Farm Bergquell to host Nedbank Rock and Rut XC3

The 2024 Nedbank Rock and Rut XC Series event will take place on Saturday, 13 July at Farm Bergquell, which is situated on the outskirts of Okahandja. 

Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club representative, and event organiser, Michael Hennes, says the races will be hosted at this new venue which was commissioned last year, and is expected to give riders new challenges as they are unfamiliar with the route.

“We are busy developing new route at this private farm. We have already done a lot of work, and we feel it’s time we tested it. We will further develop it based on the feedback from the riders as time goes on,” he said.

Hennes added that last week, that last week riders were invited to test the new trails, and the organisers were pleased with the feedback.

In terms of preparations for this weekend’s activities, Hennes said everything was going according to plan. 

The race organisers expected around 100 riders to participate in both the men and women’s elite, juniors, veterans, sub-veterans, masters, and grandmaster races, while the young riders will start from under 10’s to under 16’s.

Also speaking on behalf of the organisers, Anna Wucher said: “Farm Bergquell is a privately owned farm which is collaborating with the Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club to advance mountain biking in Namibia, by expanding the number of single-track trails available for all our members to ride. Since the end of last year, our club has invested substantial time and resources to build a brand-new network of fun single-track trails on Bergquell for everyone to enjoy, with the long-term vision of hosting some of our cross-country events at this location. It will be our first event on the new trails, so we are very excited.”

She added that after the official races, there will be a fun relay with mixed teams on a short track.

“It is always tremendous fun to watch and a wonderful opportunity for riders to make new connections and friends within the sport. We’re all looking forward to crowning the winning relay team,” Wucher concluded. 

Nedbank Namibia manager for communications and public relations, Selma Kaulinge said: “We are excited about this edition of the Nedbank Rock and Rut XC Series as it will feature a new route at a new venue. I would like to applaud the organisers for going all out in developing our cyclists in various ways which include exposing them to new environments. At Nedbank Namibia, we believe in supporting initiatives that not only enrich our communities, but also inspire individuals to achieve their best.”