EMMARENTIA – Adventurers will take to the Spruit for the Urban Adventure weekend festival on 5 and 6 September. The Hollard Jozi Urban Run Adventure (JURA) offers runners a choice of 6km, 12km or 18km obstacles and challenging urban terrain in Joburg suburbs on 5 September, while the Hollard Jozi Urban Mountain bike Adventure (JUMA) calls on cyclists to take the stage on 22km or 54km routes on 6 Spetember. It is expected that the weekend will attract between 7 500 and 15 000 participants.
The lengthy JUMA track traverses much of the Braamfontein Spruit. Many of these areas are populated with the homeless. As a solution, the JUMA project is employing homeless people to assist with the construction, cleaning and clearing of the track. Event organiser Russell Willis explained, “The real goal is [to] create a positive association with mountain bikers… The logic behind this is not to encourage them to continue to stay there. The work is only part time, the majority already have a source of income collecting plastic.”
For a challenging race featuring obstacles such as a 120m floating bridge, and a 700m tunnel, sign up at www.juma.co.za for the cycle race and at www.joziadventure.co.za for the run. The Weekend Race Day Village is at Mark’s Park, Emmarentia, and will boast activities, food stalls, a beer garden and a mini obstacle course for children.
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