Despite the recent rains, the enthusiastic mountain bikers who arrived in Sabie on Saturday for the 10-hour Noon to Moon team relay race were treated to perfect conditions with no rain and a rapidly drying track that increased lap times as the event unfolded.

The teams set up camp at the start and finish area at Merry Pebbles Resort and brought along plenty of support, adding to the fun and competitive vibe, lots of screaming encouragement and even cowbells energise the riders throughout the day.

The senior category was hotly contested with three different teams exchanging the lead but as the 20:00 cut-off approached and racing in the dark produced its own challenges, the Bicycle Boys team of Johan Pretorius, Rickus Coutzer, Barnie van Jaarsveld and Nicole Shuttleworth reigned supreme with an impressive 27 laps of the 7km course.

Second place went to a charging Trash Pandas team of Andre Pretorius, Juandré Pretorius and Ewan Fritze with 26 laps. Fritze producing the fastest lap of the day and was one of only a few to produce a sub-19 minute lap.

Third went to The Young and the Restless team of Johann Fritz, Maruschka van Rooyen, Shaun Kunze and Janco van Staden who finished only five minutes after the second-placed team.

An honorable mention must go to the forth-placed team, Oceans 3 plus 1, who led for quite a few laps, but had the loudest and most enthusiastic support crew, missing the bronze medal by only two minutes.

In the women’s category the Single Track Minds took the win with 25 laps. Jana Prinsloo, Angela McQueen, Elmarie Bronkhorst and Melissa du Preez also won the best-dressed award for their completely co-ordinated riding kit.

Second place, with 24 laps, went to the Triple Bs of Sally Coutzee, Sheila Burrough, Marli Meyer and Emmarie van der Merwe.

Local heroes Turismo & Co won the veterans’ category.

The team members were Annelise Strydom, Christopher Georghiades, and Kevin and Marco Mikhaelis. Sabie Has Beens of Brandt van der Merwe and Nolla Botha were second.

In the solo men the track builder, Denzil Lawrie, used his intimate knowledge to dominate with 12 laps and Merry Pebbles’ own Reece Comley was the runner-up with nine.

In the six-hour kids’ race the local Turismo Juniors of Joshua and Nina Georghiades, and Andrew Kazanojis completed 12 laps and took the win.