Qoute from the Songo.info website: [It all started out with Songo Fipaza’s dream to provide children of Kayamandi with opportunities and a fun and safe place to grow up away from the troubles on township streets. Songo is an exceptional role model for everyone as he works tirelessly in the community to create opportunities for the children. His dream has come a long way over the years where the BMX club and mountain biking group are fully established, participating in numerous events in the Western Cape, and across South Africa. We are all so privileged to work, learn and interact with Songo Fipaza. He demonstrates actions that dreams are possible to achieve.]

Christoph Sauser (who won this 30min plus 3 laps exhibition race) and Songo Fipaza, came up with the vision to create a team with budding star Burry Stander – to race the Cape Epic under the charity – named Songo.info

Songo personally welcomed every rider. I lined up with ex roadie Darren Lill

Clinging to Florian Vogels‘ wheel on opening laps, but after a few steep climbs and hard sprints I was drowned in lactic acid and was relegated to the more realistic part of the race…

After training for the Adu Dhabi Triathlon (3k/200k/20k- blog to follow soon) and seemlingly months of long hours in the saddle at relatively low intensity, the shock of 30min at a 100% Lactic Acid mixture was quite severe!

Railing berms and jumps on the Songo BMX track- built by the funds raised by Susi and Burry on that first Epic in the Songo jerseys .

Kayamandi’s kids make for enthisiastic supporters.

Up to my ears in lactic acid…      Pics by Gary Perkin (Flipper)

Songo development riders railing some “Kayamandi singketrack”.

What an amazing story of inspiration (by Susi, Bury and Songo) and judging by the recent success of the Songo development riders at the 2013 ABSA Cape Epic, there certainly is hope for another rider to follow in Burry Standers‘ big footprints…

Racing for Burry Stander

TotalSports Challenge Terra Firma: 50km road cycle (Caveman), 14km road run (Princess Hotstuff), 25km MTB (Caveman), 9km beach run (Princess Hotstuff)

My coach Ian Rodger wanted me to ride steady TT pace “so we can look at the watts and see how we measure up with last year (at this race)” I said, actually Liezel and I are doing this race for Burry, and instead of towing everyone from Gordons Bay to Kleinmond, I want to arrive at the hand over alone- like Burry did 3 years ago.  Ian thought about it, and said, “ok, you haven’t trained for that kind of riding, but hit them hard on the rolling technical section through Gordons Bay, see who’s with you, and then attack them when you’re into the wind” He finished off with: “Kick them in the nuts till no one is left standing”

Still raw from Burry’s funeral, I rode to Gordons Bay filled with emotion. Angry Battery 9 soundtrack seemingly the only suitable companion.

Althoug it was wind-still in Stellenbosch, it was howling in Gordons Bay, so I went with a training wheel in front. I rode my UCI legal SHIV TT bike,  and warmed like I would for a big TT race, and got to the start simmering and ready to kick crotches. But on the start line the mood was very somber- Songo Fipaza and a number of the Songo kids were at the start line in memory of Burry. Songo made a stirring speech celebrating Burry’s extraordinary life before Songo and the kids slowly led us through the neutral zone of Gordons Bay. Obviously I had to go to plan B and attack the guys on the open road to Rooiels- a much harder task.

Read more ...

Burry Stander and the Songo.info kids at African Champs 2011

“The Kid” is on the road to the 2012 Olympics.  And he is doing it on a 9.1kg Specialized Epic 29er

Read his race report here.

Thanks to my Specialized team mate, Burry Stander I was able to pull the hare out of the hat and win the 94.7 MTB race.

It was only a 1h42 race (50km), so as per Ian’s recommendation I hooked it right from the gun. The pack strung out right away and on the first high speed bumpy downhill, I let the big 29er wheels and the plush suspension on my Specialized Epic 29er do the talking. Of course, the few extra off season kilos (or “pudding bum”) helped with the momentum and I soon had a little gap. Defending champ and all round ace Burry Stander is just behind me and ready to rumble when my tire started spewing sealant. (we went through a building site- I must have picked up a piece of metal or glass) The true team mate, and gent, Burry threw me his tire plug and CO2, (I know, I was badly prepared) and I was lucky to not loose too much time. I set off at TT pace and was surprised to be back in 2nd after a few kms. Catching Burry took ages and lots of hard work. And once on his wheel I needed some time to lick my wounds and try calm crampy quads.

Burry rode his super light XC race set up: An ultra light 8.2kg Specialized Hard Tail 29er with a single chain ring in the front. With about 20 min to go we crested a long drag over super bumpy grassy surface. I looked at his bike set up again and knew the upcoming down hill was my only real chance. I cant climb with Burry, I certainly cant sprint with Burry and I suspect I cant ride technical single track with Burry, so I knew I had to try take him on the high speed bumpy stuff- where my superior power, (disguised as 80kg + body weight) full suspension and 2×10 XX  gearing should give me the edge.

I felt bad attacking my team mate after he gave me his only spares, but hell, the race wasnt going to win itself…

I put it in the Big Dog (40×11 on a 29er) and went with guns blazing. At the bottom of the hill- just before I blew a gasket- I snuck a peek and was ecstatic to see him bouncing over the lumps in the distance.

The last 3 climbs were murder, but its amazing how magically pain disappears when you see the finish tape…

This was a sweet win, and hopefully this proves that XTERRA athletes can ride too, and I didnt get those rainbow stripes from a Lucky Packet…

Yet again, my lovely Specialized 29er Epic was the key to success. Pic by Erik Vermeulen

Quote of the day: “I am the least pathetic!” See previous blog here.
I also won the 2010 Argus MTB race on a 29er in April

Will download Suunto HR file on Movescount.com soon