Windhoek
In a quest to promote gender equality in their team, KIA Elite Namibia’s top rider Michael Pretorius teamed up with Michelle Vorster last weekend at the 10th edition of the Otjihavera MTB Xperience.
The pair had no problems finding each other, winning the mixed division over the two race days in a total time of 6:53:10 hours. Furthermore, they were the only mixed team to complete the race in less than 7 hours.
Team KIA is now looking to include Vorster on a long-term basis in future, as confirmed by team manager Johan Pretorius. “Michelle and Michael agreed that they enjoyed each other’s style of riding. We will now engage in talks with Michelle and see if she wants to join our team,” Pretorius noted after the race.
The second place went to Hester and Louis Prins (7:47:44), while Steffanie Grossmann and FC Smith (8:11:04) had to settle for third place.
On day one 180 participants started at the Otjihase Mine, east of Windhoek, and rode all the way to the Midgard Country Estate. The following day they started off the event – organised by the Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club – at Midgard and crossed the finish line at Okapuka Ranch.
Herbert Peters and Piet Swiegers, riding for Team Klein Aus Vista MTB, won the men’s
doubles division while also clocking the fastest time of all teams. They completed the race in 6:12:57, nearly three minutes ahead of Tjipe Murangi and Xavier Papo of MBM Mannies bike Mecca (6:16:03). Third place went to Frans-Anthonie Gerber and Jacques Celliers of Team PowerBar (6:36:35).
In other action, there was no stopping Lonel Smith and Wilmien Chamberlain of H&C-
2Chix in the women’s category as the pair stormed to a jubilant win in 8:05:32 hours.
Adele De La Rey and Johanita De Waal of Love to Ride, earned the second place in a time of 8:28:50, ahead of Benita Kasch and Gesa Kock of Begee’s (8:51:21).