West Coast MTB Challenge and Trail Run records shattered

A new track record was established at this year's edition of the West Coast MTB Challenge and Trail Run, which forms part of the Gravel and Dirt MTB Marathon Series powered by Hollard Namibia.

The new champion, South African Alan Hatherly, pipped his Cannondale teammate Simon Andreassen (second) from Denmark and Namibia’s Alex Miller (third) to the finishing line of the 75 km cycle challenge for elite men in a photo finish at Moonlight Resort on the outskirts of Swakopmund.

Hatherly shattered the track record of 2:29:43 established by Ingram Cuff in 2021 by finishing the race in 02:26:54. He was a split second ahead of Andreassen (02:26:55) and Miller (02:26:55).

Hatherly, who was crowned the under-23 Cross Country World Champion in 2018 and lives in Cape Town, said it was a really tough race.

"The terrain kind of goes on forever. This makes it hard to judge where you are on the route, and this creates pressure all the way. It is also very sandy and does not leave much time for recovery on the route. The race was superfast. Alex was really strong and made it hard for me."

Team tactics

According to the champion, team tactics paid off for him.

"We all had to do our fair share to keep the breakaway rolling. Coming into the sprint, I knew I had a good chance and just waited for my opportunity to open up. Luckily, it worked out for me. This was my first time in Swakopmund, and I really want to come back for some more racing and to defend my title."

Preparation

Hatherly said he was looking forward to competing at the Cross Country Championships in Johannesburg next week. He will do the Tour of Britain, which is a multi-stage cycling race conducted on British roads in which participants race across Great Britain, before starting his World Cup season in the Czech Republic in May.

Miller, who was crowned Namibian cross country champion on Saturday, said it was a tough day at the office for him.

"On Friday, we had short track nationals, and yesterday the cross country nationals. I was not sure how I would feel after that. Luckily, the legs felt fairly good, and having the Cannondale team here lifted the level of sport because they are world-class athletes. I hope other international cyclists follow suit."

The Namibian said he was looking forward to getting some more training before he heads over to Europe at the end of May.

Impressed

Andreassen, who has been racing for more than 20 years and is a two-time world champion, a four-time world cup winner, and a seven-time national champion, said he enjoyed being in Namibia.

"It’s my first time in the country. The racing was hard, but the trail is beautiful, and I was blown away by the scenery. I cannot compare what I experienced here to anything else."

The Danish rider had been preparing with his team for the past two weeks in Windhoek, and when they heard about the race in Swakopmund, they decided to come to the coast and compete.

"We decided to get a break from our training camp and do some fun racing, and it was definitely worth it. I am returning to Europe in a few weeks, and the first event for the season is set for next month."

Pacesetter

Anri Krugel won the elite women’s section in a time of 03:02:39, ahead of Jeanne Heunis, who finished second (03:10:39), and Monique Du Plessis in third place (03:22:53).

Krugel, who started cycling in 2017, said it was a pretty tough and demanding race.

"Three hours on a bike requires a lot. The course was quite nice and a little bit more technical than I expected, with lots of tough climbs and some fast downhills, which I enjoyed."

She set the pace and established a nice lead right at the beginning.

"My strategy was to maintain my lead at all costs. I chased the group in front of me, but they were too fast."

Running

Leandri Snyman won the women’s section of the 5 km run in a time of 00:35:36, and Tomas Andrea clinched the men’s section in a time of 00:25:32.

Louise Breed won the women’s section of the 15 km run in a time of 01:10:58, and Ananias Ambunda clinched the men’s section in a time of 10:07:18.

Well done

Hollard's CEO, Jaco Lamprecht, who completed the track for the fifth time, said he had fun.

"The single tracks made it a bit tough for me. We were, however, pleasantly surprised by the Cannondale team riders. Their presence was a huge boost for our local cyclists, and it was good to see so many participants."

The race organiser, Sylvio Zuardi, said the day produced some awesome racing. "We were privileged to have some really big guns in our midst today, and the racing was serious. Today’s race accommodated 350 competitors who really gave it their best and had fun while doing so."