Varsity College Multi Series #2 Virginia Trails 2014

Max Cluer Sports Marketing with title sponsor Varsity College did it again, when they brought the second event of this year’s Multi Series to Virgina Trails, just outside Eston KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday 24 August 2014. The second leg of the Multi Series was hosted by the Varsity College Durban North “Pirates” who welcomed the Varsity College Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses, as well as participants from the first event of the series.

Sunday’s event carried on the fierce competition from the first event, with challenging mountain bike and running trails that sent athletes through the valleys of sugar cane plantations and thorn veld on the Virginia Farm estate. The day kicked off at 08h30 with the 40 km Mountain Bike event, where participants and all those in attendance at the starting line were greeted by chilling early morning winds. The 19 km and 10km Mountain Bike events followed respectively and a few minutes later, the 15km trail run athletes were released to tackle the gruelling course followed by the fun 5km trail run/walk.

Battling with the wind and reaching altitudes of up to 850m above sea level, participants were treated to some of the most spectacular views of nature Multi Series has ever had to offer. “The conditions out there were tough and the wind sometimes made the ride a bit tricky”, said Sthembiso Masango of team Change a Life and subsequent winner of the 40km Mountain Bike event. “The land here is beautiful and the views from the top of the hills are breath-taking” he added.

The main event of the day was the Multicross long and short course races – Zahir Malani, multicross athlete and first time entrant of the Varsity College Multi Series described the trails as “awesome and rideable” and thanked the organisers for putting together the event. Peter Stainbank, owner of Virginia Trails describes the area along the trails as “a magnificent wonder of nature which is a pleasure to have shared with people”.
The day’s events also included the traditional Varsity College inter-campus challenge, between the Westville, Durban North and Pietermaritzburg campuses – where Westville were victorious.

To wrap-up the second event of the Varsity College Multi Series prizes were handed out to the victors of the day’s events. Among the winners was Darryn Purtell in first place in the Multicross Long Course and Campbell van Rooyen in the Multicross Short Course. Sthembiso Masango the first male in the 40km MTB, while Varsity College’s very own Britney Petersen also walked away with the first female. Dylan Howard was the first male in the 19km MTB with Sabine Thies of Jeep Team taking the first female spot with an impressive time of 53:52. Joe Maphumelo and Slindile Tshabalala first male and female respectively in the 15km Trail Run. The winners received prizes courtesy of Reebok, New Era, Varsity College, Funky Pants, Richie Cycles and Virginia Farms. Full results and pictures of the winners can be found on www.maxcluer.com.

The final event of the Varsity College Multi Series will take place at Baynesfield Estate in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 21 September 2014.