- IWR RACE REPORT Posted 03 August 2010
- Ntekelelo NEW classroom block! # Posted 6 JULY 2010
- IMANA WILD RIDE GOES TO EUROPE # Posted 2 FEBRUARY 2010
- IWR RACE REPORT Posted 30 JULY 2009
- IWR RACE UPDATE #Day 4 Posted 24 JULY 2009
- IWR RACE UPDATE #Day 3 Posted 23 JULY 2009
- IWR RACE UPDATE #Day 2 Posted 22 JULY 2009
- IWR RACE UPDATE #Day 1 Posted 21 JULY 2009
- NEWSLETTER #5 Posted 15 JULY 2009
- NEWSLETTER #4 Posted 1 JULY 2009
- NEWSLETTER #4 Posted 14 MAY 2009
The delights and drama’s of the 11th racing of the tide
The eleventh edition of the Imana Wild Ride took place on the full moon during the last week of July. Race honours went to three times defending champ Nick Floros and new partner Iain Don-Wauchope ( W-Squared/Mountain Splendour ) while Jane and Ian Seggie (Without Kids) were winners of the mixed category.
The first stage between Kei Mouth and Kob Inn saw the field of one hundred and sixty riders set off in high spirits with a gentle south-westerly wind and sunny skies to blow them along up the eastern shoreline. Early race leaders Peter Smith and rookie partner Willie Brink (Team Jeep) put pay to any hopes of the race victory when Brink’s rear derailleur broke leaving them to limp home some 75minutesafter the stage winners. Floros and Don-Wauchope controlled the pace for the rest of the day and won the stage just two seconds ahead of Tyrone White and Sean Merredew (Russell White Racing). Craig Woods and Jan Schutte placed third. In the mixed teams, the Seggie’s made their intentions clear, winning the stage ahead of Lindsey Chicken and Bjorn Vye (Blue Flag) with Ann Harrison and Paul Jacobs (Team Giant) third.
Stage two dawned cloudy and cooler with signs of the predicted cold front on the horizon. Despite their handicapped start from the third batch, the Team Jeep duo showed grit and determination to ride through the field into first place and break the two hour mark for stage two. White and Merredew had the legs to power up the testing climb from the beach to The Haven Hotel and claim a few seconds from Floros and Don-Wauchope giving them a narrow 20 second lead at the end of the secondday. In the mixed, Team Blue Flag took the lead from the Seggies with Team Giant in third.
In an uncanny déjàvu to last year’s dubbed ‘day 39 of the Imana Wild Ride’ which beheld a strong south-easter, rain and freezing temperatures, stage three dawned equally threatening as rain and wind greeted the field emerging from their tents and bungalows at The Haven. The chilly weather certainly had the new recruits of the Peloton hopping as Mike Clark (aka Spider) had some fun and games with the initiation ceremony then it was onto the bikes to face the elements for day 43.
As the terrain becomes more mountainous and the coastline more rugged, the route between The Haven and Coffee Bay takes the riders on tracks and trails away from the beaches. With several climbs only ridable by the very skilled and fit, the ‘mothers’ as they have become affectionately known, test the riders stamina to the full.
Stage three saw Floros and Don-Wauchope re-claim one minute to win the stage from White and Merredew. The ill-fated Team Jeep pair suffered another major mechanical when Brink’s cassette body ceased. Consistent riding from Woods and Schutte gave them third place. Amongst the mixed it was the Seggie’s back in front but the race was close with Team Blue Flag in second and Team Giant trailing in third.
In a combined effort between WREC (Wild Ride Education Company) and Imana Foods and the Wild Ride, four classrooms equipped with desks, chairs and blackboards, were handed over at Ntekelelo Junior Secondary School near Hole-in-the-Wall on Thursday afternoon. This is the Imana Wild Ride’s biggest ever donation in a single year and it was a proud moment for those riders who were able to attend the classroom handover ceremony, to witness the difference they have made to the lives and education of many scholars.
Perhaps witnessing this heartfelt experience, combined with a moving speech from Umhlobo Wenene DJ and presenter Mbulelo Ngewu the previous evening, led to the fines evening raising in excess of R350 000 for WREC this year. An amazing effort from a relatively small group of people. The evening was made extra special by the presence of Key-Accounts Director at Imana Foods, Justice Nkumishe, who was attending the fine’s evening for the first time – added to which it was his birthday!
Stage four; the longest stage covering approximately 60km from Coffee Bay to Umngazi River Bungalows. With a mere 40 seconds separating the two leading teams overall, the racing was going to be testing. The winds had turned revealing clear skies but head winds. Sadly, the third placed team were forced to withdraw when Wild Ride stalwart Craig Woods was forced to retire at the halfway point at Hluleka Nature Reserve due to illness.
Floros and Don-Wauchope rode home to a hard won victory in an accumulated time of ten hours, twenty-eight minutes and 50sec. The persistent pair of White and Merredew claimed second. Riding in honour of the legendary Graeme Pope-Ellis, Martin Dreyer and Lloyd Darby moved into third place overall ahead of the Imana Farmers (and event directors) Steve Stamp and Glen Haw. It was somewhat of a consolation for the winners of the second and fourth stages, Smith and Brink, to take fifth overall.
With the top three mixed teams in close contention, the Seggies took the overall honours ahead of Chicken & Vye with Harrison and Jacobs placing third.
Umngazi River Bungalows provided a superb finish venue where participants were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and treated to an indulgent dinner at the finals awards ceremony. Race organisers extend their thanks and appreciation to the riders for making the 11th racing of the tide a truly special event.
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RESULTS - Overall: Nick Floros & Iain Don-Wauchope (W-Squared/Mountain Splendour) 10h28.50, Tyrone White & Sean Merredew (Russell White Racing) 11h11.41, Martin Dreyer & Lloyd Darby (Pope’s Partners) 11h42.23, Steve Stamp & Glen Haw (Imana Farmers) 11h55.31, Peter Smith & Willie Brink (Team Jeep) 12h02.36
Mixed: Jane & Ian Seggie (Without Kids) 13h05.53, Lindsey Chicken & Bjorn Vye (Blue Flag) 13h07.09, Ann Harrison & Paul Jacobs (Team Giant) 13h46.39
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Imana Wild Ride 2010 - Photos Available
Click Here to View Day 1 Photos
Click Here to View Day 2 Photos
Click Here to View Day 3 Photos
Click Here to View Day 4 Photos
Based on a phenomenal amount of money raised on the 10 year anniversary of the Imana Wild Ride 2009, this year Imana / WREC will be able to build 4 Modular classrooms at the Ntekelelo Junior Secondary School. This School which is situated in the Coffee Bay area has a total of 573 learners who currently use 4 classrooms, they have a pass rate of 80% in Grade 7 and 85% in Grade 8. Currently this school has no electricity, fencing, computers, furniture or a kitchen facility, most of their lessons are held outdoors. The unveiling of the classrooms at the Ntekelelo Junior Secondary School will take place on Thursday the 29th July at 2pm. All riders are welcome to attend. |
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Imana Wild Ride 2009
A year for records as Imana Wild Ride celebrates No.10
It is a race like no other. There are very few places in the world where mountain bikers can enjoy nearly 200km of pristine beaches and warm hospitality. The Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast is one of them and this year the Imana Wild Ride celebrated it’s tenth anniversary of stage racing in South Africa with eighty two-man teams relishing the uniqueness of cycling in paradise.
The seemingly invincible duo of Nick Floros and Peter Smith (Subaru/Jeep) set the records taking their third straight victory in a new record time of 9h48.12 – over thirty minutes faster than their own previous best time set in 2007. The homework paid off for the younger of the two Smith brothers – Mike and partner Craig Stone (Team Subaru) on day three when they took a convincing win ahead of Floros and Smith and cracked a record time for day four in 3h16.37 leaving them a mere one minute thirty-three seconds behind the winners on accumulated time. The class of the Specialized Factory Racing combo of top Xterra athlete Dan Hugo (dghugo.com) and internationally experienced Irishman Bobby Behan found themselves at a disadvantage without course markers, losing valuable time on the final stage but holding on firmly to a well earned third place. Behan commented after the race ‘this has got to be the best race in the world !’ Fourth and fifth ended in a tie with the Xterra Warriors Jean-Paul van der Linde and Andre Booyens finding an equal match in Errol Thole and his son Ewald on the first day which saw them arriving home right through to the last day in happy unison.
Racing amongst the mixed teams got down to the wire with stage one winners Sara Muhl and Craig Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) taking the overall win in an accumulated time of 11h57.24, breaking the record set by Jeannie Bomford and Jan Schutte in 2007 of 12h20.02. Su and Iain Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) kept the pressure on throughout the race, having taken the overall lead at the start of stage three and holding it through to stage four, a broken chain may have cost them the race. Third place went to a stout effort from top SA triathlete Carla Germishuys doing her first Imana Wild Ride and experienced veteran Russell White (Troisport/Fullimput).
In what became known as ‘Day 39’ of the Imana Wild Ride, riders were faced with extreme weather conditions as a massive cold front gripped the country. An icy south-westerly wind pushed the teams up the coastline as dark clouds gathered out at sea but by mid-morning the rain had arrived catching many riders unprepared for the sudden drop in temperatures as they were forced to soldier on through to the overnight in Coffee Bay. Surprisingly, in what is notoriously one of the most dangerous days for accidents due to the steep ascents and descents, only one rider – Derek du Plessis, fell badly and injured his shoulder, forcing him to retire from the race.
The Umngazi ‘Wildest Rider’ Award was presented to Johann Wykerd and Tim Keep who cycled from Umngazi to Kei Mouth in a condensed three days only to turn around the next day and start the race, finishing in 21st position overall having lost time with a broken seat clamp at the start of the second stage. To top it all they did it all on single speed bicycles.
The Imana Wild Ride culminated in a superb dinner at Umngazi River Bungalows where the 10th Anniversary was celebrated in fine style, the winners were recognised and the riders were thanked for their generosity in raising over R325000 for WREC (Wild Ride Education Company) which will go towards classroom building in the next year.
View the full race results Here.
RESULTS - OVERALL: N Floros & P Smith (Subaru/Jeep) 9h48.12, M Smith & C Stone (Team Subaru) 9h49.45, D Hugo & B Behan (Specialized Factory Racing) 11h03.01, JP van der Linde & A Booyens (Xterra Warriors) / E&E Thole 11h27.21. MIXED: S Muhl & C Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) 11h57.24, I & S Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) 12h03.25, C Germishuys & R White (Triosport/Fullimput) 12h37.11.
Race Report by Rebecca van der Linde
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Imana Wild Ride
Stage 4 - Day 4
(Friday 24th July)
Floros & Smith set the records
Nick Floros and Peter Smith set the records at the 10th racing of the tide when they took a hat-trick of victories while breaking the tape in a new record time of 9h48.12 at the finish of the Imana Wild Ride at Umngazi today.
Not to be out done by his older brother, Mike Smith and partner Craig Stone went on to set a new record time for stage four and take the win in a time of 3h16.37 to place second overall. Despite a navigational blunder at the beginning of the day and losing precious time, the Specialized Factory Racing rookies Dan Hugo and Bobby Behan managed to hang onto their third place overall on the podium.
Taking full advantage of his intricate route knowledge, Craig Woods and Sara Muhl pulled out all the stops to arrive home in third place overall today and secure their win in the mixed category. A broken chain for Iain Don-Wauchope may have relegated the Mountain Splendour team to third place but they dug deep and held on for a hard fought second. Carla Germishuys and Russell White completed a closely contested podium in the mixed race.
With the exception Derek du Plessis with an injured shoulder all eighty teams completed the four day adventure and raised over R270 000 for the Wild Ride Education Company. The 10th Anniversary of the Imana Wild Ride ended in fine style with the final dinner and presentations at Umngazi River Bungalows.
RESULTS: Stage 4 - OVERALL: M Smith & C Stone (Team Subaru) 3h16.37, N Floros & P Smith (Subaru/Jeep) 3h18.34, JP van der Linde & A Booyens (Xterra Warriors) / E&E Thole 3h53.42. MIXED: S Muhl & C Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) 3h48.32, I & S Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) 3h54.48, C Germishuys & R White (Fullimput/Triosport) 4h01.50.
General Classification - OVERALL: N Floros & P Smith (Subaru/Jeep) 9h48.12, M Smith & C Stone (Team Subaru) 9h49.45, D Hugo & B Behan (Specialized Factory Racing) 11h03.01, JP van der Linde & A Booyens (Xterra Warriors) / E&E Thole 11h27.21. MIXED: S Muhl & C Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) 11h57.24, I & S Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) 12h03.25, C Germishuys & R White (Fullimput/Triosport) 12h37.11.
Imana Wild Ride
Stage 3 - Day 3
(Thursday 23rd July)
The predicted cold front hit day three of the Imana Wild Ride with a vengeance. With the wind picking up at 4am, the first indications of a challenging day were heard in the flapping of the tents as the camp stirred awake at The Haven. By the eight o'clock start, an icy south-wester was in full force ready to blast the field through to Coffee Bay. And blast it did. Along with a darkened sky out at sea, rain lashing and sand whipping across the hardened sand, the third stage of the 10th Imana Wild Ride will be long remembered for it's extreme conditions.
There was a change of order at the front of the field as Mike Smith and Craig Stone pulled through for well deserved victory ahead of Nick Floros and Peter Smith. Dan Hugo and Bobby Behan held firmly onto third place. The overall standings remain unchanged and Floros / Smith are looking strong to set a hat-trick of victories tomorrow.
The Mixed race is becoming a closely contested affair. Iain and Su Don-Wauchope lost their lead today to Sara Muhl and Craig Woods, giving the Jeep / First Ascent team a slim 15 second advantage over the Don-Wauchope's. Carla Germishuys and Russell White held onto third place today but the Seggie duo of Jane and Ian were less than a minute back and still in third place on accumulated time. Tomorrow will see battle for mixed honours unfold where the experienced pair of Muhl / Wood will use every tactic to outsmart the seemingly stronger Don-Wauchope force.
For most, it was a day of survival as rider's faced over 1300m of climbing on the notorious 'mothers' while trying to hang onto their bikes in the wind and steep descents heading into Coffee Bay. The final stage tomorrow covers 65km, crossing the Umtata and Mtakagie Rivers before Hluleka Reserve and some testing hills through to the finish at Umngazi River Bungalows.
RESULTS - OVERALL: M Smith & C Stone (Team Subaru) 2h20.44, N Floros & P Smith (Subaru/Jeep) 2h24.47, D Hugo & B Behan (Specialized Factory Racing) 2h35.04, JP van der Linde & A Booyens (Xterra Warriors) 2h45.36, E&E Thole 2h45.36.
MIXED: S Muhl & C Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) 2h59.11, I & S Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) 2h59.43, C Germishuys & R White (Fullimput/Triosport) 3h13.01.
22 July 2009 – Race Update 2
Imana Wild Ride
Stage 2 - Day 2
(Wednesday 22nd July)
With the top ten teams starting in elapsed time, it was Nick Floros and Peter Smith first off as the riders departed from Kob Inn this morning in idyllic conditions. But there was no stopping 'the blue train' (Nick) and 'chicken man' (Pete) in their quest to become the first team with three straight victories in the history of the Imana Wild Ride and they went on to claim another three minutes on their rivals and set a new record time for stage two. The top five positions remained unchanged - second going to a consistent effort from Mike and Craig and third to Dan and Bobby, who are still paying school fees on the Imana Wild Ride. The Xterra Warriors and Thole & Son seem content to continue to share fourth and fifth and ride in each other's company.
Top SA Triathlete Carla Germishuys and talented veteran Russel White latched onto the Imana Farmers (Steve Stamp and Glen Haw) to make sure they stayed on the right (and fastest) track which resulted in a turn-about in the mixed category as they powered home to first place in today's stage. Iain and Su Don-Wauchope took second which moved them into first place on the overall standings just under a minute ahead of Sara and Craig.
Aside from the competitive teams, the rest of the field reported a superb day's riding, enjoying the breathtaking scenery through Dwesa Reserve and Rhino Valley with everyone safely across the mighty Mbashe River before the tide pushed in. Riders were treated to great hospitality from the staff at the Haven Hotel while Spider provided some unique entertainment in the form of the Peloton initiation later in the day.
RESULTS - OVERALL: N Floros & P Smith (Subaru/Jeep) 1h53.03, M Smith & C Stone (Team Subaru) 1h56.11, D Hugo & B Behan (Specialized Factory Racing) 1h59.53, JP van der Linde & A Booyens (Xterra Warriors) 2h16.33, E&E Thole 2h16.33.
MIXED: C Germishuys & R White (Fullimput/Triosport) 2h20.18, I & S Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) 2h23.12, S Muhl & C Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) 2h24.32
Imana Wild Ride
Stage 1 - Day 1
(Tuesday 21st July)
The 10th running of the Imana Wild Ride started on the banks of the Great Kei River on Tuesday 21st July. Sunrise Surprise was true to it's name as the field of 160 riders rode squinting and puffing up the rutted road before cutting across to the first beach section. Before long the 'racing snakes' had parted company and were speeding their way towards the first overnight stop at Kob Inn.
Seven meter swells a month ago may have sucked out a huge amount of sand but it did not slow the pace at the front or deter the thrill for the rest of the field of riding a pristine beach on a spring low tide in blissful conditions.
Defending champs Nick Floros and Peter Smith bagged the honours for day one with a four minute plus cushion over Mike Smith and Craig Stone while Dan Hugo and Bobby Behan were close behind in third place. Father and son combo Errol and Ewald Thole were tie fourth and fifth with Xterra Warriors Jean-Paul van der Linde and Andre Booyens.
Sara Muhl and Craig Woods were kept under pressure in the Mixed category but held on for the win just thirty seconds ahead Iain and Su Don-Wauchope with Ian and Jane Seggie claiming third place.
With the last team home in five hours, twenty-five minutes, all the riders were in by lunch time and spent the afternoon relaxing and preparing their bikes for stage two from Kob Inn to The Haven.
Just up the road from Kob Inn, the afternoon was a frenzy of activity with two new classrooms being handed over to Makhosonke Senior Primary and Zanenqaba Junior Secondary. These classrooms were built out of a funds raised jointly between the Imana Wild Ride, Imana Foods and WREC (Wild Ride Education Company) and mark the ninth and tenth classrooms to be have been donated to deserving schools along the race route over the past ten years.
RESULTS - OVERALL: N Floros & P Smith (Subaru/Jeep) 2h12.08, M Smith & C Stone (Team Subaru) 2h16.13, D Hugo & B Behan (Specialized Factory Racing) 2h16.24, JP van der Linde & A Booyens (Xterra Warriors) 2h31.30, E&E Thole 2h31.30.
MIXED: S Muhl & C Woods (Jeep/First Ascent) 2h45.09, I & S Don-Wauchope (Mountain Splendour) 2h45.42, I & J Seggie (Without Kids) 2h50.08
15 July 2009 –
Imana Wild Ride celebrates No.10
South Africa’s original mountain bike stage race – the Imana Wild Ride, celebrates it’s tenth anniversary next week. The four day stage race starts at the Great Kei River Mouth in the Eastern Cape and finishes at the Umngazi River Mouth, covering nearly 200km of some of the world’s most exquisite, unspoilt and rural coastline. The event began with 35 intrepid teams at the start of the new millennium and now caters for a maximum of 80 teams of two riders with over five hundred teams on the waiting list.
The race upfront will be hotly contested by defending champs Nick Floros and Peter Smith (Subaru/Jeep) and runners-up Dan Hugo (dghugo.com) and partner Bobby Behan of the Specialized Factory Racing outfit. Last year’s third place team of Mike Smith and Craig Stone (Subaru) have been doing their homework on the route and will be looking to challenge the title. Another team to watch out for is that of the Xterra Warriors Jean-Paul van der Linde and Andre Booyens, both respected multisport athletes. The mixed title looks to become a dice between defending champs Sara Muhl and Craig Woods, adventure-racing couple Iain and Su Don-Wauchope and top multisporter Carla Germishuys with veteran all-rounder Russell White.
For the majority of the field, the Imana Wild Ride is about experiencing what has become a unique and iconic event on the mountain biking calendar. Riders are treated to wonderfully warm hospitality from the start in Kei Mouth and as they move up the coast at the successive overnights; Kob Inn, The Haven Hotel, Coffee Bay and Ocean View Hotels and finishing at Umngazi River Bungalows. The event’s greatest success however, is the difference it has made to the communities through which it passes through building classrooms and improving learning facilities at the schools along the race route. This year the ninth and tenth classroom will be presented at Makhosonke and Zanenquaba schools outside Kob Inn and riders will have the opportunity of witnessing the handover.
The event starts on Tuesday and finishes next Friday. Supporters may follow daily updates on our site under the latest news.
1st July 2009 –
Beaches are perfect !
Steve & Bex recently returned from the ‘Dry Run’ (21-24 June) and are pleased to announce that the beaches are in the best condition ever (assuming that the 7m swells that followed have not turned them upside down !). Steve predicts that if the conditions remain this good, the records are going to fall again.
Double defending champs Nick Floros and Peter Smith (Subaru/Jeep) will be the under pressure from the likes of Mike Smith and Craig Stone (Team Subaru), Jean-Paul van der Linde and Andre Booyens (Xterra Warriors) and Dan Hugo (second last year) with Bobby Behan (Specialized Factory Racing). Not forgetting the old hats Lauwrens Cornelissen and Duncan English and Errol and son Ewald Thole.
Eighteen mixed teams have entered with the favourites being defending stalwarts Sara Muhl and Craig Woods while Su and Ian Don-Wauchope will not doubt pose a good challenge.
The other good news is that Dwesa Reserve is open again so riders won’t have to face a 30km detour on Day 2 !
The countdown begins….
14th May 2009 –
RIDE WILD TOUR group refused entry at Dwesa gate
A recent RIDE WILD TOUR group (8-10 May) were forced to cycle an extra 90km on the second day of their tour between Kob Inn and The Haven when they were refused entry to Dwesa Reserve by the authorities.
This was brought to the attention of tour organiser Rebecca van der Linde at 21h30 the night before the tour group was due to pass through Dwesa by local hotel owner Grant from The Haven. He had just been given notice that same evening that the reserve is closed to the public with immediate effect until the end of June.
Mixed reports of the rhino being killed due to being 'alien species' to the area by local authorities against local reports of the rhino having been sold to international hunters are inconclusive but left us wondering whether the only solution was to hunt these great creatures out of a reserve that has been their home for several decades? A sad situation indeed.
Ride Wild cc organisers are taking every effort to ensure that the closure of Dwesa Reserve does not effect the running of the 10th Anniversary of the Imana Wild Ride between 20-24th July.
Left Above: A article featured in a newspaper that was on display at The Haven.
Right Avove: RIDE WILD TOURS group refused access at Dwesa gate.
To read more about the Dwesa Rhino Hunting / Killing visit this site - http://www.rhinos-irf.org/en/art/519/