A record number of 507 mountain bikers, aged from six to 18, converged on Kwanyoni Lodge near Mbombela for the first leg of the 2019 Mpumalanga Spur MTB League on Saturday.

In the Junior Girls category, Hoërskool Rob Ferreira’s Zandri Strydom obliterated the field, winning in a time of 42 minutes and 12 seconds. Her closest rival was Hijke Coetzee from Hoërskool Nelspruit, who finished just under seven minutes later in 49:06. Third was Simoné van Wyk, a pupil of Hoërskool Lydenburg, in 49:20.

The Junior Boys podium places were a much closer-fought battle. Hoërskool Lydeburg’s Reinhart Viljoen clocked 48:39 to claim first place. Jean du Plessis from Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg came in 27 seconds later. Rikus Booysens of Lydenburg took third in 49:05.

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In the schools points competition, Laerskool Nelspruit lead after leg one with 127 points. White River, with 95 points, edged out Laerskool Secunda for second place by a single point.

In the high schools points competition, Hoërskool Lyenburg are first with 155. Hoërskool Nelspruit are second on 127 and Rob Ferreira third on 46 points.

Category results

Youth Boys
1. Ru-Han Dreyer; Hoërskool Lydenburg; 49:51
2. Christo Theron; Hoërskool Nelspruit; 52:47
3. Dillon Botha; Hoërskool Nelspruit; 53:36

Youth Girls
1. Bernice van Wyk; Hoërskool Lydenburg; 43:51
2. Anleo Viljoen; Hoërskool Nelspruit; 54:24
3. Zanri Hanekom; Hoërskool Lydenburg; 55:30.

Sub-Junior Boys
1. Jean Coetzee; Hoërskool Nelspruit; 42:57
2. Francois de Jager; Volksrust Pionier; 43:48
3. Luan Snyman; Hoërskool Nelspruit; 46:36

Sub-Junior Girls
1. Christi van Wyk; Laerskool Lydeburg; 43:19
2. Mieke Viljoen; Laerskool Nelspruit; 49:05
3. Johané Swanepoel; Laerskool Lydenburg; 50:07

Sprog Boys
1. Lohan Pelser; White River Primary; 24:33
2. Leroux van der Leek; Uplands Prep; 25:27
3. Carl Maré, Laerskool Bergland; 26:29

Sprog Girls
1. Megan Botha; Laerskool Nelspruit; 18:37
2. Danel de Jager; Laerskool Pionier; 19:18
3. Lu Mari du Plessis; Laerskool Secunda; 19:54

Nipper Boys
1. Aiden Meyer; Laerskool Nelspruit; 16:40
2. Jamie Doncaster; Laerskool Nelspruit; 17:34
3. Paul Coetzee; Laerskool Nelspruit; 17:35

Nipper Girls
1. Theané Pelser; White River Primary; 11:22
2. Anika Olivier; Laerskool Goedehoop; 12:11
3. Carli Venter; Laerskool Secunda; 13:09

Sub-Nipper Boys
1. Brand du Plessis; Laerskool Secunda; 10:32
2. Keagan Buys; Laerskool Nelspruit; 12:02
3. Francois van Tonder; Laerskool Secunda; 12:05

Sub-Nipper Girls
1. Robin Jones; Laerskool Secunda; 13:57
2. Leyla de Oliveira; Laerskool Secunda; 15:48
3. Emily Cochrane; Penryn Prep; 16:05

The schedule for the rest of the series is
July 20: Hoërskool Piet Retief
August 3: Curro Nelspruit
August 17: Hoërskool Lydenburg
August 31: Hoërskool Secunda
September 7: Penryn College
September 14: Mankele (provincial final)