Staff Reporter

WINDHOEK - The 2018 Hollard Gravel & Dirt MTB Marathon Series finished in emphatic style this year, with a Havana/Cuban theme at the local Windhoek hot spot, Nyama restaurant. 

Gravel & Dirt Series participants attended the night to celebrate the achievements reached by local Namibian MTB riders throughout the eight race series.

This year, the Gravel & Dirt Marathon Series offered riders the opportunity to take on the best Namibia has to offer, with races taking place all over the country from the sands in Swakopmund, to rocky paths of Mariental.

Riders from far and wide entered into this year’s series to take on the routes that were designed to not only test the resolve of seasoned riders but to also provide a platform for beginners to thrive and hone their skills.

The competition was fierce as the Elite pushed themselves harder to secure a spot on the podium, with riders setting record-breaking times throughout the series. In the end, the best riders prevailed, earning the rights to be called Hollard Gravel & Dirt MTB Champions for 2018.

These riders are:
Grandmaster Men 
1.    Hercules Viljoen
2.    Daniel F Small
3.    Tony Bassingthwaighte
Grandmaster Women 
1.    Elke Jagau
Master Women 
1.    Karen Brockmann
2.    Dietlind Basson
3.    Barbara Ackermann
Master Men 
1.    Sakkie Schreuder
2.    KaiTagethoff
3.    Johann Liebenberg
Rhino 
1.    Fana Lambert
2.    Volker Engling
3.    Morne Honiball
Veteran Woman 
1.    Wilmien Chamberlain
2.    Rina Lambert
3.    Johanita De Waal
Veteran Men 
1.    Clinton Hilfiker
2.    Sven Strohmenger
3.    Marcel Suren
Sub Veteran Woman 
1.    Rosi Hennes
2.    Marion Schonecke
3.    Courtney Liebenberg
Sub Veteran Men 
1.    Ingram Cuff
2.    Braam Vermeulen
3.    Christiaan Bean
Elite Woman 
1.    Michelle Doman
2.    Irene Steyn
3.    Lelani Swart
Elite Men 
1.    Xavier Papo
2.    Drikus Coetzee
3.    Danzel De Koe

Clinton Hilfiker and Wilmien Chamberlain earned the titles of Best Category Performers with their phenomenal achievements over the last couple of months, participating in all events and earning the highest overall points per category. 
The overall winners for this year’s Hollard Gravel & Dirt MTB Marathon Series were Michelle Doman and Xavier Papo, who truly took on the Gravel & Dirt and dominated from the get-go.