It was a ride to remember
Burry Stander was remembered at the race now bearing his name.
DESPITE an impending cold front, which may have put some off, the Burry Stander Sardine MTB Classic attracted more than 500 enthusiastic mountain bikers last Sunday.
One of these was TIB Insurance rider Andrew Hill (32), from Hillcrest, who won the main event, the 40km race, in 1:50;44.
This was particularly satisfying for him as he finished second last year and hasn’t had the best of starts to the ROAG Series this year.
The race started and finished at the Port Edward Holiday Resort’s grounds.
Andrew said the pumping wind and icy temperatures had made the race a challenge.
He said he loved travelling to the South Coast for the event.
“There’s always a good vibe and whenever you visit the coast it feels like you are on holiday,” he said.
He enjoyed the route, saying it was quite similar to last year’s, with a good combination of technical stretches to test the more serious riders, as well as enough fun parts to keep riders of all skill levels interested.
“The Clearwater trail, on top of the hill, was world-class. The event can only be good for tourism in the area,” he said.
On a more personal level, Andrew knew the late Burry Stander well, as he had a shop in his home town of Hillcrest.
“He really was an inspiration,” he said. “His consistency and diligence towards the sport made others believe they could achieve more. He worked extremely hard, people didn’t always see that.”
Andrew felt that it was a wonderful thing that the race had been named after Burry. “It’s a brilliant way to remember him, and at the same time raise awareness of road safety issues,” he said.
The arena was facilitated by the three main local bike shops. There was a selection of food stalls plus entertainment to keep the children happy.
One-Way Productions ensured that the competitors and spectators were regularly updated on the day’s proceedings.
The various sponsors were thanked for their contributions.
The 40km Classic got under way at 8am, with the 20km and 10km races following thereafter.
News from the competitors was that the previous night’s rain had settled the course nicely, and that it was well marked.
Despite this, there were a few tumbles, some of which required medical attention.
Most of the competitors finished the race in good form and were welcomed by the Powerade chariot with a recovery drink and medals.
Riders described the course as a fairly tough one, with a lot of climbing and steep descents among rocky outcrops.
At the prize-giving, Howard Kelly, representing Ugu South Coast Tourism, welcomed the riders and shared a few words.
The trophies and prize money were handed out by Burry’s mother, Mandie, on behalf of Concept Cyclery and the Burry Stander Foundation.
What was particularly pleasing was to see how well many of the development riders did, especially those on a debut ride.
After the formalities were taken care of the competitors were treated to an exciting lucky draw of over 50 different gifts from the biker shops and other local businesses.
The weekend event kicked off the previous day with the 10km and 20km trail runs.
There were 110 runners (double from last year) with many South Coast Striders among them.
For some, the fantastic views of the Umtamvuna River gorge and Indian Ocean made up for the hardships of the run.
RESULTS
40km
Men: 1 Andrew Hill 1:50:44; 2 Alan Hatherly; 3 Tyron Bird.
Women: 1 Natalie Bergstrom 2:15:53; 2 Nataschka Mowat; 3 Kim Westbrook.
20km
Men: 1 Joshua Clipstone 1:11:44; 2 Cale Lindecke; 3 Enrico Deysel.
Women: 1 Megan Bircher 1:12:30; 2 Janice van Aswegen; 3 Bridget Theunissen.
Trail run
10km
Women – 1 Mart Vosloo 1:09:02; 2 Sarah van Rensburg; 3 Paula Turner.
Men: 1 Themba Xesibe 44:35; 2 Sinovuyo Nkasa; 3 Andreas van Heerden.
20km
Women: 1 Jeanette Davidson 1:54:20; 2 Brydey Weber; 3 Jolanda Rosin.
Men: 1 Jonat van Heerden 1:19:35; 2 Eric Ndovela; 3 Dean Rosin.
