World Transplant
Games
Durban
Cycling
Tuesday 30 July
Great Britain dominated the World Transplant Games
cycling time trials in Durban claiming thirteen medals in the various age
categories. Overall winner for the men’s race was Erlend Gjerde
from the Norway and Ottilie Quince from Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Gjerde defended his title from the 2011 Games in
Goteborg, Sweden where he bettered his time in Durban shaving off 39 seconds
off his Swedish result. He finished the five kilometres in Durban in an
impressive time of 7.49.
Second placed Richard Smith was his closest rival with
three seconds separating the two. The British cyclist, Smith, commented after
the race, “My time was slow today. It was hot out on the road, in Great
Britain, our summers are this hot, so had to adjust to the heat. The wind off
the ocean was a bit of a challenge on the first long beach road.”
Smith talked about his training back home, “I train as
much as any other abled body competitor.” He said with a cheeky grin on his
face, “Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose. When I lose I wickedly blame my
transplant. But I feel normal.”
Smith will be back on the bike tomorrow to defend his
2011 title in the 20km event, Would be nice to get the two in the bag.” He
concluded.
Quince (31) from Luton also defended her title with a
convincing win in a time of 8.45. “My aim today was to win the overall line
honours and I am delighted with my race.” stated a chuffed Quince.
Luton’s pedalling queen stated after her ride, “It was
hard, on the stretch parallel to the beach I was riding straight into a
headwind, so battled a bit with that. Yesterday, during practice the wind was a
tail wind, so was different.”
Guest cyclist, Mayor of eThekiwini, James Nxumalo also
took to the five kilometre race, “It was fantastic, a nice run and at the same
time quite challenging.” said his worship. “I ride at least once a week from
Ushaka to Blue Lagoon and back again. I am in training for this year’s
Amashova.”
“It was a wonderful atmosphere around the event today, people are enjoying themselves and the race but at the same time are getting a vital message across about giving people a second chance by signing up as an organ donor.”
“The city council has a strong drive about cycling around
the city; we are promoting our own councillors to cycle to meetings between the
ICC and City Hall. We have undertaken to all motivate others to live a healthy
lifestyle and of course, with a lot more bikes on the roads, there will be far
less congestion.”
Second placed Nora Lombaard representing South Africa but
resides in Namibia only began cycling in January, “This is my second race, I
did the qualifying back home and now this one. I am riding at a cycling club
where we get to do some wonderful road cycling. I enjoyed the race today, it
was very good.”
The youngest competitor at the event, Robert Laubscher
from Milnerton in Cape Town completed the 5km in a time of 14.34 loved his time
on the bike, “It was easy!” said the confident young man, “and very nice. I am
still going to be competing in swimming tomorrow where I am racing in the
freestyle, butterfly and backstroke.”
“I have participated in a few triathlons, swimming is my favourite. But I enjoy cycling as well, I get to cycle often with my Mom and Dad.”
89 cyclists entered the 5km race, with all the cyclists
competing racing against the clock. The route was cycled around the stadium
precinct, with the riders cycling from the Kings Park Pool heading to the
ocean, and then turning towards Blue Lagoon before turning inland and again
towards the city, returning to the finish at Kings Park Pool.
President of the World Transplant Games Federation, Mr
Olivier Coustere announced at the prize giving, “I am impressed by the race; I
am impressed by the children competing. Everyone, the motivation on your faces
showing the determination to finish the race was inspiring to see.”
For more info visit www.wtg2013.com
or like the Facebook page to keep up with what is happening. Tomorrow
(Wednesday) the cyclists will be returning to Kings Park Pool, this time
pedalling around a 20km course.
Results
Men Overall
1 Erlend Gjerde
(Norway), 2 Richard Smith (Great Britain and Northern Ireland), 3 Gavin Giles
(Great Britain and Northern Ireland), 4 Stefano Caredda (Italy), 5 Randall
Stafford (USA)
Women Overall
1 Ottilie Quince (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
8.45, 2 Hilde Dorman (Netherlands) 10.21, 3 Mellisa Slanley (Great Britain and
Northern Ireland) 10.22, 4 Ulrika
Svantesson (Sweeden) 10.29, 5 Elizabeth Schick (Switzerland) 10.42
ENDS
World Transplant Games
Durban
Tuesday 30 July
5km Cycling Time Trials
Results
Age Category
Boys 9-11
1 Robert Laubscher (South Africa) 14.34
Girls 12-14
1 R.e. Pijl (Netherlands)
15.08
Boys 12-14
1 Nicholas Shugg (Australia) 12.48
Girls 15-17
1 Elizabeth Morris (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
11.29
Women 18 – 29
1 Hilde Dorman (Netherlands) 10.21, 2 Nora Lombaard
(South Africa) 13.40, 3 Charlotte Rodriguez (France) 18.45
Men 18 – 29
1 Luis Francisco Sanz Diaz (Spain) 8.30, 2 Gideon Elve
(Netherlands) 9.27, 3 Simon Ripley (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.07
Women 30 – 39
1 Ottilie Quince (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
8.45, 2 Jorie Von Ohlen (United States of America) 17.57
Men 30 – 39
1 Erlend Gjerde (Norway) 7.49, 2 Gavin Giles (Great
Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.01, 3 Bas Hoven (Netherlands) 8.33
Women 40 – 49
1 Melissa Slaney (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
10.22, 2 Ulrika Svantesson (Sweden) 10.29, 3 Zoe Dixon (Great Britain and
Northern Ireland) 10.47
Men 40-49
1 Richard Smith (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
7.52, 2 Stefano Caredda (Italy) 8.06, 3 Antonio Ontoso (Spain) 8.11
Women 50 – 59
1 Elizabeth Shick (Switzerland) 10.42, 2 Diana Higman
(Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.45, 3 Liliana Zelasqui (Argentina)
11.03
Men 50 – 59
1 Randall Stafford (United States of America) 8.10, 2 John
Moran (Ireland) 8.23, Gerald Brown (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.28
Women 60 – 69
1 Fidelma Hodkinson (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
12.09, 2 Gisele Ceppi-Lucas (Switzerland) 12.47
Men 60 – 69
1 Alain Fossard (France) 8.21, 2 Koos Moerkerk
(Netherlands) 8.50, 3 Robert Jolliffe (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.54
Men 70+
1 Thomas Jenkin (United States of America) 8.48, 2 Enrico
Dell’Acqua (Italy) 10.05, 3 Jean-Claude Le Bourhis (France) 10.11
ENDS
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