NAMIBIA’S top and future talent in mountain biking was showcased on Sunday at the National Cross Country Championships in Windhoek, where Marc Bassingthwaighte regained gold in the elite men’s category, a title that he last won in 2006.
At least 50 riders competed in the challenging course in the hills near Maerua Mall. Heinrich Koehne took silver in the elite men’s category behind Trek Garmin rider Marc Bassingthwaighte.In the under-23 men’s race, pro rider Ermin van Wyk took the honours with Victor Nakalenga taking the silver medal.Charmaine Shannon is the women’s elite champion.It was especially the younger age group participants who provided excellent performances, which bodes well for a strong future for mountain biking in Namibia.The event was sponsored by Windhoek Consulting Engineers and hosted by the Namibian Cycling Federation and Rock & Rut Mountain Bike Club.The full results were as follows: Medal results: Elite Men: 1 Marc Bassingthwaighte, 2 Heinrich Koehne; Elite Women: 1 Charmaine Shannon; U/23 Men: 1 Ermin van Wyk, 2 Victor Nakalenga; Junior Men: 1 Heiko Redecker, 2 Mirko Maier, 3 Florian Drobisch; U/16 Boys: 1 Patrick Reimers, 2 Till Drobisch, 3 Matthias Kreft; U/16 Girls: 1 Vera Adrian; U/14 Boys: 1 Zillan du Pisani, 2 Martin Freyer, 3 Michael Pretorius; U/14 Girls: 1 Ane Hoepfner; U/12: 1 Herbert Peters, 2 Tristan de Lange, 3 Pascal Henle; Veteran Men: 1 Andy Chase, 2 Ian Grassow, 3 Louis du Pisani; Veteran Women: 1 Monika Grossmann, 2 Anja Schroder, 3 Romy Noeske; Master Men: 1 Aidan de Lange, 2 Rolf Adrian, 3 Hennie Koehne.Heinrich Koehne took silver in the elite men’s category behind Trek Garmin rider Marc Bassingthwaighte.In the under-23 men’s race, pro rider Ermin van Wyk took the honours with Victor Nakalenga taking the silver medal.Charmaine Shannon is the women’s elite champion.It was especially the younger age group participants who provided excellent performances, which bodes well for a strong future for mountain biking in Namibia.The event was sponsored by Windhoek Consulting Engineers and hosted by the Namibian Cycling Federation and Rock & Rut Mountain Bike Club.The full results were as follows: Medal results: Elite Men: 1 Marc Bassingthwaighte, 2 Heinrich Koehne; Elite Women: 1 Charmaine Shannon; U/23 Men: 1 Ermin van Wyk, 2 Victor Nakalenga; Junior Men: 1 Heiko Redecker, 2 Mirko Maier, 3 Florian Drobisch; U/16 Boys: 1 Patrick Reimers, 2 Till Drobisch, 3 Matthias Kreft; U/16 Girls: 1 Vera Adrian; U/14 Boys: 1 Zillan du Pisani, 2 Martin Freyer, 3 Michael Pretorius; U/14 Girls: 1 Ane Hoepfner; U/12: 1 Herbert Peters, 2 Tristan de Lange, 3 Pascal Henle; Veteran Men: 1 Andy Chase, 2 Ian Grassow, 3 Louis du Pisani; Veteran Women: 1 Monika Grossmann, 2 Anja Schroder, 3 Romy Noeske; Master Men: 1 Aidan de Lange, 2 Rolf Adrian, 3 Hennie Koehne.
