Bikers and runners enjoy fun day
Wild Fig Country Estate held a trail-run and mountain-bike fun day on Saturday.
It started off with a large group of runners eagerly waiting at the gate well before 06:30. Local club, Legogote Villagers, rerouted their morning run down to the start line and a large contingent entered the 12km event.
After a hotly contested nipper race of 1km, 137 trail runners and walkers set off on the six- and 12km route. The course started across the dam wall and up the koppie behind the dam, past the lookout before plunging down into the first of many valleys. The trail took the runners through the varied natural vegetation of the
estate. Many of the seasoned participants really enjoyed the route which I’langa Trails had set out. Riders continued to arrive while the runners braved the heat. The route, mapped out by local MTB rider, Johnny Diedericks, was quite a technical one even though they cut out some of the more radical drop-offs and accents.
At 10:00 it was the 94 riders’ turn to attack the course.
Unfortunately the clouds disappeared and the sun bore down relentlessly. The weather and the hills took their toll and many cyclists elected to reduce their distances.
“Up front the fact that they were riding in an estate with wild
animals was emphasised when some wildebeest, not too happy about sharing their home with the bikers, gave the lead pair the scare of their lives. A wildebeest came charging in their direction and they hastily jumped off and hid behind their bikes as the animal, fleeing some perceived danger, bolted head first into the fence right near the two of them,” laughed race organiser Clive Smart.
Results – 6km trail run
• Linda van Staden: 00:37:10
• Egbert de Bruyn: 00:40:32
• Stephan Swanepoel: 00:43:01
12km trail run
• Johart van Heerden: 00:53:55
• Dawid Roux: 01:01:11
• Brain Clough: 01:06:58
6km MTB
• John Grimsdell: 00:36:41
• Willie Venter: 00:41:20
• Ruan Snyman: 00:41:35
12km MTB
• Pierre van der Westhuizen: 01:02:18
• Nico du Plessis: 01:03:49
• Juan Slabbert: 01:05:15
18km MTB
• Christo Carelsen: 01:22:55
• Egbert de Bruyn: 01:23:41
• Zander Bester: 01:23:42.
