Jason Meaton, of Grahamstown, took sixth spot in last week's national cross-country (XC) mountain bike race in Port Elizabeth, up against many of South Africa's top riders.
Meaton, who competes in the U23 section, rode in the pro-elite class, made up of U23s and elite riders.
Jason Meaton, of Grahamstown, took sixth spot in last week's national cross-country (XC) mountain bike race in Port Elizabeth, up against many of South Africa's top riders.
Meaton, who competes in the U23 section, rode in the pro-elite class, made up of U23s and elite riders.
Last weekend's National XC race started and finished at the EP Badminton Hall and took riders through the Baakens Valley.
The course consisted of single-track and jeep-track riding, including technical downhills, rocky uphills, tough river crossings and other challenges. Meaton, who turns 19 this year, has so far fared well against the best in the country.
Last Saturday's XC was the second in the series and Meaton finished 11th in the pro-elite class and 6th in the U23 section. This is an improvement from his first XC in Pietermaritzburg, where Meaton finished 13th in the U23 section.
The XC series is four events around the country and the format is laps around a circuit. Meaton also takes part in the national cross country marathon (XCM) series.
It's not just a case of pitching up to the various national series events, though. Meaton has to qualify (for the Eastern Cape side – EP and Border combined) before each of the XC and XCM events.
The next in the XC series is in Karkloof, on 4 June, and the EP qualifying event is this weekend.
Because Meaton will be in Tulbagh, Western Cape, for the fifth national XCM series race this weekend, where he will be representing EC, he automatically qualifies for the Karkloof event.
The fourth and last XC event will be on 18 June in Rietvlei, Johannesburg. Meaton hopes to compete in all the XCM events. There are seven in the series. In between all the national races, Meaton also competes in the various mountain bike events around the Eastern Cape.
At the culmination of the series, a Cycling South Africa MTB Super Series Champion will be announced in each discipline. The events that make up this series will be used to crown South African Champions, award colours and select South African teams.
