Grahamstown’s top mountain biker, Jason Meaton take part in the Fairview Attakwas Extreme Mountain Bike Challenge.
Grahamstown’s top mountain biker, Jason Meaton take part in the Fairview Attakwas Extreme Mountain Bike Challenge.
The race takes place in Oudtshoorn and takes cyclists through the Attakwas Reserve, in the Outeniqua mountains.
The website refers to the 121km event as “South Africa’s toughest extreme one-day mountain bike race”.
Meaton has decided to dedicate his race to charity, and use the opportunity to raise funds for the Smile Foundation.
“I think it’s important to give back to the community, not just expect people to support me all the time,” Meaton explained.
Meaton said he had come across the Smile Foundation through a friend who cycles.
“They explained the work that they do, so I agreed to do my best to help the way I know how.
“I’m excited to make my cycling mean something beyond just being the fastest,” he said.
"It also gives me added motivation to train and succeed knowing that my effort means something to someone beyond myself.”
The Smile Foundation offers free plastic and facial reconstructive surgery to children in need in South Africa. To date they have assisted more than 1 400 children.
The 121km point-to-point race starts from the Chandelier Game and Ostrich Show Farm in Oudtshoorn and ends in the coastal settlement at Groot Brak Rivier.
This year, it celebrates its 11th edition.
The country’s top mountain bikers are expected to descend on Oudtshoorn for the race, due to its been given International Cycling Union (UCI) status.
Top international and leading South African marathon racers will be enticed by the UCI rankings points on offer.
The race takes competitors through the Attakwas Reserve, an unforgiving wilderness area with steep gradients and rough terrain.
There are more than 3 000 metres of accumulated vertical ascent and riders have 11 hours to complete the distance, with the top men clocking just under five hours and the leading women around 5:45.
“Attakwas is a truly South African endurance sports event. We have positioned it in the same league as the Comrades Marathon is for running," said Henco Rademeyer of Dryland Event Management, the company that organises the Attakwas Extreme.
“It’s a big deal to just finish it for many of the participants, but it’s also a high quality challenge for the top racers.”
Meaton will be among the top cyclists, thanks to a top 10 finish in the Nissan Trail Seeker MTB race in the Western Cape last November.
While this will be his first Attakwas Extreme, Meaton won the mini Attakwas five years ago.
“Now I'm taking on the big one and going for a top 20 and racing for charity,” said Meaton.
One of the additions to the race will be live online video coverage of the finish.
“We’ll have a makeshift studio at the finish and will flight a summary of the race before crossing live to the action from about half an hour from the end of the men’s race," said Mark le Roux of Bigshot Media.
“This will really bring the excitement and colour of the race to many people around the world and elevate the race’s profile in line with its new UCI status.”
To support Jason and make a donation towards the Smile Foundation, visit https://www.givengain.com/ap/Jason/
