Butler out sprint tough competition in tight Ride for Sight finish

Team Protouch rider Reynard Butler dethroned Calvin Beneke in dramatic fashion as the Dis-Chem Ride for Sight defending champion when he crossed the line in 2:39:54.

The race took place at the Boksburg City Stadium on February 18.

Butler, who had won the event in 2016 in a time of 2:53:55, outdid himself as he shaved off 14 minutes and a second off his winning time two years ago.

Last year’s champion, Beneke, settled for the fourth position behind Nolan Hoffman and Shameeg Salie, who finished second and third respectively in a tight finish which saw seven men led by Butler sprint for the finish line.

Demacon’s Carla Oberholzer won the women’s category in 3:14:06 in a photo finish with Jo van der Winkel who was recorded to have clocked 3:14:07. Mandy de Beer completed the podium.

The victory added gloss to what’s turning out to be a perfect year for Oberholzer and her teammates after she was crowned the South African champion at the South African Road and Para-cycling Championships in Oudtshoorn a fortnight ago.

All proceeds from the event, sponsored by Dis-Chem Pharmacies and proudly hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni, will go towards finding treatment for retinal blindness.

The event has raised over R10-million over the last 30 years to fund genetic research at the University of Cape Town.

Young South Africans affected by retinal degenerative disorders such as Retinitis Pigmentosa, Stargardt disease and allied conditions stand to gain from promising clinical trials that are treating these rare but devastating forms of vision loss.

The milestone event saw approximately 6 000 cyclists compete.

Results:

• 116km

Men

1. Reynard Butler

2. Nolan Hoffman

3. Shameeg Salie

4. Calvin Beneke

5. Ryan Harris

6. Tyler Day

7. Clint Hendricks

8. Flavio Venceslau

9. Dirkie Nel

10. Maurice Moller

Women

1. Carla Oberholzer

2. Jo van der Winkel

3. Mandy de Beer

4. Michelle Benson

5. Lynette Burger

6. Desray Siebregts

7. Heidi Dalton

8. Elmari de Wet

9. Zanri Rossouw

10. Cashandra Slingerland

• 62km

Men

1. Suleman Asmal

2. Stuart Biesheuvel

3. Bevan Langton

4. Dennis White

5. Christo van der Merwe

Women

1. Lisa Venter

2. Lee-Anne van Rooyen

3. Venessa Kleyn

4. Wendy Scott

5. Azulde Britz – @SabeloBoksburg