The KPMG Madibaz golf team held their nerve under pressure to regain the University Sport South Africa matchplay title at Port Shepstone Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday. The Nelson Mandela University students maintained their high standing in varsity golf, having also won the title in 2016 and being runners-up last year. The team qualified as the top side for the matchplay by winning the team strokeplay event on Monday and Tuesday, which meant they faced their B side in their opening fixture. Team manager Karl du Preez said they overcame the B side, as well as Varsity College, to set up a final showdown against University of Pretoria. "It was a closely contested final, with Madibaz leading 1.5-0.5 after the morning foursomes. "Tuks won the number three and four singles in the afternoon, but Altin van der Merwe [who had won the individual strokeplay title] and Kyle de Beer came through to take their singles, securing overall victory for Madibaz. "A highlight was the ability of the players to perform under pressure," Du Preez said. "In the matchplay final it looked like we might be going down 1.5-0.5 in the foursomes, but in the last three holes our players turned it on and produced an effort that, I believe, won the title for us." Turning the possible deficit into a 1.5-0.5 lead meant they had to win only two of the four singles to take the trophy, said Du Preez. On a fairly tight course, keeping the ball in play was the key to success. "Winning the strokeplay was set up by three players shooting sub-par rounds," Du Preez said. "Both Altin and Kyle were extremely consistent in the matchplay. Altin was named the most valuable player after getting six out of six points, and Kyle earned five out of six points." Du Preez said Van der Merwe's superb control with his long irons had helped him to keep the ball in play on some of the narrow fairways. "He shot rounds of 68 and 70. His first round of 68 was exceptional as he was …
JBay Winterfest – That’s A Wrap
JBay Winterfest 2018 - MTB, Trail Running and Fishing Finish The Festival! JBay – the final events in the action-packed JBay Winterfest have finished off, which sees the closing of one of the most exciting festivals ever. After the Corona Open JBay Men's and Women's surfing events, the Cold Water Swim Classic, and the Funduro were finished during the early days of the Festival, this weekend saw the culmination of the final events. These events were the JBay Windfarm MTB Classic, the Endurade JBay X Trail Run and the JBay Winterfest Skins Fishing Competition, as well as the final gigs in the hugely popular Corona Sunset Sessions free music shows. JBay Windfarm MTB Classic: The sixth edition of the JBay Wind Farm MTB Classic took place on Saturday 14 July. Riders of all ages and skill levels braved wet and chilly conditions to tackle the finest trails around the Eastern Cape holiday town of Jeffreys Bay. The event, which forms part of the JBay Winterfest, offered three distances a 25km fun ride, 50km marathon and the gruelling 85km ultra marathon. At the sharp end of the ultra marathon, Declan Sidey from Team Mad Macs p/b hazz out of Stellenbosch was the convincing winner. In the women’s race Yolande de Villiers rode a spectacular race to complete her hat trick, finishing sixth overall in the 85km, in a time of 03:59:51. She also collected the R11 000 first prize for her day in the rain, with Anriëtte Schoeman in second and Shauna Esmeyer rounding out the podium. “It was hectic out there,” commented a visibly exhausted De Villiers after the finish. "It was cold and muddy but I still had a lot of fun! The new bits of singletrack and bridges were really awesome,” she said. Full story and results here https://bit.ly/2uHUveX Full gallery here https://bit.ly/2uuKXoj Endurade JBay X Trail Run This three-stage trail run series, with day and night runs, had the biggest entry so far in the history of the event, and was an exciting but grueling …
JBay Winterfest: Corona Open JBay Surfing, Swimming, Music and Funduro
JBay Winterfest: Surfing, Swimming, Music and Funduro JBay – The JBay Winterfest 2018 has had a busy few days, with a number of different events going down in and around the contest hub. The Corona Open JBay Women’s event kicked off last week, with excellent surf at Supertubes following on from the men’s event. South African wildcard Bianca Buitendag did well to win her opening round heat and advance directly to the third round. Surprise eliminations from this event were Sally Fitzgibbons from Australia and Courtney Conlogue (USA). With good surf on track for JBay, the event will restart later in the week. For more go tohttp://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2018/wct/2750/corona-open-j-bay-womens The Cold Water Classic open water swim was a huge success this year, with the most entrants thus far in the event’s six-year history. With an air temperature of 19 C, conditions on land were a stark contrast to the icy water that awaited swimmers from all over South Africa who descended upon Jeffreys Bay to take part in the swim. Only three swimmers entered the costume division of the triple mile, an official Robben Island crossing qualifying swim. Veteran PJ Duffy won the men’s section, while Megan Albertyn won the women’s division. “What an awesome experience! I can't believe I haven't done the Cold Water Classic before - will definitely be back next year,” said Albertyn after her swim. Jeffreys Bay swimmer JC Van Wyk won the double mile while Paige Black won the women’s section of the event. East London swimmer Mbali Vellum in his first cold water swim had to tough it out to complete the double mile. “The water was very very cold but I really wanted to finish the double mile,” said Mbali after his courageous swim. Hannah Counihan from Port Elizabeth won the women’s mile while Peter Michaelides from Knysna won the men’s division. The winners each won a pair of Oakley sunglasses. The triple mile wetsuit division was won by legendary waterman …
Maree takes Jock Classic title by a whisker
BCX professional David Maree won the first and third stages to propel himself to a one-second victory in the Bestmed Jock Classic road cycle race in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, today. With what he described as "outstanding support" from his team, Maree completed the one-day three-stage race over 151km in an overall time of 4:05:03. He outsprinted multiple former champion Dylan Girdlestone on the 63km final stage, leaving the OfficeGuru rider to take second overall in what is one of the country's oldest classics and generally accepted to be the toughest. Steven van Heerden, also BCX, placed fourth behind Dylan le Roux on stage three to complete the general classification podium. Maree, from Fourways in Johannesburg, said he had set himself the goal of winning at least one stage and was delighted with the final outcome. "As it turned out, I managed to win two and the overall title so that was great," said the 27-year-old who finished third last year. "But I could not have managed it without the support of my team." BCX have produced a number of winning performances of late - Marc Pritzen took the spoils at the Kremetart while Chris Jooste won in Knysna - and they were motivated to maintain that form in the Bestmed Jock Classic, presented by Rudy Project. Maree said the support of the team was particularly evident on the final stage from Sabie back to Mbombela, which included the infamous Long Tom Pass. "We knew it could come to a big showdown on Long Tom Pass and from the start Dylan sent a few riders up the road. "But we were able to jump across and from then Clint [Hendricks], Marc and Chris controlled it perfectly. Nobody was able to ride away on the climb because the tempo we set was just too high." He said he knew he just had to bide his time in the closing stages. "I believe that racing is pretty simple if you are ahead and, even though I had a slim lead, all you have to do is to stick with the guys you know who are going to be …
JBay Winterfest 2018: Filipe Toledo Wins Corona Open JBay
JBay Winterfest, Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay – Brazilian surfer Filipe Toledo has taken the win at the 2018 Corona Open JBay at the JBay Winterfest, making it back-to back wins at this prestigious Championship Tour (CT) surfing event. He beat Australian powerhouse surfer and CT rookie Wade Carmichael in excellent surf today, bringing a close to four days of world class men’s surfing at Supertubes. In a fast and exciting final, both surfers showed incredible performance and strength, surfing a number of heats from the quarterfinals all the way to the finals, but it was the Brazilian who had the edge on the Australian, taking the win with his aggressive approach to the long lines of Supertubes. Despite a strong comeback performance from the Australian, including a last-ditch grab-rail air 360 attempt in the dying minutes, it was the lightning-fast young Brazilian who took the honours for the second year in a row. South African CT surfer and two times event champion Jordy Smith was also on form throughout this event, but bowed out to Carmichael in an exciting semifinal clash. With one more chance to put a good score on the board during the final minutes of the heat, Jordy mistimed a huge aerial move at the end section, and was eliminated from the event. In the second semifinal Toledo came up against the dynamic Kanoa Igarashi from Japan, and went to town in this heat, posting two near perfect scores of 9.57 and 9.33 for the win and the finals berth. Filipe Toledo goes to number one on the Jeep Leaderboard, displacing Australian surfer Julian Wilson into second place. Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Italo Ferreira (BRA) make up third and fourth place, while Smith sits fairly comfortably at fifth spot on the rankings, and is again a world title contender, along with the rest of the top five. Oakley, Kouga Municipality, Island Tribe and Bioplus proudly sponsor the JBay Winterfest. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to …
BCX on a roll ahead of Jock Classic
The BCX professional cycling team will be out to continue a recent run of success when they tackle the Bestmed Jock Classic road race in Mpumalanga on Saturday. The 35th edition of the one-day event makes it one of the oldest road races in the country. It will test the riders over 151km, split into three stages, from Mbombela to Sabie, via White River, and then back to the start. BCX riders Chris Jooste and Marc Pritzen have shown fine form lately, with Jooste winning the Knysna Cycle Tour at the beginning of the month and Pritzen taking the honours in the Kremetart in early June. Along with David Maree and Steven van Heerden, they form the nucleus of a potent outfit, backed up by the formidable skills of Clint Hendricks. The 26-year-old Hendricks, who had won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games in April, said this week it was a little early in the year for him and he would adopt a support role. "I am targeting the big classics towards the end of the year so I'm not quite ready for this one yet," he said. "My focus will be very much on supporting my team-mates and making sure we deliver a win for the team. "Our team is looking pretty good at this stage, with guys like Chris and Marc having some good results. "With David and Steve in the mix, we are in good spirits and there will be plenty of motivation to keep the momentum going," Hendricks said. He followed a similar strategy last year, guiding Brendon Davids to the top of the podium, followed by Van Heerden and Maree. The format of the race necessitated a specific strategy over the three stages, he said. "Normally what we try to achieve is not to lose any time on the opening stage, which is over a fast and flat course. Then you have to up the intensity on the second and third stages, where you can try to create a bit of a gap. "There are some key sections that can make a difference to the final run-in, such as the climb up Spitskop on the second stage and the infamous Long …
The eSports community in South Africa gets ready for the LAN Championships final of the Ballistix Masters Gaming League
The Ballistix Masters League 2018 is coming to an end with the final being the LAN championships that runs from the 12th to the 15th of July. The Esports scene is booming in South Africa – and by 2019 it is estimated that 427 million people will be watching eSports worldwide. This year saw the Ballistix Masters run a league over a period of seven months and allowed 188 registered teams (1316 players) to enter and attempt to qualify for the LAN championships. The qualifying teams competed for a seeding position, with the top 10 teams per title being pushed through to the championships, where they will compete head to head, over a four-day period, to decide who the ultimate champions are. The Ballistix Masters teamed up with the local LAN event “LANX” to host the finals at their annual expo. This means this years LAN final will have an awesome space for spectators, security, and food stalls. The LANX event typically hosts up to 500 gamers over the weekend – and this will be combined with the 100 qualifying players for the Ballistix Masters LAN final – all set to give us a one of the greatest events on the eSports calendar in South Africa. The championships start with each title having two groups of five teams (round robin). After the group stages are completed, the top four teams per group will be seeded into a double elimination playoffs bracket until only two teams remain for the grand finale. The majority of the matches will be broadcast live from the event by two official casters (Jubba and Spitzkop) – who will be giving live commentary. The LAN event starts on Thursday the 12th July and ends on Sunday 15th July. There will be an official photographer to capture all the moments - and action photos of the teams doing what they do best. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
Rising Star Cricketers Mfunelwa and Tokwe shine bright in Hilton
Bongile Mfunelwa and Awonke Tokwe travelled to Hilton last week for the Sunfoil Township and Rural Cricket Development Festival. Despite having to endure an arduous 20-hour bus trip from their home town of Khayelitsha to KZN, they arrived in the heart of the Midlands beaming from ear-to-ear. This was another opportunity for these bright young stars to dazzle on the cricket pitch in the colours of the Western Province Rural outfit. Mfunelwa and Tokwe come from Impendulo Primary and Siphamandla High respectively. They were introduced to the sport after the Gary Kirsten Foundation built cricket facilities at their schools. They quickly fell in love with the game and are now proud products of Gary Kirsten Cricket's Township Cricket Development programme. Their hard graft on the artificial pitches installed at their school is now starting to bear fruit. Mfunelwa is an enterprising wicket-keeper batsman who put in a number of eye catching performances throughout the week in the under-15 division. He signed off with a splendid knock of 70* of 99 balls against Northern Cape on the final day of the tournament. His handy glove work also saw him claim a few catches behind the stumps. Another feather in the cap of the GKF was the selection of coach, Sivuyile Mfunelwa to head up the under-15 side. He was impressed by Bongile’s contribution and attitude on the tour. “Bongile is a talented young boy who is learning to cope with top junior cricket quickly,” Mfunelwa said. Last season he made the Western Province under-13 side and has been selected to attend Rondebosch Boys High next year. “He has a big future ahead of him and has the potential to emerge from the township as a star,” Mfunelwa said. “His progress inspires many other kids in Khayelitsha,” he added. Tokwe is a lanky, right-arm fast bowler who has come on in leaps and bounds since taking up the sport in 2016. He bagged five wickets from four matches in his debut tour for …
Promotion goal achieved for Madibaz footballers
The Madibaz men's football team achieved their goal of gaining promotion to the A section when the University Sport South Africa tournament ended in Port Elizabeth last week. In a tense finish to the B section, the Nelson Mandela University side defeated Stellenbosch on penalties in the third-place play-off. The top three B section teams earned promotion to the A section for next year's USSA week. Coach Wayne Iveson said they were delighted with the outcome after a week of tough competition. "Gaining promotion was definitely our aim and it was great to achieve what we had set out to do," he said. "I am still convinced that if we had produced better finishing, we could have made the B section final, but we are more than happy just to return to the A section. "After all the work they had put in it was really good to see the players so pleased at achieving what they wanted." Madibaz Football manager Mark Tommy said it was gratifying that the players and management team had delivered on the task of gaining promotion. "That achievement forms part of our overall strategy for Madibaz football, which is to return to the Varsity Football competition," he said. "We are extremely excited that we will be competing for a spot in Varsity Football in 2020." Tommy also praised the Madibaz women's team, who ended 12th out of 20 teams, improving on their 17th position from a year ago. "As it turned out it was extremely close. We could easily have ended higher up. "The margin between finishing 12th and a spot in the top eight all came down to goal difference in the group stages and Madibaz just lost out on that count. "But it was encouraging to see the growth of the women's game." Tommy had more praise for two young Madibaz players, Samuel Connelly and Athenkosi Papu, who received recognition at the end of the week. "They are among the exciting young players we have and were chosen for the USSA team to compete in the Safa (SA Football …
Unbeaten UJ women take USSA football title
The University of Johannesburg women's team maintained an unbeaten record to emerge as champions at the end of the University Sport South Africa football tournament in Port Elizabeth last week. UJ topped their group and clinched the title when they defeated Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on penalties in the final. All the matches were played at Nelson Mandela University. Coach Jabulile Baloyi said afterwards that UJ had set themselves a goal ? to improve on the fourth position they had achieved last year. "We went into the week with a strong desire to do better than 2017 when we were the hosts," she said. "We wanted to finish higher this time." A number of elements had contributed to their success, she added. "The first thing is that we were extremely disciplined on and off the field. "The unity in the team was also strong and we kept telling ourselves we were capable of winning the title. "The whole group believed it and we were always motivated to make sure we achieved more than last year. "In addition, we had a different approach for every match and adopted the approach of taking it one game at a time." Baloyi said their work ethic extended beyond just the players, with the management team playing a critical role behind the scenes to ensure the squad remained focused. Striker Amanda Mthandi played a big part, scoring nine goals during the tournament. "She was the top goal-scorer and was named player of the tournament," said the coach. Dineo Magagula was also outstanding and was named goalkeeper of the tournament. "Not counting penalty shootouts, she conceded only three goals during the week." Playing in group C, the team drew their first match but won the remaining three pool games before entering a tense play-off situation. "In the semifinals we came up against University of Western Cape and won on penalties after the score was 1-1 at the end of regulation time," Baloyi said. "It was the same in the final …