A perfect day greeted riders at Thomas More College, Hillcrest for the second round of the Junior Eliminator Series for KwaZulu Natal. Riders showed off their speed and power as they charged around the field and up a short climb before being tested on their technical skills as they twisted through the tight corners of the school corridors and down stairs.
The Go Cycling Academy joined the other 23 schools in what was a fantastic day of racing with a number of sprint finishes coming right down to the wire and was often about who had timed their lunge over the line to perfection. This year the series introduced two younger age groups(under 10 and 12) which has added a new flare of excitement with their racing spirit and determination to win mixed with the friendly camaraderie. Many of these tiny riders showed skills and speed way beyond their years!
The Junior Eliminator Series is a great way for riders to be introduced to racing as the tracks are only around 800m in length allowing everyone to be competitive as they don’t need the fitness to maintain a high speed over a long distance. Riders are tested in speed, power, bike handling skills over obstacles and around corners as well as race tactics like knowing when to open up your spirit or attack to make a pass – everything they would need to take into the other cycling disciplines compressed into a two minute interval.
The eliminator format is spectator friendly as majority of the course can be seen from standing in one spot allowing family members and friends to cheer their rider on the whole way round the course! The course at Thomas More College had spectators perched high above the start/finish straight giving them a great vantage point as riders rode a figure of eight coming towards the main spectator point before briefly disappearing into the school corridors, reappearing airborne as they launched down a small flight of stairs(after round ones two large flights of stairs at Northwood Boys High School, these smaller sets were not even blinked at).
Racing was tight with many passes being made at every opportunity during the course of the short heats as riders were wanting to advance through the rounds to make it to the finals and get there hands on some of the incredible prizes supplied by our sponsors. Trek Bikes, Fox Racing, Skullcandy, OGIO, Frog Bikes and GoPro insured that riders stepped off the podium smiling, there were also a number of raffle draw prizes so that everyone stood the chance of winning!
The Junior Eliminator Series is moving into its final leg in Gauteng at the end of July. The first event will be taking place on Sunday 24 July at PWC Bike Park followed by the final event for the 2016 series on Sunday 31 July at Northern Farm. Entries are open and can be done online: www.onemovement.co.za
Follow us:
Website: www.onemovement.co.za
Facebook: One Movement Event Management
Instagram: @one_move_ment
Twitter: @JES_XCE and/or @one_move_ment
Results from Round 2 – THOMAS MORE COLLEGE
| Girls under 12 | Boys under 10 | |
||||
| 1 | Riley Smith | Curro HCA Hillcrest | 1 | Logan Stander | Curro HCA Hillcrest | |
| 2 | Anvia Bredenkamp | Thomas More College | 2 | Evan Moolman | Westville Senior Primary | |
| 3 | Sbongakonke Mafuleka | Go Cycle Aacdemy | 3 | Luca Zietsman | Curro Mount Ridgemore | |
| Girls under 14 | Boys under 12 | |||||
| 1 | Beani Thies | Wartburg Kirchdorf School | 1 | Jordan Bold | Clonard | |
| 2 | Chloe Bateson | Curro Mount Ridgemore | 2 | Jayden Moolman | St Benedict Primary | |
| 3 | Shayna Howe | Danville Girls High | 3 | Ngoy Nsindane | Winston Park Primary | |
| Girls under 16 | Boys under 14 | |||||
| 1 | Tiffany Keep | Thomas More College | 1 | Travis Stedman | Thomas More College | |
| 2 | Courtney Smith | Thomas More College | 2 | Mitchel Potgieter | Thomas More College | |
| 3 | Bridgette Theunissen | Thomas More College | 3 | Dean Gregson | Thomas More College | |
| Girls under 19 | Boys under 16 | |||||
| 1 | Christie Hearder | Pietermaritzburg Girls High | 1 | Cian Leveridge | Thomas More College | |
| 2 | Johandre Marx | Maritzburg College | ||||
| 3 | Matthew Green | Maritzburg College | ||||
| Boys under 19 | ||||||
| 1 | Sharjah Jonsson | Maritzburg College | ||||
| 2 | Dean Wortmann | Wartburg Kirchdorf School | ||||
| 3 | Mitchell Meugens | Maritzburg College |
