Young riders show South Africa what they are about
Mountain biking
Roger Surén and Delsia Janse van Vuuren led the way in a competitive showing by the Namibians.
A selected team of 17 Namibian riders from the FNB Schools Mountain Bike league took on the best talent at the South African championship event on Saturday and Sunday – once again proving some of Namibia’s tough competitors emerging to follow the nations proud tradition as a force punching well above its weight.The two high-profile events were hosted at Wagpos High School in Brits, North West Province. On Saturday, riders took part at the Cycle Lab MTB National Schools Final (competing in their school colours), before Sunday’s Inter-Provincial Finals on the same race course.
First places for Roger Surén and Delsia Janse van Vuuren were not unexpected, following the U18 continental championships they both won earlier this year in Casablanca, Morocco, while Rose-Marie Thiel won her U17 race on Saturday.
Various other Namibians showed continued progress in the sport, as they finished their races in the following positions:
SATURDAY, Cycle Lab SA National Schools final
Sub-Junior Girls (38 riders): Nicole Surén second / Anne Kramer 7th / Joadri de Beer 20th.
Sub-junior Boys (70 riders): Daniël Hennes third.
Youth U15 Boys (70 riders): Mike Baartman junior 14th / Theodor Janse van Vuuren 21st / Gero Friedrich 23rd / Julius Braun DNF.
Youth 16 Woman (39 riders): Rose-Marie Thiel 1st.
Youth U16 Boys (73 riders): Christiaan van der Westhuizen 5th / Sean Lowe 7th / Marco Thiel 18th.
Junior U17 Woman (33 riders): Delsia Janse van Vuuren 1st.
Junior U18 Woman (24 riders): Angela Kamati 10th.
Junior U17 Boys (62 riders): Roger Surén 1st.
Junior U18 Boys (56 riders): Prince Sibomana 46th / Linus Niingo 53rd.
SUNDAY, Inter-Provincial Finals
Sub-Junior Girls (33 riders): Anne Kramer 3rd / Nicole Surén 6th / Joadri de Beer 23rd.
Sub-Junior Boys (60 riders): Daniël Hennes 4th.
Youth U15 Boys (63 riders): Julius Braun 4th / Mike Baartman junior 11th / Theodor Janse van Vuuren 13th / Gero Friedrich 21st.
Youth U16 Woman (35 riders): Rose-Marie Thiel 6th.
Youth U16 Boys (64 riders): Marco Thiel 3rd / Sean Lowe 7th / Christian van der Westhuizen 8th.
Junior U17 Woman (28 riders): Delsia Janse van Vuuren 2nd.
Junior U18 Woman (22 riders): Angela Kamati 9th.
Junior U17 Boys (58 riders): Roger Surén 1st.
Junior U18 Boys (53 riders): Prince Sibomang 46th, Linus Niingo 52nd.