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Wolfaardt, Steyn victorious in tense BSG Energade Triathlon Series race
If today’s opening race of the BSG Energade Triathlon Series at Midmar Dam in KZN was anything to go by then the 2009 edition of this seven-event competition is going to be one of the most closely contested in years. This, despite the old winning duo of Erhard Wolfaardt and Andrea Steyn taking top honours in the men’s and women’s race respectively when the clouds had lifted over a cool Midmar. For the reigning BSG Energade Triathlon Series Champions it was a tense and hard-fought battle with only their superior running ability giving them the edge over a star-studded field on the day. After 18-year-old swimming sensation, Henri Schoeman from Natal and Abrahm Louw, the youngest member of the newly-established BSG Elite Team, set the early pace in the men’s race leading after the 600m swim, any of at least a dozen athletes where rallying for top position by the end of the 20km cycle leg. With all the riders “feeling each other out” in this first race of the series, according to Wolfaardt, no one broke away and they all raced into transition in a bunch leaving the run leg to sort the men from the boys. First out for the 5kms was last year’s winner in the Midmar race, Claude Eksteen with Wolfaardt, Chris Felgate and Sander Berk breathing down his neck. Spectators were then treated to a battle royal for the top five places with Wolfaardt showing why he is the African Triathlon Champion taking the lead and notching up a confidence-building win in a time of 54:09. He was followed home by one of the two Olympians in the BSG Elite Team, Sander Berk (54:18), with Eksteen third in 54:24, Felgate fourth in 54:32 and Bernt Burger fifth in 54:50. The 17-year-old Louw showed his class by coming in amongst the seniors in a time of 54:28 which handed him the winner’s cheque in the junior men’s category.
Speaking after the race Wolfaardt said he had been happy with his performance, especially the run as an injury had kept him from training for the past three weeks and he was quick to add that he thought Eksteen, in particular, was going to be tough to beat during the series. The latter, who wasn’t feeling at his best suffering with a bug, said his energy levels hadn’t been great, but that was no excuse. He was going to be back at Potch Dam on Sunday, October 18 and would be looking for victory. Second placed Berk (30) was thrilled with his performance and said he felt he had extra speed on the downhills of the run leg so just went for it. His BSG team mate, Chris Felgate was also happy with his performance and that of the BSG team, which on debut had all its athletes that competed on the day on the podium. The only negative for them (BSG Elite Team) was that Hendrik de Villiers, a four-time BSG Energade Triathlon Champion, could not race as he was suffering from a stomach bug and Vicky van der Merwe, one of the country’s top women athletes, was also ruled out because of illness. The 20-year-old Wikus Weber started the race but also pulled out when he didn’t feel well. Greg Reis, CEO of BSG (Africa) was happy with the team’s performance nonetheless and said it was wonderful to see how they (BSG Elite Team) had “mixed things up” in the race. “I’m excited about this year’s series and sponsoring the team again shows our commitment to a long term involvement in the sport.” Women
Again the 5km run would be the defining stage with Steyn taking the lead within metres of leaving the transition area. A resurgent Roberts, who said she is showing improvement from last year’s series, worked hard and stuck with Steyn throughout. The Pretoria athlete however, who came sixth in the 2009 ITU World Duathlon Championships in Concord North Carolina two weeks ago and won the Virgin Active Triathlon last Saturday and the Momentum Health Teavigo Duathlon Series last Sunday just had too much in the tank and Roberts had to be content with second place, for now. After crossing the tape in 1:00:53, Steyn, who was especially happy with her swimming effort on the day, said if Roberts gets a lead during future races she will be tough to beat. This after Roberts finished a mere six seconds behind in 1:00:59 with Carla Germishuys third in 1:02:21. Riana de Lange - who is concentrating more on long distance competitions and will be missing out on some of the series as she is going to the World Long Distance Triathlon Championships in Perth, Australia later this month - was fourth in 1:04:48. Samantha Ferreira was fifth in 1:05:20. Lauren Dance took first place in the junior women’s section in a time of 1:04:22 after her toughest opponent, Ashleigh Blackwell, withdrew during the race and had to receive medical attention. As part of the sponsors, BSG and Energade’s, commitment to building the sport of triathlon a development team of athletes, from the fledgling Apron Triathlon Club in Durban also participated in the event under the auspices of Triathlon South Africa (TSA). The youngsters from La Montville and Umlazi enthusiastically participated with the majority doing very well in the 600m swim, with Msizi Ntaka (16) coming out the water alongside elite competitor, Bright Mamogale. While Ntaka did not do the cycle leg - he doesn’t have a bike - he went on to finish the 5km run second amongst the Apron competitors showing that with some support and coaching he could go far in the sport. Helping those who have not been exposed to triathlon in the past is one of the objectives of the series says, Avi Ramgovind, Marketing Manager of Energade, a company that has been sponsoring this event for 15 years. “Through the series we try and entice people from different demographics to participate in the sport and live active lifestyles.” With the above initiative with TSA, development teams will participate in all seven races, there is little doubt that during this year’s series a number of tomorrow’s champions will be nurtured. The series now moves to Potchefstroom for the second leg on Sunday, October 18 where the home town advantage should fall to De Villiers who knows this area better than any and Wolfaardt who is now also staying in Potch. Eksteen cannot be discounted, so too Felgate and Weber while Steyn and Roberts are set to continue their tussle.
Their race will be preceded by the BSG Energade Kids Series race which starts at 8am and is then followed by the senior and more accomplished teenage athletes at 9.30am. Late entries will be accepted at Potch Dam from 6.30am to 9am on race day. See www.bsgenergadetriseries.co.za for more details on the senior event and www.kidsseries.co.za for the kid’s race. Contact Person: Thirusha Naidoo |
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