Juniors shine at XC2

Marco Augustyn leads the pack at the start of the men’s race. Photo: Helge Schütz

Simon Kauta and Nicola Fester won the elite categories at the Nedbank XC2 cross country mountain bike race in Windhoek on Saturday. 

With a number of Namibia’s top riders not in action, the turnout was a bit thin, but some good races were seen in the various categories.

In the men’s race the junior rider Daniel Hahn and the youth rider Roger Suren pulled away from the elite riders from the start and although they were racing in different categories they provided a great battle for the spectators. 

Suren went on to win the youth boys category over five laps in a time of 49 minutes 39 seconds, averaging 9:56 per lap, to finish more than three minutes ahead of the second-placed Marco Thiel (52:58), while Sean Lowe finished third in 55:05. 

Hahn was the only entrant in the junior boys category over six laps and went on to win the race in one hour and 36 seconds, at an average of 10:06 per lap. 

Kauta won the elite men’s race over seven laps in 1:22:10, averaging 11:45 per lap, while Mauren Kleopas was second in 1:24:56 and Simon Johannes third in 1:26:32. 

Ananias Tamatisous won the sub veteran men’s category over five laps in 57:03, averaging 11:24 per lap, with Petrus Human coming second in 57:16 and Michael Falk third in 1:02:45. 

The veteran men’s category saw a fine battle for top honnours, with Vernon Maresch just beating Louis Prins to the line. 

Maresch completed the four-lap race in 47:13, averaging 11:48 per lap, while Louis Prins followed three seconds behind in second place, and Philip Steyn came third in 47:56. 

Nick du Plessis won the masters men’s category over three laps in 35:22, followed by Greg Chase (35:53) and Michael Swanepoel (37:37), while Daniel Hennes won the u14 sub junior boys category over three laps in 37:09, followed by Theodor Janse van Vuuren (38:03) and Mike Baartman (41:24). 

Fester was the only competitor in the elite women’s race and went on to win the five-lap race in 1:08:35, averaging 13:43 per lap.

Hester Prins won the women’s sub veteran category over four laps, winning in a time of 52:40, at an average of 13:10 per lap, while Irene Steyn won the veteran women’s race over four laps in 56:00 at an average of 14:00 per lap, with Sonja Obholzer coming second in 1:00:20. 

There were also some fine performances in the girls u16 youth category with Delsia Jansen van Vuuren winning the three-lap race in 36:42, at an average of 12:14 per lap, while Marie Thiel came second in 38:27. 

Nicole Suren won the u14 sub junior girls category over two laps in 26:34, followed by Bianca Nell (26:58) and Anne Cramer (28:58). 

The complete results are available at Raceday.events

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