Midgard
The FNB Otjihavera Experience Cycling Race in conjunction with Novel Ford proved a huge success with the biggest field of riders ever witnessed before in a multi-stage marathon event that attracted more than 230 riders for the two-day race that wound its way through the challenging mountains around Midgard.
This is how Gordon Pokolo, Sponsorship Manager at FNB Namibia, summed up the day’s events: “Day one was well suited to climbers with many challenging climbs to test their legs. From the start the route had a steep climb, which was the norm for the day with very little flat sections to recover.
“From the start, the Klein Aus Vista team of Piet Swiegers and Herbert Peters set the pace, leaving the podium contenders team of Costa Seibeb and ‘Jnr’ De Koe battling with some technical problems early on with a flat wheel.”
The pair was made to work hard trying to catch up with the front bunch where Wim Steenkamp and Ingrim Cuff were fighting it out with the Fruit & Veg team of Fanie Steenkamp and Pierre Knoetze.
In the end team Klein Aus Vista proved too strong to be caught up with chalking up the win for the first stage.
In the ladies category, team Cycletec Chicks came through unscathed with a very fast time – leaving most of the men’s teams in the dust.
Victory in the Master Men’s category went to the FNB Old Boys Stefan Bohlke and Hans du Toit, while the Rhino category for the heavier blokes over 90kg was taken on day one by Team Cathy & Canopy Centre, with Combo’s Andre de Klerk and Danny Villinger remaining 8th overall.
The mixed category on day one was won by the FNB mixed husband and wife combo of Frank and Sophia Snyman.
Pokolo added: “Day two was a welcome change as opposed to the gruelling day one with fast flat farm tracks in the Swakop River valley under huge camelthorn trees.”
The day again belonged to team Klein Aus Vista with the overall win in defence of their 2015 title. Team Subvetters of Wim Steenkamp and Ingram Cuff used the flat sections to their full advantage but it was not enough on the overall time with Seibeb and ‘Jnr’ De Koe taking the overall 2nd position for the race.
In other categories, team FNB Masters Men and FNB Mixed maintained their dominance, winning both their respective divisions for the 2nd day and overall.
In the ladies team, Elenor Grassow and Gen Weber of Cycletec Chicks enjoyed a great ride claiming the title as well for an overall 14th place ahead of most male teams.
In the Rhino category, the young legs of Andre de Klerk and Danny Villinger proved too strong for the rest of the field. Overall, the race was a great success and more than N$50 000 and many lucky draw prizes were taken home by the competitors.
“Such races would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors FNB Namibia and Novel Ford, with additional sponsorship from Fruit & Veg City, O&L Leisure, Namibia Breweries, Nivea and Milo/Bar One,” Pokolo said.
Organizers also thanked owners of the Leopard Lodge and Otjitarazu for making their farmland available for the race.
The Rock and Rut is Namibia’s biggest cycling club, presenting the Otjihavera Experience each year as their only marathon event on the calendar.