Polokwane threesome expected at mountain-bike event

Three endurance race enthusiasts from Polokwane’s township of Seshego are expected to take part in the Liberty Waterberg Encounter mountain-bike race taking place in Bela-Bela from Friday 7 June to Sunday 9 June.

Willie Ledwaba, Reggie Galane and Benny Galane made many friends when they completed their debut attempts at mountain-biking in June last year.

The spokesperson for the organisers, Elzaan van Eeden, said a series of trails had been identified to provide a good diversity of challenges for the riders.

The three-day race would once again incorporate routes in the Sondela Nature Reserve and the Elements Private Golf Reserve.

“It is the third event in the Liberty Encounter series, following the TransCape MTB race in February and the Winelands Encounter in April,” she said in a statement.

Route designer Mel Meyer said they were planning another memorable experience for the riders through the bushveld of the area, which had been transformed by the good rains that had fallen
recently.

“We have had some amazing rainfall in the area, so there is quite a bit of work that is going to take place because the bush and undergrowth have become very dense,” he said.

Meyer is currently engaging with landowners to ensure they are able to create the best route they can and he said there were a few details they were in the process of finalising.

“For instance, we have not quite finalised the first stage because there is a section that we are very keen to incorporate,” he said.

Meyer said the second day would be similar to last year, with a few challenges spiced with plenty of rewards during the day.

“On the third day we have added a section of 10 to 12 km of fast-flowing single-track which will bring the riders back down faster into the Sondela Nature Reserve,” Meyer said.

He added that the chance to ride through some typical bushveld farms and to view wildlife would make it a race to remember.

— The BEAT