Unofficial World Cup - Kayamandi

Christiaan posted this on my Facebook wall, I already saw it and thought how cool it would be to watch the race. It gave me that extra confidence to make a plan to go especially as it would mean less time with the family.

Ray Hince that will also be working on Waterpoint 2 happened to be in Stellenbosch last night, so I text him and asked him along. His surprise was big when he realised what he was going to attend as when I asked him along to the Unofficial World Cup he thought the mountain bikers were going to play football against each other.

Kayamandi is a township in Stellenbosch and this is where the charity that Songo Fipaza started is located. Songo.info is also the charity that Christoph Sauser & Burry Stander road for in the ABSA Cape Epic. Specialized is heavily involved and provide equipment for the kids.

Christoph Sauser & Songo.info hosted this event for the first time last year.

It is basically a XC race in Kayamandi, with a world class line-up also giving local kids the opportunity to race with them on the same course at the same time. They started with 2 laps around the football field, 30 minutes + 3 laps out on the course through the township, between houses, down stairs etc.

The line-up:

Rainbow striped, Nino Schurter, World Champion 2012

Note that all 3 Olympic medallists was present. Nino Schurter didn't race, but he was there kitted in his white world colors. I had the cheek to ask him why he is not racing, to which he answered he only landed 2 hours ago. It was still nice to look at him, I mean see him there. :)

Jaroslav Kulhavy, Christoph Sauser, Manuel Fumic, Philip Buys
Photo: Ray Hince

Manuel Fumic, Christoph Sauser, Jaroslav Kulhavy, Marco Fontana, Florian Vogel

Conrad welcomed by Songo, founder of Songo.info

A lot of the young South African stars was also competing along with the Caveman, Conrad Stoltz. I finally had the opportunity to see him race. He was trying out a new bike with  the new grip shift technology gears. His saddle unfortunately broke during the race and he didn't complete the race.  

With the Cave couple, (Conrad & Liezl Stoltz) and Benno Willett
Photo: Ray Hince

Jaroslav Kulhavy was leading most of the race with Florian Vogel (Nino Schurter's teammate) blowing in his neck. Yamahato, Fontana & Sauser on their heels. On the last lap Kohey broke away and before we knew it, it was the 3 Songo boys taking 1, 2, 3. Sauser won! Vogel & Fontana 4th & 5th.

Winner Christoph Sauser!
Photo: Ray Hince

I ended up chatting with Manuel Fumic afterwards, he will be partnering Marco Fontana in the Epic and they are riding for Cannondale. Fontana came 3rd in the Olympics even after his saddle came off 1.5km from the Finish. Manuel is so down to earth and so excited about the Epic. He was saying that people told him last night would be a fun race, but that it was actually hard. I'm not a Cannondale fan, purely because of their a-symmetry Lefty forks, but I'd like to re-phrase Lance's quote, "It is not about the bike, it is about the person on the bike." #mountainbikecrush #itmustbethebaggies

Kohey Yamamato and Marco Fontana
Photo: Ray Hince

We also spoke to another guy on the Cannondale team, Jerome Clementz, he specializes in Enduro racing and are just in South Africa for some filming at the moment. He won the Trans Provence endurance race in 2011 and came 3rd in 2012.

Candice Neethling, South Africa's Women's XC Olympian and Cherise Stander was amongst the spectators too.

Ray taught me how to speak to people, before I knew what was happening he asked some of the pros to pose for photos with me. Here we are with Alban Lakata. 

Ray Hince, TC and Alban Lakata

With Olympic Gold Medallist, Jaroslav Kulhavy
Photo: Ray Hince

Highlights & Observations:

1. Meeting up with the Cavecouple again. Conrad & his lovely wife Liezl

2. Speaking with Manuel Fumic

3. Seeing Nino Schurter

4. Florian Vogel also likes chocolate milk,  he drinks the wrong brand though... should change to Chocolate Sterristumpie

5. These guys are all smaller than what they look on tv or photos

6. Ray was on a mission to get me on photos with these guys... watch this space & make space for my head, I was completely starstruck!

7. Spectator friendly course, reminded me of the Olympic course

8. An absolute privilege to watch this in SA - the perfect setting

9. Mountainbiking transforming the kids and the community

10. Mountainbikers are down to earth!!!

See link below for photos by Gary Perkin, well-known mountainbike photographer

http://flipper.co.za/gallery/Songo/RaceOfChampions/

Homework for those who don't know who I am talking about

http://www.songo.info/about-songo/?id=15
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nino_Schurter
http://www.cape-epic.com/news.php?news_id=441&title=/2012_Olympic_Bronze_at_2013_Epic/

My next stop is mountainbiking for the first time in South Africa tomorrow afternoon with Beth Cartledge. Jip, belief it or not, it is true. Followed by Around the World Party tomorrow night with Elisca & ABSA Cape Epic people at the Waterfront in Cape Town.