Rand Water Race for Victory - late 90's early 2000's

[Andymann]

I went riding in Suikerbosrand this weekend for the first time since I last rode it at the Race for Victory back in the late 90's early 2000's.  Got me thinking about the route back then - I know it finished at Rand Water, so I'm guessing it must have started there too.  I also felt yesterday's ride where we did the full Suikerbos loop was way longer than I remember for the race - I also seem to remember we entered Suikerbos and then almost immediately hit some pretty nasty climbs - proper switchbacks.  Nothing I rode yesterday seemed familiar.

And finally, I also remember just before the finish we did a road where everyone in the bunch referred to as "The Steps".

Can anyone remember the original route - I'm just curious to see where we rode all those years ago.

[Frosty]

31 minutes ago, Andymann said:

I went riding in Suikerbosrand this weekend for the first time since I last rode it at the Race for Victory back in the late 90's early 2000's.  Got me thinking about the route back then - I know it finished at Rand Water, so I'm guessing it must have started there too.  I also felt yesterday's ride where we did the full Suikerbos loop was way longer than I remember for the race - I also seem to remember we entered Suikerbos and then almost immediately hit some pretty nasty climbs - proper switchbacks.  Nothing I rode yesterday seemed familiar.

And finally, I also remember just before the finish we did a road where everyone in the bunch referred to as "The Steps".

Can anyone remember the original route - I'm just curious to see where we rode all those years ago.

That would have been the late 2000s and early 2010s if you're referring to Rand Water. Before it started at Rand Water, it started and finished at Gold Reef City, and also went through the reserve. Prior to that it was at a school in Kibler Park.

I think the route stopped going through the reserve, for the non-elites, in 2011. I was at the race that year but didn't race (in 2011), and remember a team mate got 1st place in the women's vet category. 

The route would have been as follows:
Some roads have changed in Walkerville (left side of the screenshot).
The route your probably did in the reserve was the red (left turn after climbing from the main carpark).
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/271616964

[Andymann]

I remember the one year starting at Gold Reef City - for the life of me I can't remember where it finished.

But I also remember finishing at Rand Water one year - it was a sprint to win the A-bunch because hey that's what we all did back then!

I must have done two of them then - and thanks for the dates - when I think of it now, it was in the 2000's - I only started cycling properly in 1995 and moved away from Gauteng in 1999 and moved back in 2002 so was definitely later in the 2000's!

[Andymann]

Some good routes back in those days.  I was based in Three Rivers so there was a race almost every weekend.  Out towards Parys over Ertjiesbult was a favourite.  And Hyper to Hyper actually went from a Hypermarket to a Hypermarket!

[The Ouzo]

12 minutes ago, Andymann said:

And Hyper to Hyper actually went from a Hypermarket to a Hypermarket!

And was actually a fast one, unlike the current version of it.

I have fond memories of this race.

- huddled in the basement of PnP in our start pens

- cruising at 40-50km/h in groups of 50+ cyclists, the only noises you hear is the whirr of drivetrains and 19mm tyres on the tar

- hitting over 90km/h down the hill towards Swartkoppies

- cleats melting into the tar in the PnP parking lot after the finish

- picnics with the family on the Vaal after the race

- meeting the person who is now my wife at one of these picnics

[Andymann]

2 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

And was actually a fast one, unlike the current version of it.

I have fond memories of this race.

- huddled in the basement of PnP in our start pens

- cruising at 40-50km/h in groups of 50+ cyclists, the only noises you hear is the whirr of drivetrains and 19mm tyres on the tar

- hitting over 90km/h down the hill towards Swartkoppies

- cleats melting into the tar in the PnP parking lot after the finish

- picnics with the family on the Vaal after the race

- meeting the person who is now my wife at one of these picnics

And me looking at the people cycling back to the start from Vanderbijlpark thinking how crazy do you have to be to cycle more than 100km in a day....

[dardo82]

At a stage it Started and finished at Frances Vorweg school, this school was still the main beneficiary at the last edition.

[The Ouzo]

12 minutes ago, Andymann said:

And me looking at the people cycling back to the start from Vanderbijlpark thinking how crazy do you have to be to cycle more than 100km in a day....

yeah I remember thinking that too. In those days just finishing 100km was a massive thing for me.

 

Its also the only event where ive done sub 3 hours for 100km.

[Frosty]

15 minutes ago, Andymann said:

And me looking at the people cycling back to the start from Vanderbijlpark thinking how crazy do you have to be to cycle more than 100km in a day....

I was one of those crazies; like doing it for all the local events.

[Koos Likkewaan 2]

Reading this wondering, damn, how old are these people.

Then I did the math and realized probably all younger than me.🙈

 

[Andymann]

1 minute ago, The Ouzo said:

yeah I remember thinking that too. In those days just finishing 100km was a massive thing for me.

 

Its also the only event where ive done sub 3 hours for 100km.

Yup - did the Fast one in January in under three hours.  Your seeding skyrocketed to A-bunch for Berge en Dale.  Did Berge en Dale in February and suddenly came down to earth very quickly.

[Frosty]

47 minutes ago, Andymann said:

I remember the one year starting at Gold Reef City - for the life of me I can't remember where it finished.

 

It would have finished at Gold Reef City, which required riding up Butcher’s hill into a head wind, after 100km in the legs. Back then it was 117Km.

[Andymann]

1 minute ago, Koos Likkewaan 2 said:

Reading this wondering, damn, how old are these people.

Then I did the math and realized probably all younger than me.🙈

 

Old enough to remember that the only reason you did the 94.7 was because of the Teazers waterpoint going up Old Pretoria road.....

[The Ouzo]

5 minutes ago, Andymann said:

Old enough to remember that the only reason you did the 94.7 was because of the Teazers waterpoint going up Old Pretoria road.....

that old route was tough

[Andymann]

1 minute ago, The Ouzo said:

that old route was tough

That it was.  Especially on a 7spd Steel Bianchi.

[The Ouzo]

2 minutes ago, Andymann said:

That it was.  Especially on a 7spd Steel Bianchi.

cant remember what the Alpina was, but could not have been more than 8 spd. And no wimpy compact chainrings either, I seem to recall running 44/24 as my lowest gearing.

Jan Smuts past the zoo with 80km in the legs was torture.