St Francis Bay MTB Challenge -

2009, 2010, 2011- LOOKING BACK BY RICHARD ARDERNE

The first St Francis Bay MTB Challenge was held on Sunday, 6 September 2009. We waited anxiously at the Links very early that morning, wondering whether we would have 50 cyclists, or maybe 100, but no more than 150. 444 cyclists arrived!

Jeff Clause had agreed to host it at the Links, which contributed hugely to the popularity. Still, obviously, with that surprising number of cyclists that arrived, we ran out of entry forms, burgers and much more! But it was a huge success.

IN EARLY 2009, ERIC STEWART AND I HAD DECIDED THAT ST FRANCIS NEEDED A MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE.

So I called Charl Joubert, then chairman of Fat Tracks MTB club in PE, and said, “we have the venue. Can you help us organise a race?” … to which he wholeheartedly agreed. And so the first St Francis MTB Challenge was held.

Little did I know much work would be involved. Eric and I worked for months and nearly all day for the two weeks leading up to the race, and then the massive task of marking the route the day before the race!

But we received massive support from locals: sponsorship, prizes, marshalling, assistance at registration, and all the landowners who gave us permission to cycle through their properties.

The Fat Tracks letter after the race from Charl Joubert stated,

“THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE ST FRANCIS BAY MTB CHALLENGE SUCH A SPECIAL EVENT. … THE WAY EVERYTHING CAME TOGETHER WAS UNBELIEVABLE .. RIDERS ARE NOT GOING TO FORGET THIS RACE.”

So we held the race again in 2010 and 2011, both also great successes. But unfortunately, in 2011, due to a very wet winter, we had to postpone the race to November.

Cycling SA’s report after the 2011 race stated, “COMPLIMENTS TO THE ORGANISERS AND HELPERS .. WITH 570 ENTRIES, YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING THE BIGGEST MTB RACE IN THE EAST CAPE. THE ORGANISER CERTAINLY WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO MAKE THE EVENT THE SUCCESS THAT IT WAS, IT WAS ONCE AGAIN A FANTASTIC EVENT, AND EVERYBODY CONFIRMED THIS”

An extract from Our Times after the 2011 race: Next year, the race will be organised by the newly formed St Francis Cycling Club. “After three years, I have decided it is time for fresh ideas to take the race to the next level,” said Arderne.

Sadly the wet weather in 2012 resulted in another postponement. It was held only one more time in early 2013 but wasn’t held again.

ABOUT TIME IT IS REINSTATED! MAYBE THE NEW COIMBRA CYCLE CENTRE SHOULD DO SO?

Thanks to all the various photographers.