A record field and fierce competition is expected at the Western Cape Finals of the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League this Saturday (30 August) at the Paul Roos Gymnasium track in Stellenbosch.
Going onto the finals the frontrunners on the mixed teams log is Parel Vallei High with 1178, followed in close second by DF Malan with 1139 points and defending Western Cape champions, Montana currently the third mixed team with 1004 points. In 2013 it was Montana that finished first with DF Malan second and Parel Vallei in third. Montana finished third in the mixed league nationals in 2014 and is expected to give it their all on Saturday.
Home team Paul Roos is hoping to win the men’s category for the third year running and are currently lying comfortably top of the men’s log with an impressive 1005 points and third overall.
The team from Paul Roos Gymnasium are also the national champions and successfully defended their title as best boys’ team for the third year running with 100 points, followed by rivals Grey College in Bloemfontein with 92 points and newcomer Midstream College impressing in third with 82 points in the 2013 finals.
Although mountain bike riding is an individual sport, the Spur School Mountain bike league aims to promote cycling as a team sport with points determined on a 26 point sliding scale. The points of the top five individual boys counted for the overall schools log, while the top three individual girls determined the fate of their school and for the mixed the points of top three boys and top two girls were calculated.
Spur Steak Ranches sponsors travel and accommodation for the top six riders in each qualifying school as well as the top overall rider in each category. A maximum of 12 riders are allowed per team. Each finisher scores a point for their school with additional points allocated to the first 25 riders in each category.
Although only high school learners qualify for nationals, league co-ordinators AMARIDER are thrilled by the surge in primary school participation and the 60% increase in overall entries with the last race drawing an impressive 460 riders with a record of 177 female riders.
“We are certainly achieving the aim of increasing the footprint of mountain bike riding as a sport with more and more schools supporting their teams. The leading primary schools are Kenridge Pimary followed by Eikestad Laerskool with 571 and 468 points respectively. This shows us that the sport is growing,” says Meurant Botha of AMARIDER.
Please note: Arrive early as parking will be off-site. There are a number of other events taking place in the area so we ask that you be considerate and follow the marshals directions.
Registration opens at 07h30 at Paul Roos Gymnasium with racing starting at 09h00 and prize giving at 13h30. Parking will be off-site so participants should arrive early enough. Entry fees are R40 Nippers and Sprogs and R50 for all other categories. Entries taken on the day at registration – download entry form: http://www.amarider.co.za/dyn_files/spurmtbleague_entryform.pdf
START TIMES:
09h00: Nipper boys and girls (10 years and under
09h20 Sprog boys and girls (11–12) Sprog Girls (11 –12)
10h00: Sub-Junior Boys (13–14)
10h45: Youth Men 16
11h10: Youth Men 15
11h50: ALL Girls (13-14/15-16/17-18)
12h30: Junior Men (17-18)
For more information on the Spur High School Mountain Bike league visit www.amarider.co.za contact Amarider on 021 884 4547.
