SOUTH Africa U23 champion Julian Jessop continued his dream month when he beat off the challenge of Tyronne White in a dash for the line at the 60km mountain bike race at the Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge and Trail Run on Sunday. The 20-year-old Jessop - who is coming off a dream 12th position finish at the recent Absa Cape Epic and so claimed the prestigious African Jersey title with Matthys Beukes - and White approached the finish together. However the young PYGA Eurosteel rider had too much firepower for his more experienced challenger and powered across to line to win in a time of 2:32:08, two seconds ahead of White. Quattro ROAG Series leader Andrew Johnson claimed third position just 29-seconds further back and his third position in Sunday's second leg of the series, combined with his win in the opening leg at Wartburg in February, ensures the Ballito resident holds top spot in the race for South Africa's richest prize for a mountain bike series. David Low and Brennan Anderson rounded out the top five. In the women's 60km race, Christie Leigh Hearder made her first appearance at a Quattro ROAG Series event of the year and notched up a convincing five-minute win to put the pressure on series leader Andrea de Boer. De Boer was second and keeps a firm grasp on the series lead going into the third leg at Karkloof in May, but will be aware that Hearder is lurking. One of the most intriguing dices of the day was the women's 40km Safire MTB that saw matric pupil Tiffany Keep edge out Frances Janse van Rensburg by two minutes, while schoolboy Travis Stedman was clear winner in the men's 40km race. In the trail runs, Derek Wasserfall cruised to victory with Thierry Pletinckx just over two minutes off the pace in the 16km Farmers Agri-Care race while Mark Mackenzie was third. Mackenzie's third, when combined with his third position in the opening leg, is enough to move him to the top of the standings in the Quattro ROAG Series. Sarah . . .
Marais and Keep take the titles at Husqvarna Classic
Mid-Illovo – Stuart Marais is making a habit of winning mountain bike races this year with the latest victory coming in the Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge and Trail Run on Sunday. In the main 60km race, the Howick mechanical engineer overcame a fall which could have proved costly, but he picked himself up and rode on to a solid three-minute win over defending champion, Mid-Illovo local Derrin Smith, who in turn was two minutes ahead of the in-form David Low. In the women’s race, young 16-year-old Tiffany Keep once again showed she is a massive talent by winning her first attempt at the longer 60km event. The Thomas More College schoolgirl beat off the challenge of Christie-Leigh Hearder with veteran Natalie Bergstrom claiming third. Both Marais and Keep were full of praise for the route which has been designed and created by local farmer Bruce Smith with the help of other local farmers in the area. “The trails were phenomenal,” said Marais. “They have obviously put in so much work on the course and they have made then absolutely stunning. Everyone said I’d enjoy the race – and I did! “I had a bit of a mishap on one of the bridges. My front wheel slipped out and I fell off as I was crossing it. Apart from that that I had a good ride and I felt really good. “This season I would like to try and make a bit of a habit of this winning,” he said with a laugh. Keep said she also “really enjoyed the single track” and it showed as she kept her older and more experienced rivals at bay on the fun-filled, but tough and testing course. “I’ve participated in the race before but on the shorter distances – today was the first time I’ve done the 60km,” said the South African junior road team member. In the 18km iNsingizi Trail Run Derek Wasserfall was dominant, outpacing Mark Mackenzie and Rhain Hoskins by almost three minutes despite a silly mistake which could have proved costly. Wasserfall, who also won the Husqvarna Mid-Illovo Trail Run in . . .
Watershed weekend for Quattro ROAG Series with Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB & Trail Run
THIS weekend sees the fourth leg of the Quattro ROAG Series for mountain bikers and trail runners, and it represents a watershed for the popular KZN-based series which offers the biggest prizemoney of any mountain biking series in the country. With competitors needing to compete in six of the nine events to qualify as a series finisher, any rider who has not already taken part in one of the first three events needs to compete in the Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge and Trail Run on Sunday to have any chance of qualifying for the R25 000 first prize. The Compendium Hill 2 Hill which took place over Easter saw two new leaders emerge in the mountain biking series. Leeroy Emslie’s fourth place in the tough 100km marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Shongweni allowed him to take over the series lead in the men’s category. His 202 point from three events put him a meagre 22 points ahead of Stuart Marais, who missed the Hill 2 Hill due to other racing commitments in Gauteng. In the women’s division, young Christie-Leigh Hearder’s consistent finishes has allowed her to open up a sizable gap in the standings. Her 246 points are a 60 points more than second-placed veteran Natalie Bergstrom. In the trail running log, Mark Mackenzie grew his lead and goes into the fourth event with a 57-point gap over David Mercer, despite finding the pace tough at the Hill 2 Hill trail run where he finished 12th. In the women’s trail running, Wendy Mills and Alison Wasserfall have opened up a huge lead over the chasing bunch with Mills in pole position on 260-points with Wasserfall 44 points back. The 60km Husqvarna Classic is one of the most popular one day mountain bike events and the race organiser’s emphasis on superb trails means it is rare for a rider to not drive back from the event with a smile on his or her face. The event was also one of the first mountain bike races in the province to realise that a trail running event was a good addition to the day’s outdoor . . .
Westlake View Logistics Park opens in Modderfontein
The recently launched Westlake View Logistics Park in Modderfontein, Gauteng, is everything a world class A grade logistics park should be – well located, well designed and easily accessible. Situated within the Westlake View Logistics Hub off the N3 London Road off ramp, it is particularly suited to blue chip companies looking for a strategic position in a sought after location where land for development is limited. Westlake View Logistics Park is also something of a trendsetter. Speaking at the launch of Phase 1 of the Westlake View Logistics Park, Fortress Income Fund’s executive director Andrew Teixeira explained that this latest facility had been designed according to the latest global best practice and incorporated top grade safety and security features and best green building practices. Fortress Income Fund – one of the top property funds on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with a property portfolio worth over R28,7-billion – has strategically positioned itself as a provider of premier logistics and warehousing facilities for blue chip tenants in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. It has one of the largest logistics property development pipelines in South Africa. Westlake View forms part of the 1 million sqm of warehousing that is due to be developed over the next five years. This equates to a combined investment of approximately R8 billion. Teixeira said there had been growth in demand for warehousing in South Africa in recent years. Supply chain management trends had seen the consolidation of multiple distribution points into larger, centralised regional distribution hubs. Both the recently launched first phase of Westlake View and the second phase that is to follow facilitate this trend. In addition, Westlake View has been designed with other key trends in supply chain management in mind. Intelligently designed warehousing enables companies to weed out inefficiencies and wastage. “We help drive down costs through technology . . .
Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge & Trail Run – Sunday 30 April 2017
The winner of the women’s race at the 2016 Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge, Jeannie Dreyer, said after the event that she “did not think much more can be done to improve the route.” She was wrong. The race organisers have managed to tweak and develop the course for the showcase 60km race this year and have made it even better than last year according to course designer Bruce Smith. The 60km Husqvarna Classic MTB X-Treme on April 30 will attract the cream of KZN mountain biking and by all accounts the riders in the area are in for a treat with Smith saying the race has to “keep upgrading and changing the trails to remain competitive.” Smith, the father of last year’s race winner Derrin Smith, is a farmer in the Mid Illovo area and leads the team of local farmers who design and build the 60km course. He said they have introduced more free-flowing single track which is not as technical as in 2016. “The route for the first 30km is similar to last year with lots of single track going through iNsingizi game farm. These are technical but worth it. “After 30km last year the race went on a lot of dirt road,” added Smith. “As we’re getting more competitive as a race we want to keep the riders coming back so we’ve got to keep upgrading and changing the trails, so we’ve introduced more free-flowing single track in this section. “The final 12km remains very similar to last year, except we have cut out some of the climbs which proved a bit tough for a lot of riders last year.” But the day is not just about the racing snakes who are looking to test their legs over 60km of challenging mountain biking. This is the 10th anniversary Husqvarna Classic and over the past decade the race has developed into one of the must-do events on the calendar because it offers something for everybody. For those mountain bikers who feel 60km is too much of a challenge, there is a standard 45km Safire MTB race and a relatively gentle 18km Gwahumbe Family Ride. And the younger set are . . .
Tyson Properties spreads its wings to Richards Bay
Tyson Properties is spreading its wings to Richards Bay – one of South Africa’s fastest growing cities. Regis Usaiwevhu and Linah Marijeni, who opened the new branch in the Richards Bay CBD this month, confirmed that the city that has built up around Africa’s deepest port and one of just two national Special Economic Zones in KwaZulu-Natal was attracting a stream of young professionals. The end result is a strong and growing property market. “Richards Bay is home to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (the world’s largest coal exporter) fertilizer manufacturer Foskor, Richards Bay Minerals which mines iron ore, titanium oxide and zircon, SAPPI, Mondi, Hillside which is the biggest aluminium smelter in the Southern Hemisphere and Bell Equipment, amongst others. The support industries that supply these big corporates are numerous and a hub for employment creation. The service industry is also buoyant with serious growth potential,” explains Usaiwevhu who is the managing partner. As a finance executive with over 15 years’ experience working at senior and strategic levels in industry and commerce across KwaZulu-Natal, he has done the due diligence and meticulously explored the prospects. “I have a special interest in real estate and property development and it has always been my aspiration to take up entrepreneurial opportunities in these fields,” he explains. He quotes Statistics SA’s census figures which show that the population within the entire Umhlatuze Municipality (under which Richards Bay falls) has grown by 11% between the 2011 Census (334 000 people) and the 2016 Community Survey (371 000). “Richards Bay has immense growth potential and is constantly innovating. There are a number of turnkey projects that are being considered or are being implemented as we speak,” he continues. These include the establishment of an aluminium hub which is expected to attract downstream industries that will beneficiate aluminium and also iron, steel, and . . .
Fortress Income Fund launches R650 million Louwlardia development
The JSE listed Fortress Income Fund has officially launched the Louwlardia Logistics Park, a R650 million A Grade logistics facility that is under development alongside the N1 in Centurion. Speaking at the launch, executive director Andrew Teixeira said that Louwlardia was part of the 1 million sqm of warehousing that is due to be developed by Fortress over the next five years. This equates to a combined investment of an estimated R8 billion in South Africa’s logistics sector during that period. Fortress Income Fund has become a powerhouse in the South African property industry since listing in 2009. Innovative asset management and a diverse property portfolio has seen the fund showing positive growth every year. The fund focuses on development of prime logistic warehousing, retail centres and strategic offshore investments. Fortress owns 336 investment properties valued at R28,7-billion at the end of December 2016 and has one of the largest logistics property development pipelines in South Africa. Louwlardia, which will see approximately 90 000 sqm of warehousing developed on the 16,7 hectare site, is expected to be completed within the next 24 months. The first phase, which comprises a 21 785 sqm warehouse with 1 843 sqm offices, is complete and ready for occupancy. It has already drawn a great deal of interest from prospective blue chip tenants. National leasing manager, Grant Lewington, said that Louwlardia was an example of the Grade A logistics facilities that the fund is developing in three major nodes - Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban. The Fortress Income Fund’s portfolio is strongly weighted towards logistics facilities located in prime locations. These are let to corporate tenants on long leases. The focus on logistics is due to ever increasing demand for these sorts of facilities from companies operating in a highly competitive economy that is driven by imports, primarily through Africa’s busiest container port, Durban. South . . .
Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge & Trail Run – Sunday 30 April 2017
The 2017 Husqvarna Classic Mid-Illovo MTB Challenge & Trail Run is happening just less than two weeks before the gruelling Sani2C, making it a non-negotiable for those who are following a ruthless training schedule. “The best single track of any single day event” – that is how some riders have described this MTB route. If that is not enough, the scenery is magnificent. Part of the ROAG series, there are various races, each of which run the gauntlet from relatively simple to strenuous. If a game viewing ride is on your sporting bucket list, don’t miss the 40km Safire MTB Classic that traverses two picturesque Game Reserves, Gwahumbe Game & Spa and iNsingizi. For serious riders, the 60km Husqvarna Classic MTB X-treme will test your resolve, but there are options for the whole family, including the 18km Gwahumbe Family Experience and the 10km Fun Ride. It’s a great way to get the kids interested in sports and spending more time outdoors and as each of the tracks has different scenery, you could aim to do a different race every year. The 18km and the 9km iNsingizi trail runs cover rugged terrain through the game reserve. The trail run events will start early – at 6.30am – so that competitors have an opportunity to do a Biathlon by competing in both the run / walk and mountain bike races. Do your bit! Give an Uzwelo school bag to an underprivileged Mid-Illovo child, when you add a R130 donation to your entry. The first 800 entries will receive an Uzwelo goodie bag. Entries close on 26 April 2017 at midnight, but late entries will be accepted on the day. Registration begins at 05.30 on the day, with the first MTB race (60km) starting at 07h30. Enter online at www.roag.co.za or contact ROAG on info@roag.co.za or 086 100 ROAG/7624. Entry Fees 60km Husqvarna Classic MTB X-treme R190 40km Safire MTB Classic R160 18km Gwahumbe MTB Family Experience R140 10km Fun Ride R70 (free for under 12s) 18km iNsingizi Trail Run R115 9km . . .
Organic bamboo baby wear arrives in SA
Kit out your bundle of joy in Boody’s earth and skin-friendly bamboo basics – a trans-seasonal tee and pants, two-way zip onesie or a nifty combo of the singlet and shorts. The popular eco brand Boody, which arrived in South Africa in 2015, has added a trendy baby collection to the range of comfy bamboo adult basics, undies and socks that are finding their way into local closets. Now, eco Mamas can choose from extraordinarily soft, but practical, tops, bottoms, baby grows, bibs and wraps. Not only can they rest assured that Boody’s footprint on the earth is soft, but that the brand’s premium bamboo fabric is skin friendly. The hypo-allergenic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal fabric is also thermo-regulating and anti-static, making it perfect for a baby’s sensitive and delicate skin. Bamboo is a naturally breathable ‘miracle fibre’. Its’ moisture-wicking properties pull sweat away from the skin to avoid irritation, making it perfect for the hot South African climate. Boody’s stretchy fabric provides plenty of movement, making it easy to dress even the wriggliest of tiny tots. Petite fashionistas and trendy moms will love the three earthy shades, matching coloured snap fastenings and contrast binding – and will have plenty of fun gearing your tot out in the entire range or mixing and matching. With Boody Baby, caring is easy. You’ll find Boody at selected Dis-chem stores, independent pharmacies, health stores and online at www.boodywear.co.za For your nearest stockist, see https://boodywear.co.za/apps/store-locator CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. . . .
Unique, uplifting luggage covers brought to you by Uzwelo Bags in partnership with Samsonite
Never miss your luggage on that overcrowded carousel again! The struggle is real, loads of identical bags trundling past, and you either grab the wrong one or spend so long dithering over whether that black suitcase is yours, you miss it. Made out of excess banner fabric, these creative, eye-catching luggage covers by Uzwelo Bags not only make your bags easy to spot, they’re helping uplift the country, too. These unique luggage covers also protect your suitcase against general wear and tear caused by travel and airport handling, provide added security courtesy of the chunky zip which can be locked with a padlock, they are fully washable, and the unique patterns make them easily identifiable. The brainchild of Expand a Sign, the Uzwelo Bags initiative makes use of the excess textile fabric produced by Expand a Sign’s banner creation process. Teams of sewers from underprivileged backgrounds make unique and truly South African bags, uplifting themselves, their families and their community. These luggage covers are available to fit 68cm, 75cm, 81cm and 86cm suitcases, retailing from R450 to R499. Buy your cover today from House of Samsonite luggage stores or online on www.houseofsamsonite.co.za. For more information about Uzwelo, visit www.uzwelo.co.za. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. . . .
