Brave Warthogs selected for B World Champs and AAG

WINDHOEK – The Namibia Cycling Federation selectors have named seven riders for the national team for both the B World Championships and All-Africa Games.

They are: Erik Hoffmann, Dan Craven, Jacques Celliers, Lotto Petrus, Ermin van Wyk, Ananias Ananias and Heinz Bressler (reserve). Glenn Howard will be the manager and Tjipe Murangi the mechanic.”This is a formidable team and we have cause for cautious optimism of top performances, particularly from Hoffman, Craven and Celliers, while the younger team members Petrus, van Wyk and Ananias will fulfil supporting roles,” said Howard.This will be the first time that Ananias represents Namibia at elite level, and it is the first time that Bressler is selected as well.Hoffmann and Craven are veterans of the 2003 B World Championships and All-Africa Games, back when they were under-23.The B World Championships will be held in Cape Town from June 26 to July 1.The B World Championships is held every four years in the year preceding the Olympic Games, and affords countries ranked below the top 15 an opportunity of qualification for the Olympic Games.The first five countries over the finish line will qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Howard explained that this does not mean the top five finishing places.”If two people from one country finish in the top five places then the sixth finisher would qualify his country and so on,” he said.In the 2003 B World Championship Hoffmann missed qualification by five places when he finished 23rd in Aigle, Switzerland.Heymans was placed 27th.This time around both Hoffmann and Craven have a wealth of experience to draw on, and a team that can support them.The B World Championships covers disciplines of time trial and road race as well as track cycling, where Namibia hopes to introduce Heinz Bressler on the track.The road race will follow the Argus Tour route with three 15-km finishing laps near central Cape Town.NampaGlenn Howard will be the manager and Tjipe Murangi the mechanic.”This is a formidable team and we have cause for cautious optimism of top performances, particularly from Hoffman, Craven and Celliers, while the younger team members Petrus, van Wyk and Ananias will fulfil supporting roles,” said Howard.This will be the first time that Ananias represents Namibia at elite level, and it is the first time that Bressler is selected as well.Hoffmann and Craven are veterans of the 2003 B World Championships and All-Africa Games, back when they were under-23.The B World Championships will be held in Cape Town from June 26 to July 1.The B World Championships is held every four years in the year preceding the Olympic Games, and affords countries ranked below the top 15 an opportunity of qualification for the Olympic Games.The first five countries over the finish line will qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Howard explained that this does not mean the top five finishing places.”If two people from one country finish in the top five places then the sixth finisher would qualify his country and so on,” he said.In the 2003 B World Championship Hoffmann missed qualification by five places when he finished 23rd in Aigle, Switzerland.Heymans was placed 27th.This time around both Hoffmann and Craven have a wealth of experience to draw on, and a team that can support them.The B World Championships covers disciplines of time trial and road race as well as track cycling, where Namibia hopes to introduce Heinz Bressler on the track.The road race will follow the Argus Tour route with three 15-km finishing laps near central Cape Town.Nampa