After two days of tough racing, the men’s team from the University of Cape Town were crowned the 2017 champions with the women’s team from the University of Stellenbosch dominating their division to clinch a second successive title.

In the men’s event De Lange and Maarsingh from UCT crossed the finish line in a time of 02:33:21 and won the 2017 Varsity Sports MTB men’s division by a margin of 26 seconds over the Maties team. The UP-Tuks pair of William Mokgopo and Felix Manke were next to cross in a time of 02:49:05 and they wrapped up the bronze medal after finishing both stages in third place.

In the women’s division the Maties blitzed the track and while it was still close at the second waterpoint 25kms in, they eventually finished in a time of 03:10:26, which was nearly eight minutes better than the chasing UP-Tuks.

Frankie du Toit and Nicky Gilliomee finished their two days of racing in a time of 05:49:05, which saw the Maties claim the title for the second consecutive year. Michelle Benson and Melanie Roux, the Tuks women’s riders who crossed together, very nearly broke the six-hour mark and will know what is expected should they return in 2018. The NWU team of Ernestine Safar, Nicolene Marais and Kristen Louw struggled slightly on Day Two, but considering it was their debut they will also be very content with their bronze-medal finish.

Varsity Sports MTB Final Standings:
Men:
UCT                        04:42:52
Maties                     04:43:18
UP-Tuks                  05:02:06
NWU                       05:23:30
Madibaz                  05:38:03
Women:
Maties                     05:49:05
UP-Tuks                  06:00:49
NWU                       06:16:27

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By Dorfling Terblanche