The coordinators of the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) Boland Project are pleased to announce that three Cape Leopards are continuing to make good use of the Contego Wines2Whales MTB routes.
According to Anita Meyer, CLT Boland Project, after their latest camera checking excursion in mid October it is clear that three Cape Leopards,Scott (BM12, Boland Male #12), Popeye (BM17, Boland Male #17) and Olive (BF14, Boland Female #14) have become regulars on the Wines2Whales routes. “Popeye (BM17, Boland Male #17) and Olive (BF14, Boland Female #14) have been spotted a number of times on the De Rust routes, while Scott (BM12, Boland Male #12) seems to be enjoying the Schapenberg trails. Thanks to the Wines2Whales cameras we have identified a new female that we would not otherwise have picked up on, and we also have new locations for known individuals. As Leopards are such wide-ranging animals, all locations identified by the cameras aid us in forming a rough idea of each individual’s home range. The cameras have also once again captured other animals in action such as large-spotted genet, small grey mongoose, porcupine, grysbok, duiker, honey badger and caracal,” says Meyer. In September 2011 the organizers of the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati showed their support of the CLT Boland Project by donating five digital camera traps to the project. Information on the three leopards spotted on the Wines2Whales route: - Scott (BM12, Boland Male #12) has been recorded over a very large area stretching from just north of Sir Lowry’s Pass, through the Steenbras Mountains and across the Kogelberg Biosphere reserve. · - Popeye (BM17, Boland Male #17) ranges quite extensively throughout Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve and the Groenlandberg mountains and has previously been photographed near Houw Hoek Inn. · - Olive (BF14, Boland Female #14) has been recorded at three locations in the Groenlandberg Reserve within the dominant male BM17’s territory. For more information on the Cape Leopard and the work of the CLT Boland Project, go to www.capeleopard.org.za andwww.facebook.com/capeleopard. Event Information: Starting in the Wine lands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus! CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB ADVENTURE: Friday, 2 November 2012 until Sunday, 4 November 2012 CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB RACE: Friday, 9 November 2012 until Sunday, 11 November 2012 Start Venue: Lourensford Estate, Somerset West Race Village: Oak Valley Sports Field, Elgin (Western Cape) Finish: Onrus Caravan Park, just outside of Hermanus (Western Cape) Follow us on Twitter: @w2wmtb Follow us on Facebook: Contego Wines2Whales For more information on the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati visit www.wines2whales.co.za ISSUED BY Wines2Whales Organisation For further information, please contact Jacky McClean on 083 291 9283 or e-mail [email protected]
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This Saturday night @ Cocos is Halloween time! Give aways, prizes for best dressed and drinks specials on the night. 10:00pm until 4:00am Jagermeister @ R12 Cocos Caramel or Watermelon Vodka @ R8 3 x Play Bombs @ R59 Mambo Jambo Jar @ R29 NO UNDER 18'S, NO I.D NO ENTRY SO DON'T FORGET ROAR Riders taking part in the much loved Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race powered by Maserati will be pleased to hear that the prize purse for 2012 has increased considerably from 2011.
According to Michael Meyer (Director Contego Wines2Whales) it is with great excitement that the prize purse has been increased. “The Contego Wines2Whales celebrates its 4th anniversary this year. The event has grown extensively since its introduction in 2009, because of this we are able to increase the prize money to over R200 000. Our winning men’s and women’s teams will ride off with R15 000 after day three, while our mixed team winners will take home R10 000. We trust that this will make their victories that much sweeter,” says Meyer. The full prize money breakdown can be viewed on www.wines2whales.co.za Although the prize money only applies to the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race, riders taking part in the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure can look forward to winning awesome lucky draw prizes compliments of our sponsors. Event Information: Starting in the Wine lands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus! CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB ADVENTURE: Friday, 2 November 2012 until Sunday, 4 November 2012 CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB RACE: Friday, 9 November 2012 until Sunday, 11 November 2012 Start Venue: Lourensford Estate, Somerset West Race Village: Oak Valley Sports Field, Elgin (Western Cape) Finish: Onrus Caravan Park, just outside of Hermanus (Western Cape) Follow us on Twitter: @w2wmtb Follow us on Facebook: Contego Wines2Whales Prizes up for grabs compliments of our incredible sponsors will include: 1x KTM Phinx 3.29 mountain bike (Valued at R 19 995 / Contego Wines2Whales Adventure), 1x KTM Phinx 2.29 mountain bike (Valued at R 25 995 / Contego Wines2Whales Race), Suunto Ambits, ION AIR PRO action cameras, Maserati vouchers (this includes a track day and lunch with Maserati), Mizuno shoe vouchers, Thule travel product and hampers from ProNutro Active, REHIDRAT® SPORT and First Ascent. For more information on the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati e-mail [email protected] or visitwww.wines2whales.co.za Wines2Whales Organisation For further information, please contact Jacky McClean on 083 291 9283 or e-mail [email protected] PERI, one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of formwork and scaffolding systems in the world, is currently working on a very exciting project, aptly named “Big Dipper” for the 2012 Contego Wines2Whales (W2W) MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati, taking place from 2 to 4 November 2012 and 9 to 11 November 2012 respectively.
The Big Dipper, a bridge approximately 210 m in length and 1,2 m wide, is set to be one of the most impressive spectator points of the W2W Adventure and Race. Riders will experience this magnificent structure during Stage One at the Elgin Grabouw Country Club where the bridge crosses over the Eikenhof Dam. According to Ken Piper, PERI Sales Engineer, the bridge was named “Big Dipper” because it hits the water twice. “Due to the dam being full, a special eco depth reading must be taken to design the scaffolding and map a suitable path. A specially designed barge, with electric winch, was built to erect scaffolding towers in the water. It will take seven working days to erect the scaffolding in the dam and a total of 20 people will work 10 hours per day, just on site. The Big Dipper is an individual scaffold support tower, spliced girders span between the tower and shipping pallets are secured to the top of the girders. Chicken wire mesh is placed on all inclines to provide sufficient grip for the mountain bike tyres in wet and muddy conditions. Safety hand rails are only fitted where the bridge is more than 1,5 m above ground level and over very rocky terrain. There are no safety rails along the section winding over the open water, hence the name Big Dipper,” laughs Piper. Although PERI is the sponsor of the Big Dipper and the other bridge structures for W2W, Piper maintains that without Richard Baufeldt’s guts and determination, the project would not have been possible. PERI has employed Richard to build all the structures for both events. A mock up of part of the Big Dipper is currently at the PERI premises in Blackheath. The mock up has been built to scale in order to test the durability of the bridge. Big Dipper Interesting Specs: 1. The highest point above ground/water is about 3,0 m. 2. The deepest tower under water is 3,5 m. 3. The max span is 6,5 m between scaffold support towers. 4. The Quickshore scaffold bridge will span 16 m. 5. Total weight is 15 400 kg plus 220 shipping pallets Event Information: Starting in the Wine lands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus! CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB ADVENTURE: Friday, 2 November 2012 until Sunday, 4 November 2012 CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB RACE: Friday, 9 November 2012 until Sunday, 11 November 2012 Start Venue: Lourensford Estate, Somerset West Race Village: Oak Valley Sports Field, Elgin (Western Cape) Finish: Onrus Caravan Park, just outside of Hermanus (Western Cape) Follow us on Twitter: @w2wmtb Follow us on Facebook: Contego Wines2Whales For more information on PERI visit www.peri.co.za. For more information on the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati e-mail [email protected] or visit www.wines2whales.co.za Wines2Whales Organisation For further information, please contact Jacky McClean on 083 291 9283 or e-mail [email protected] The Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race powered by Maserati has been an avid supporter of songo.info (a charity focusing on bringing sport to the Kayamandi township of Stellenbosch) since the race’s inception in 2009.
Each year the organizers of the Contego Wines2Whales supply songo.info with entries into this much loved mountain bike event. These coveted entries are utilized as part of songo.info’s hugely successful ‘Ride with a Celebrity’ campaign. Taking the form of an auction, riders can bid to team up with their favorite celebrities. The 2012 Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race will see Christoph Sauser, Burry Stander and Oliver Munnik team up with John Sparks, Trevor McLean Anderson and Michael Creedon. Dan Hugo will also be riding for the initiative. His partner however has unfortunately suffered an injury and will need to be replaced. According to Songo Fipaza, Co-Founder of songo.info, it is a privilege to once again be joining forces with the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race. “We are very proud to be able to offer this fantastic experience to our “Ride with a Celebrity” VIP's. Not only does this event present us with a great marketing opportunity for songo.info, but it is also an incredible opportunity to raise significant funds for the Organisation, while keeping fit and enjoying the outdoors. To date Contego Wines2Whales has been one of the key fundraising events for the charity. We would like to thank the Wines2Whales team for making this incredible fundraising and marketing opportunity possible for us,” says Fipaza. “It is an honor for us to be an official charity of the Contego Wines2Whales,” says Christoph Sauser, World Marathon Champion and Co-Founder of songo.info. “The event is super well organized and one of the largest mountain biking events in the Cape. It presents us with the perfect platform to be recognized and raise funds for the charity while having fun with our charity riders and the public. Wines2Whales is the perfect combination of friendship, nature and riding. The event organizers know how to package the best trails in the Cape into three days of riding. I really enjoy the trails, but most of all I really like the idea of ending at the sea. It’s a goal and achievement to look forward to”. Event Information: Starting in the Winelands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus! CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB ADVENTURE: Friday, 02 November 2012 until Sunday, 04 November 2012 CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB RACE: Friday, 09 November 2012 until Sunday, 11 November 2012 Start Venue: Lourensford Estate, Somerset West Race Village: Oak Valley Sports Field, Elgin (Western Cape) Finish: Onrus Caravan Park, just outside of Hermanus (Western Cape) Follow us on Twitter: @w2wmtb Follow us on Facebook: Contego Wines2Whales For more information on the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati e-mail [email protected] or visitwww.wines2whales.co.za The Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race powered by Maserati celebrates its fourth anniversary in November. Taking place the weekend of 09 – 11 November 2012, teams of two riders (male/female/mixed) will be seen crossing through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus! The distance covered will vary from 70km to 80km each day. Dominic Calitz and Matthys Beukes rode to victory in the men’s team category of the 2011 Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race. For Calitz the most enjoyable part of the Race was the single-track. “Mountain bikers who enjoy riding single track should definitely enter this race. Stage one and two had the best single track that I’ve ever experienced. I still hear riders talking about the great trails. The vibe in the race village was also in true mountain biking spirit,” says Calitz who will be seen teaming up with Craig Boyes at the 2012 Contego W2W MTB Race. Ischen Stopforth and Catherine Williamson took gold in the women’s race. According to Stopforth the routes were beautiful with a good diversity. “The single track was really good, ride-able but still technical enough to make it fun and challenging. The scenery was beautiful and there was quite a bit of tough climbing to do. The vibe at the finish was really great. At the end of each stage we could enjoy the race village and just relax with other riders. My advice is to ride within yourself, enjoy the scenery and area in which we are riding. Have fun and don’t be overly competitive if you’re not racing for podium,” says Stopforth. Yolande De Villiers and Johan Labuschagne are the mixed team to look out for at this year’s Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race. They’ll be aiming for their third consecutive victory. “The route with all its flowing single track is a winner,” says De Villiers. “Wines2Whales is usually our last race of the season, so we enjoy every second of it and do try to take it easy. The atmosphere at the race village is relaxed and the organizers clearly go to great lengths to ensure a race that is as enjoyable as possible for all riders. It truly is a wonderful privilege to be able to mountain bike in such magnificent areas. Enjoy every moment of the experience”. The Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure powered by Maserati celebrates its second anniversary this year and will take place from 02 – 04 November 2012 (the weekend before the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race). Amoryn Saayman and Adele Ambrose were the firstwomen’s team to be crowned champions at this exciting event. According to Saayman, the Contego Wines2Whales Adventure was the best back-to-back mountain biking that they’ve ever done. “The scenery, friendly support crew and endless fun and challenging trails reminded us why we started mountain biking. The route meandered through some of the most rugged and scenic regions of the Western Cape. It was like a playground out there with lots of fast and flowing single track, nice open Jeep track and some lung busting climbs…all very rewarding,” says Saayman. Ronel van Wyk and Ben Cronje took gold in the mixed team category. “The event was absolutely magnificent,” says Van Wyk. “Last year Oom Ben’s original partner withdrew due to work commitments. I was very lucky to be asked to take his place. I have, however, always wanted to race Wines2Whales. That is why my fiancé and I have decided to take part in the Contego Wines2Whales Race this year. We are really looking forward to it,” says Van Wyk. Eben Espach and Bruce Poole where the victors in the men’s team category of the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure. “We were fit and wanted to be competitive,” says Espach. “The route was great. The best way to cope with a three-day mountain bike race is to do the km’s beforehand and make sure that your bike is mechanically sound. To ensure that you get the most out of the three days remember to relax and enjoy the scenery”. Unfortunately Espach and Poole won’t be able to participate this year due to work commitments, but the duo will definitely be toeing the line in 2013. Event Information:
CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB ADVENTURE: Friday, 02 November 2012 until Sunday, 04 November 2012 CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB RACE: Friday, 09 November 2012 until Sunday, 11 November 2012 Distance Covered: between 70km – 80km per day STAGE ONE: Start Lourensford Wine Estate (Somerset West) Finish Oak Valley Sport Field (Elgin) STAGE TWO: Start Oak Valley Sport Field (Elgin) Finish Oak Valley Sport Field (Elgin) STAGE THREE: Start Oak Valley Sport Field (Elgin) Finish Onrus Caravan Park (just outside Hermanus) Follow Contego Wines2Whales on Twitter: @w2wmtb Like the Contego Wines2Whales Facebook page: Contego Wines2Whales For more information on the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati e-mail [email protected] or visitwww.wines2whales.co.za For further information, please contact Jacky McClean on 083 291 9283 or e-mail [email protected] |
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