Sugar sweet ride

Sugar Rush’s second annual Classic Mountain Bike Race took off into the cane fields last Sunday morning with over 450 riders taking part.

Building on last year’s event which had around 300 riders, mountain bike fanatics had three courses to choose from.

Seasoned and brave riders took on the 45km Sugar Rush Classic Trail, while novices lined up for the new 25km Mamba route. Families and kiddies raced around the short 5km track.

The pump track was also popular and riders got a chance to race around the small track.

Nicolas Westman claimed the win in the Men’s 20km mamba route while Andrea van Greuner won the women’s category. The classic 40km overall win went to Rourke Croezer in the men’s category while Natalie Bergstrom was the overall ladies winner.

Sugar Rush’s owner Mark Johnson was really happy with all the support they received.

“We have done well without a title sponsor and we are really trying to build a quality venue,” he said.

“It is about the community and by having a race like this we will also bring people to Ballito.”

Locals were not the only ones pedaling for the win and riders from as far as Pietermaritzburg, Karkloof and Pinetown came down for the race.

Fifty percent of the money raised in the raffle on the day will go towards planting indigenous trees around the track.

Johnson is also looking forward to the construction of a kids play park, which will begin in the next few weeks.