Heunis and Mans secure first wins in 2024 Gravel & Dirt series
Mountain biking
Favourable weather contributed to the fantastic atmosphere at a new hosting venue.
The annual West Coast MTB Challenge powered by Hollard was hosted at the Swakopmund clay shooting range on Saturday. The new venue provided a spectacular backdrop to another thrilling event for mountain bikers in the Hollard Gravel & Dirt series. The favourable cool weather contributed to the fantastic atmosphere, making the event enjoyable for athletes and spectators.
In an exhilarating twist, the West Coast MTB Challenge introduced an unexpected extra few kilometres, stretching the full 75 km distance race to 80 km.
The competition was once again fierce at the front of the men’s race, with mere seconds between the top finishers. Gerhard Mans junior, representing Team Hollard, hammered the course in 2 hours 44 minutes 03 seconds to earn his first maximum points haul of the 2024 series.
Mans, who was the overall winner of the 2023 Gravel & Dirt Series, had his Hollard team mate Martin Freyer just three seconds behind him, with Brandon Plaatjes (Mannie’s Bike Mecca) at 2:44:09 also within reach and claiming a podium position.
Danzel de Koe finished in fourth place with 2:44:20 (17 seconds behind Mans), eclipsing Clinton Hilfiker, Stefan Sander, Drikus Coetzee, Gerhard Breed, Marcel Surén and Nick du Plessis as the rest of the overall men’s top-ten.
The first two Gravel & Dirt men’s races of the year were both won by well-known international riders – Daniel Abraham from the Netherlands (Okajo MTB Challenge) and Konny Looser from Switzerland (Otjiwa Eagle Ride).
WOMEN’S WINNER
Jeanne Heunis, of Team Pereira, achieved a stunning victory in the women’s 80 km race, crossing the finish line more than two minutes ahead of Anri Krugel Greeff of Team Hollard, who took second place at 3:13:59.
Anri was the first woman across the line at the Okajo MTB Challenge and also secured a road race silver medal at the African Games in Ghana earlier this month.
Candice Wiggill (Team Pereira) rounded out the top three women at 3:25:15. Jaen-Marie Mostert and Monique du Plessis secured the fourth and fifth positions for the Cymot team. Both were members of the Namibian cycling team that competed at the African Games in Ghana earlier this month.
The women’s series is also still evenly poised, after Melissa Hinz had won the Otjiwa Eagle Ride.
SHORTER DISTANCES
The 20 km MTB categories saw Linn Lambert (1:10:07) and Bernhard van Zyl (1:09:09) emerge victorious in the women’s and men’s divisions.
On the way to his 40 km overall men’s victory, Frank Klosta (1:30:37) was chased all the way by the two junior men Nathan Chase and Matti Lukaschik (both 1:30:38), winning by only one second.
Carmen Johannes comfortably won the 40 km women’s race in 1:38:37, while Olivia Shililifa’s sprint to the line beat Jacky Shipena, with both recording 1:48:01.
Additionally, the series also included 5 km and 15 km running events. This added to the day’s excitement, with participants taking on the challenge amidst the stunning scenery around Swakopmund. Louise Breed (58:56) was overall first in the 15 km run, ahead of the first male finisher, Kephas Gebhard (1:10:04).
The next race in the Hollard Gravel & Dirt series will be on Farm Friedenhau outside Windhoek on May 18.