The Pick n Pay Mokolodi Scorpion Mountain Bike (MTB) challenge will look to celebrate its 10th anniversary next week with another tough race on the cards.
The race, which is held in the scenic Mokolodi Nature Reserve, will take place next week Sunday.
Known as ‘a race with a sting in the back’ due to its toughness, this year’s event is expected to attract at least 350 riders from within Botswana and abroad. As has been in the past two years, this year’s race has been sponsored to the tune of P40 000 by Pick n Pay.
Speaking at the race’s press briefing this past Friday, the event’s Race Director, Marius de Wet, said there will be a few changes to the race’s routes for this year’s event. He said the new routes come due to permanent cycling routes within the Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
As has been the norm in the race, De Wet says the new routes will still have some nice game views, something which makes the race unique as riders get to see wild animals within the reserve while at the same time minimizing encounters with Rhinos within the reserve.
Despite the route changes, de Wet promised there will still be a lot of sting and no easy ride for the race entrants. He said the route will take competitors through some rocky climbs as well as through river sand.
“This is a very technical race and needs participants to be very fit, both physically and mentally,” De Wet explained.
Of the 350 entrants expected to grace the race’s tenth anniversary, De Wet said 150 entrants will be expected to take part in the 52 km and 22 km races while the remaining number will be kids participating in the 5 km race.
Meanwhile, de Wet said they are expecting participants from South Africa and Zimbabwe to attend this year’s race. He added that they won’t be expecting elite cyclers from South Africa as they will be taking part in races in their country.
Pick n pay Botswana representative, Kealogile Moagae, said the retail giants are proud to be part of the cycling sport in the country ‘and particularly the Scorpion MTB Challenge.’
“Pick n Pay is proud to be sponsors of this great sporting event over the last nine years and now the tenth,” Moagae said.
She added that, with sport playing a great part in people’s daily lives, the retail giants are promoting a healthy society by sponsoring the event.
The winner of the Mokolodi MTB challenge will walk away with a floating trophy while the first Motswana to cross the finish line will be awarded the Fabian Gordon Trophy. There will also be cash prizes for winners in different categories of the race.
