REDSTONE LAZY LIZARD MTB RACE

HARTBEESPOORT DAM . NORTH WEST

SUN 11.09.2011

Overall winners of the 50km Redstone Lazy Lizard MTB race:

Stephan Reyneke (2nd), Guylin van den Berg (1st) & Allan Britnell (3rd).

The spectacular view of the Hartbeespoort Dam, but I think Allan Britnell

was focussing on the steep downhill on this part of the route!

Bennie Bester

082 783 0086

info@singletrack.co.za

Race Report by Amy McDougall - Team Crank Brothers

Not a race for sissies!!

Redstone is a PROPER mountain bike race, the climbs are steep and the down hills are steeper - and rocky! The singletrack is windy and undulating, with a few bridge-crossings and drop-offs. Basically it is fun, fun, fun, with lots of pain and sweat in between!

The race: I think it is safe to say that summer has pretty much arrived; it was really great to not be freezing at a start line for once, and there was a refreshing cool breeze in the air. The start gun went off and we all raced off at a blistering speed to get good positions and prepare for the tough race ahead, only to get back to the start/finish area 4km later… We had just completed the 4km kiddies’ race by taking a wrong turn! I thought it was pretty funny, but I felt sorry for those who were saying they were already buggered; it was surely going to be a long day for them.

The gun went off for a second time, which took us on a short tar-road neutral zone and into the scenic, mountainous area of Hartbeespoort, just next to the dam. After a flattish 5 km or so came the first steep climb, followed by a lekker downhill and singletrack, giving the legs time to recover. After a relatively flat section the REAL fun started, with an exceptionally steep 2km climb followed by a very welcome waterpoint, then a very rocky, steep, scary descent and into copious amounts of awesome singletrack, more climbing, drop-offs and bridges. Then it was back to the start/finish area for the beginning of the second lap for the 50km race and the end of the 25km race.

I experienced a sense of humour failure when I bonked for the last 15 km or so, but was really happy to have won the ladies race, and a well-deserved beer and Prego roll made the hard work worthwhile.

This is one of the best races in Gauteng in my opinion, but make no mistake, it is HARD. I will definitely be at the next one, Sunday 27 November 2011, to test myself against the elements. See you there!

Well done to 13 year old Deon du Toit for finishing the 25km race in a time of 2:53:46 (3rd in his Sub Junior category). Nothing wrong with pushing a couple of metres on this very steep 2km cement road!

Late registration just before the race at

Redstone Private Country Estate.

Raymond Oosterlaak is a regular rider at the

MTB races at Redstone Private Country Estate.

Amy McDougall - Crank Brothers

Catherine Townshend

Catherine Townshend (2nd woman 50km), on

a steep rocky descent 16km into the race.

The view from the upper deck at the

start / finish, with plenty of safe parking.

David Maartens on some great singletrack

4km from the finish.

Arnold Masuku enjoying himself and

finishing 8th overall in the 50km race.

Amy McDougall, winner of the 50km women's

race, with Bennie Bester, race organiser &

owner of Singletrack MTB Shop.

Henry Uys, familiar face at mtb

races was leading the race

with 10km to go.

Brian Bontekoning, 9th overall in

the 50km & 1st in his category.

Always having fun, even while

selling food & ice cold drinks.

According to Lynn Valadao (left), she was riding the whole of the steep

cement road, but her friend Attie Jacobs walked most of the way . . hehe!

Is it not amazing that Jarrod John Houghton was able

to wheelie the whole 25km route!