Big names will battle in Paarl handcycling event
2006-02-23
SOME of the biggest names in world handcycling will compete in the Paarl Rock Handcycling Challenge that takes place in Paarl in early March.
This will be the first ever international handcycling event to be hosted in South Africa and spectators can look forward to athletes like John Vink (Netherlands), Krige Schabort (America), Lukas Weber (Switzerland), Brunhild Strauss (Namibia) and local favourite Ernst van Dyk battling it out on the road.
The competition will be especially tough between Van Dyk and Schabort.
Both competed in the Nedbank SA Marathon in Port Elizabeth the weekend before last, as well as the Game Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge in George on Saturday.
Schabort was victorious in PE, but van Dyk struck back in George, crossing the line a split second before Schabort.
With a race apiece the two athletes will both be eager to establish dominance over the other.
Krige, who now calls Atlanta USA his home, is currently visiting South Africa for seven weeks.
The soft spoken sport star who, like van Dyk, has achieved many international accolades in wheelchair racing, will be motivated to add more victories to his CV which includes seven consecutive honours in the Honolulu Marathon, as well as a victory in Atlanta’s Peacetree Race in 2002 and 2003.
It will be an especially great victory for Paarlite van Dyk as he is one of the big driving forces behind the establishment of the Paarl Rock Handcycling Challenge.
His knowledge of the local conditions might just give him the edge in what will definitely be a hotly contested race.
Apart from the races, training camps will be held for two-wheel cyclists as well as persons who wish to get involved with handcycling from 6 to 11 March.
According to race organiser Maranda Fourie, she is still in need of sponsors as well as accommodation and transport for some of the wheelchair athletes to and from the Argus race.
Anyone who would like to assist, can contact her on 082-515-9860 or at marandafourie@yahoo.com.
More
News
|