 

Three minutes later the girls started

 

 

 

Friends daughter doing her very first SPUR event

 

 

 

Start of lap 2 .... these kids were giving it some stick !!

 

 

 

 

Even the back markers were giving it a good go ...

 

 

 

And all too soon it was over. 

 

 

 

Down to B Fever and the kids PLAYED a lot more ....  Maritz actually did more distance after the event than during the event.

[Sbloomer]

So it was Maritz in the TBMTB shirt.!  We saw him  I see he had a decent ride, improved his relative position over the last leg.

[ChrisF]

So it was Maritz in the TBMTB shirt.!  We saw him  I see he had a decent ride, improved his relative position over the last leg.

 

He is in a small school, with no cycling kit .... so he rides in unbranded cycling shirts. 

 

He was right at the back of the pack after the start .... 

 

 

Nice to have the GoPro showing him progress up the field 

 

Got to love how he rides the burms while the rest straightlines it .... he simply cant resist a burm ! 

 

 

First run down Homerun included some excitement ....

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by ChrisF

[ChrisF]

SO nice to see how he has improved over the last 12 months !!    

 

[ChrisF]

SBloomer 

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by ChrisF