WC riders shine at SA Track Omnium Championships
Western Cape Cycling made the Western Cape Provincial Sport Confederation (WCPSC) proud when they hosted a very successful South African Track Omnium Championship Meeting in Paarl on Saturday.
WC Cycling accepted the challenge to host the event at short notice and put their best foot forward and presented a well-oiled meeting.
Corne Bence, president of WC Cycling, was impressed with the arrangements and the standard of the cycling. He said Cape Winelands Cycling, who arranged the meeting on behalf of and in conjunction with WC Cycling, should take a bow for a job well done.
It was hot, but everything went well. The people who were in charge of arranging the meeting did an excellent job and Corne also thanked Drakenstein Municipality for their assistance with the track.
He singled out Elrick Kulsen, Ian Goetham, Zane Parsons and Nigel Isaacs for the exemplary job they have done.
Bence is also a national selector and said the racing was of a very high standard, even though the Paarl heat was something else. He says the competition in the elite men and women categories was particularly tough.
Gauteng’s David Maree pipped Western Cape’s Nolan Hoffman for the gold medal, with Steven van Heerden (Gauteng) third. Corne praised Maree for an excellent performance. Maree is also the African Continental Omnium champion.
Promising Paarl rider Ethan Kulsen boxed above his weight class when the 14-year-old won the gold medal in the under 17-category. His WC teammate Fayyadh Hendricks took bronze.
Bence lauded Kulsen and said he rode very well against older and more experienced competitors. Their competition was also hard and very exciting, added Corne.
Two girls from Eden District surprised all and sundry with their performances in the category for junior girls. Charlissa Schultz took gold with 148 points accumulated in the 5 events, with teammate Charlese Murphy third on 108 points. Their teammate Chandre Schultz, Charlissa’s sister, finished third in the under 17 girls’ category.
Now the cyclists turn their attention to the SA track cycling meeting in Pietermaritzburg from 20-24 March. Bence said WC Cycling’s goal now is to convince the top road riders (men and women) to take up track cycling, particularly for the Omnium, as the best endurance riders make the top Omnium riders.
We want to entice them to come take part in the national championships next year, said Corne
