FNB Schools Mountain Bike League to be held at the weekend

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The long-awaited second edition of the First National Bank (FNB) Schools Mountain Bike (MTB) Windhoek League will take place this coming weekend at the IJG Trails ‘play pit’ in Kleine Kuppe.

The event will start at 08h30 on Saturday, with the older age categories riding first to be followed by the junior riders.

FNB Schools MTB League Committee member, Carly van der Merwe in an interview with Nampa here Wednesday said many of the cyclists recently participated in the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC) MTB African Championships which was held here in April 2022, therefore the competition is expected to be tight as ever.

“The league kicked off in Windhoek in March and drew over 160 riders from 26 schools, with children varying in ages from under six to under 18. The league has expanded its reach this year to the Coast and the South, introducing more young riders to the sport and providing new tracks for the existing League riders to test their skills on,” said Van der Merwe.

She added that apart from the Windhoek League, Swakopmund in the Erongo Region also held two races, that saw over 50 riders taking part in over seven age categories.

Bronwen Chase, also an FNB Schools MTB League committee member, stated that the MTB School League has also left its footprints in Stampriet village in the Hardap Region, where they held a very successful first fixture earlier this month.

“We had 30 riders participating in the event and the next race will take place in August. We are incredibly excited about the expansion of the league and have plans to introduce it to other regions in the future,” said Chase.

He added that they aim to grow the sport through inclusion and thus all children are welcome to join the races, no matter the skill level.

“Beginner riders or those just out to enjoy the tracks that the IJG Trails offer, the ‘Fun Race’ also sees some great action, with riders competing on a less-technical track to gain experience and skills,” he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency