Gauteng is getting ready to dig deep at the Nissan TrailSeeker season finale. The event is set to take over Cullinan this weekend, a quaint miners’ village about a 30-minute drive east of Pretoria.
Since the discovery of the world’s biggest diamond in 1905, the pioneering settlement prides itself in a long-lived tradition of hard work and perseverance. It is fitting, then, that the curtains of the popular mountain bike series close here.
It is a busy weekend for the South African world of mountain biking. The Nissan TrailSeeker Diamond rush is an old favourite, however, and with over 2500 entries predicted looks to be a sell-out event.
An exciting start is in store for riders, who will initially follow a route through the town before being taken out into their breathtaking surroundings.
The area is rich in more than just diamonds and is also one of South Africa’s biggest producers of Proteas. After the recent bout of summer rain, riders will be swept away as they traverse the blooming fields.
A high-speed route awaits half marathon and fun entries, with technical and sandy sections in the mix too.
With a lot of the seasoned campaigners racing elsewhere and taking their season’s break, the gauntlet has been thrown open for new talent to step up and podium at an event with extensive media coverage, prize money and prestige.
Declan Sidey is one such rider who has raised his hand as the man to take the win. The Kavuki Investment’s athlete has had a successful Nissan TrailSeeker season and currently sits in fourth on the series standings. Should he walk away from Cullinan victorious, he will finish the Nissan TrailSeeker Gauteng series on the podium:
“I’m looking to finish on a high. I’ve placed second, third and fifth in the Nissan TrailSeeker this year and there’s something missing… I can assure you it’s not a fourth place! Ending the season on the podium has been my goal from the start,” said an excited Sidey.
Full marathon riders are in for nothing less than 70km of mountain biking bliss. Above the expected river crossings and majestic views, an exciting ‘lava section’ is on the cards.
A historic eruption created deep gorges in the area, and blazed a tunnel through one of the surrounding mountains. Cullinan riders will have the opportunity to experience the renowned ‘lava tunnel’, which has been included in the full marathon route.
An added bonus is that the fun does not stop once the race is over. This is a town that calls adventurers and thrives off tourism. Some of the best adrenaline-pumping activities in Gauteng are available like horse rides, zip lines, abseiling and quad biking (to name a few).
This certainly makes for the ideal family adventure.
Cullinan’s main street, Oak Avenue, is also a favourite for visitors looking to enjoy craft brewery and gourmet food.
Bring the family for the last Nissan TrailSeeker adventure for the year! The event has something for everybody – the 10km fun ride, 20km fun race, 40km half marathon and 70km full marathon.
Entries can be found at http://advendurance.com/
Source: Inside Line
