Tension is mounting around the country for the 2016 Spur Schools MTB Finals and Interprovincial Championships to be hosted in October. This year it featured 45 events, an estimated 500 schools and 10 000 MTB enthusiasts competing across the country for a spot in the finals.
Following a stellar season, the 2016 North West Series was won by Potchefstroom Gimnasium with 770 points. Rustenburg High School was second with 672 points followed by Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom with 400 points. Wesvalia High and Hartebeespoort High Schools took fourth with 377 points to secure the final slot for the Spur Schools MTB League National Finals.
John-William Lang of Rustenburg High School and Joné Van Eeden of Potchefstroom Gimnasium dominated the sub-junior category winning all four regional events and the North West finals and have both been selected for the North West team.
Ryan Conradie of Potchefstroom Gimnasium had another exceptional season. Although he could not compete in the final, his three convincing wins secured him a spot in the North West team. The North West finals was won by Brendan Van Eeden of Potchefstroom Gimnasium, followed by Adriaan Duminy of Wesvalia High School in second and Stehan Wolmarans of Hartebeespoort High School in third.
Andrea de Waal of Potchefstroom Girls High took line honours at the finals with Kaylin Prinsloo from Hartebeespoort High fighting hard throughout the 2016 season to secure her spot in the North West team after a well-deserved second place in the finals.
The Junior Men’s category was a fierce and exciting battle between two riders both from Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom. Brandon Van der Berg and Pieter du Toit put up a hard fight at each of the four events to gain that top position on the podium and ultimately the overall Junior Men’s title winner – at the end Brandon took the overall series win and will also be the North West Team captain.
The Junior Women’s category saw leading ladies – Nicolene Marais from Rustenburg High School, Danielle Strydom from Potchefstroom Gimnasium and Kristen Louw from Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom, who secured the overall lead in the Junior Women’s category and was also selected North West team captain.
For more information and results visit www.spurmtbleague.co.za and be sure to like the League on Facebook at Spur Schools League and follow @spurMTBleague on Twitter for more information.
