Lowe and Mostert Triumph in Nedbank Rock and Rut XC Series

Cycling
Brian Munango
  • 2 Weeks Ago 15 November 2024
The Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club celebrated a successful season at their 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Nedbank Campus in Windhoek on 13 November. During the event, they announced the champions of the 2024 Nedbank Rock and Rut XC Series, with elite cyclists Kevin Lowe and Jean-Marie Mostert claiming top honours in their respective categories.

The AGM coincided with the prize-giving ceremony for the series, recognising Lowe as the elite male champion and Mostert as the elite female champion after both accumulated the highest points in the series' competitive elite categories. Rock and Rut Chairman Hanso Diehl praised the season, highlighting the ten races held throughout 2024, which showcased new and challenging venues for participants.

“We added two exciting locations, Farm Bergquell and Farm Towerbos, which provided unique trails and terrains compared to our traditional IJG Trails at Farm Windhoek in Kleine Kuppe. These fresh tracks were great for riders aiming to compete internationally,” said Diehl. He added that the club also introduced the Enduro Mountain Bike series to attract a broader segment of mountain bike enthusiasts.

Diehl also celebrated the achievements of standout riders, including Vera Looser, Rodger Suren, Alex Miller, and Delsia Janse van Vuuren, who represented Namibia impressively in international competitions such as the XCM World Cup. He highlighted recent successes in South Africa, where Miller, Piet Swiegers, and Frank Snyman excelled in their age groups, with Miller showing particularly strong form.

Nedbank Namibia has been instrumental in supporting the XC series, beginning with the 2024 Nedbank Namibia XC1 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) C1 and UCI Junior Series XC1 races at the IJG Trails in April. The series continued with the National Cross-Country Championships and a series of races at both new and familiar venues, culminating in the final race at Towerbos Trails.

Nedbank Namibia’s Executive Head for Marketing and Communications, Gernot de Klerk, commended the Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club for an outstanding season. “The club’s commitment to expanding mountain biking in Namibia through new and challenging courses has pushed our riders to new heights. This dedication undoubtedly contributes to the success of Namibian cyclists on the international stage,” he said.

De Klerk also noted the growing interest in mountain biking in Namibia, with increasing participation rates year after year, attributing this growth to the success of the Nedbank Rock and Rut XC Series. “With the 2024 series now wrapped up, we eagerly anticipate Africa’s ultimate mountain biking race, the Nedbank Desert Dash.”

The 2025 Rock and Rut XC Series is scheduled to kick off on 5 April, with the venue to be announced, promising yet another exciting season ahead for Namibian mountain biking.