Grahamstown cyclist and cycle business owner, Jason Meaton, made it a hat-trick of victories when he won the third Pennypinchers G2C mountain bike race from Grahamstown’s industrial area to Port Alfred on Sunday.
Grahamstown cyclist and cycle business owner, Jason Meaton, made it a hat-trick of victories when he won the third Pennypinchers G2C mountain bike race from Grahamstown’s industrial area to Port Alfred on Sunday.
Meaton won the inaugural 58-kilometre race in 2013, followed it up with a win in 2014 and was victorious again this year.
But it was not an easy win for him on this occasion – he finished a mere nine seconds ahead of runner-up Heine Lategan at Rosehill Mall shopping centre outside Port Alfred.
23-year-old Meaton completed the course in 1 hour 46 minutes 07 seconds.
This was well outside the course record set by him last year at 1 hr 38 mins 41 secs.
Second-placed Lategan finished in 1 hr 46 mins 16 secs. Local junior, Lloyd Vos, also did well to finish ninth overall in a creditable time of 1:54:24.
Olivia Read won the women’s race in 2 hrs 07 mins 23 secs, a little over five minutes ahead of runner-up Shannon Kirkhoff (2:12:59).
Jenni Opperman was third in 2:13:01.
First local woman home was Terri-Lynn Penney who finished in 2:22:05.
Overall there were 415 finishers, with the majority of the field coming from Port Elizabeth and East London although there was a good number from Grahamstown.
The race was organised by the Saints and Sinners Cycling Club of Grahamstown and sponsored by Grahamstown and Port Alfred branches of Pennypinchers.
James Sholto-Douglas of Pennypinchers (Grahamstown and Port Alfred), said he was happy with the day’s proceedings, mentioning the superb organisation by the Saints and Sinners club.
He also congratulated Jason Meaton on his victory.
Meaton’s cycle shop, The Motion Shop, was also one of the sponsors.
The race was ridden in cold and muddy conditions – although there was no rain on the day – and riders were met by strong winds at the finish.
The 58-kilometre course comprised mainly gravel roads through diverse farming areas, single tracks over a mountain, some tarred sections and a tricky single-track section over the last five kilometres.
Lappies Labuschagne of The Cycle Asylum cycle shop in Port Alfred upgraded the final section of single track giving riders a good run to the finish area.
sport@grocotts.co.za
