Cascades MTB Park to host SA National XCO & DHI MTB Championships this weekend

Natalie Bergstom Photo: Gavin Ryan – Quickpix

PIETERMARITZBURG, KWAZULU-NATAL, 14 JULY 2016 – The 2016 South African MTB XCO & DHI National Championships are to be held at the Cascades MTB Park at Cascades Lifestyle Centre in Pietermaritzburg this Saturday and Sunday, the 16-17 July.

In anticipation of the turnout, Cascades Lifestyle Centre is encouraging its tenants to come out of their stores and create promotions for the weekend, and table presentations in the walkways of the centre. The cafés and restaurants are readying themselves for a sporting entourage, welcoming competitors and family and friends with great healthy food options.

The South African XCO MTB National Championship will feature cross-country (XCO) mountain bike riders from as young as 11 years old (sprogs) to nippers, youth, sub-juniors, juniors, Elite, under 23’s, sub-veterans, veterans, masters to grand masters (60 years +).

Each category will complete a number of laps, usually ranging from 2 laps up to 7 laps. Cross-country in mountain biking is the pinnacle of mountain biking. It is tough and requires fitness and biking skills for obstacles. The toughness of the National Champs will be down to Cascades MTB Park cross-country (XCO) course designer, Nick Floros. Revered for his tough international-class courses, he has created a completely different course for SA Champs this weekend.

As with all of Floros’s courses, having the time to practice on the course in advance will be an advantage. Even though it is an advantage, the ladies race at World Champs revealed anything can happen, even with a home-ground advantage.

Floros courses are highly respected as he became the first man to test the course for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games when he journeyed to Brazil in 2015. Floros, according to a tweet by International Cycling Union (UCI) technical delegate, Simon Burney, is the man behind the building of the course, which Burney termed “awesome”.

Through hard work and a natural instinct for what will challenge and thrill competitors, Floros, a Hilton College Old Boy, has earned his revered reputation as an XCO course designer, with the Cascades MTB Park rated as one of the top three XCO courses in the world by the UCI.

The National Downhill Championships boasts a brand new track for Sunday’s event, much to the excitement of the riders. Race organisers also said that special mention needed to go out to Tim Bentley and other local downhill riders who made efforts in the assistance of the track build.

To view the STIHL 2016 SA MTB Championships – Programme of events, click here: http://www.cyclingsa.com/s/20160707_SA-MTB-Champs-2016-Program-1.pdf .

Warren Price Photo: Gavin Ryan – Quickpix