By Adolf Kaure.

The organisers of the world’s longest single-stage mountain biking occasion, the Nedbank Desert Dash, say every thing is in place for the twentieth version of the competitors, scheduled for six and seven December. This yr’s Dash is scheduled to begin on the Grove Mall in Windhoek on Friday afternoon 06 December, proceed all through the evening and finish in Swakopmund on the subsequent day.

Competitors will cycle a complete of 401 kilometres throughout the Khomas Hochland and the Namib earlier than finishing the race at Swakopmund’s Platz am Meer Mall on Saturday, 7 December.

The Nedbank Desert Dash piloted in 2005 with 45 cyclists competing within the inaugural race. This yr, near 1000 ardent cyclists will tackle this gruelling check of endurance, celebrating 20 years of the Dash.

With N$564,000 in prize cash, winners will obtain superb rewards for his or her efforts.

Race organiser, Leander Borg from LEMA Events, gave additional particulars of this yr’s Dash:

“One of the exciting updates for this year is that we have increased the distance by 4km and added a couple of exciting categories, which have been well accepted by the riders, as evidenced by the number of entrants.”

“As we rejoice this massive milestone, we prolong our deepest gratitude to all our sponsors who make this extraordinary occasion doable.

“Our heartfelt thanks goes particularly to Nedbank Namibia, whose decade-long dedication and substantial funding have fuelled the expansion and success of the occasion, reworking it into the enduring race it’s in the present day,’ Borg stated.

He added that every one the co-sponsors play a serious function in making certain the success of the Nedbank Desert Dash in order that it stays a memorable, world-class expertise for cyclists and supporters alike.*

A complete of 19 feminine solo riders have entered this yr’s race, with 11 of them from Namibia and 5 from South Africa, with one rider every from Germany, Sweden and Portugal.

The solo males’s race attracted 129 cyclists, with 62 from Namibia, 40 from South Africa and 13 from Germany. The remainder of the riders are from Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Canada, France, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

There are eight feminine and 80 male 2-man groups, in addition to 32 feminine and 124 male 4-man groups this yr. A complete of 30 combined groups additionally entered for this yr’s race.

For the half-Dash solo race, 11 feminine and 68 male cyclists entered, whereas 14 feminine and 44 male half-Dash groups entered.

This yr, the organisers have launched a brand new separate age class for cyclists over 50 within the solo race and the 2-man half Dash.

According to Nedbank Namibia’s Communications and Public Relations Manager, Selma Kaulinge, the enduring endurance race continues to influence the native economic system considerably including that past the financial advantages, Nedbank is pleased with the charitable engagements of the Dash over time.

* The Nedbank Namibia Desert Dash is co-sponsored by Spar Maerua Mall, Toyota Indongo, Paratus, Hollard Insurance, Walvis Bay Salt Co, Ciovita, Cymot, Heineken, Coca-Cola, Radio Wave, the Grove Mall, Welwitschia Hospital, Platz am Meer, Rudy Project, Namibia Cycling Federation, Langer Heinrich Uranium and Bannerman Resources.