Multiple African and national cross-country champion Philip Buys and Swedish marathon champ Jennie Stenerhag outclassed the field to claim uncontested wins in the men’s and women’s races at the Nissan TrailSeeker Hemel & Aarde event in Hermanus over the weekend.
Philip Buys and Konny Looser battling it out in the early stages of the race. Photo: Zoon Cronje
Buys (Scott Factory Racing LCB) powered to victory in the 65km event in a time of 2:55:08 – the only rider to post a sub-three-hour time.
For more news and results see: Trailseeker Series Western Cape #3 Hemel and Aarde
He finished a full six minutes ahead of Swiss star Konny Looser (Wheeler iXS) at Sumaridge Wine Estate, with Adriaan Louw (Contego Swift) third in 3:03:35.
“It was my first time racing in the region and I really enjoyed the trails. After I won the last Gauteng Nissan TrailSeeker event last weekend, I decided to make the most of my form and come down to do this one,” said Buys.
An in-form Stenerhag (Ascendis Health) posted an impressive time of 3:26:12 to take a dominant win in the women’s race and finish 17th overall.
Namibian champion, Vera Adrian was a distant runner-up in 3:36:09, with
Carmen Buchacher rounding out the podium another two minutes back.
Stenerhag, who had just returned from her home country, said it was a tough reintroduction to South African racing.
“In Sweden we complete a 60-odd kilometre race in just over two hours and today it took me over three hours. This was real mountain biking with nice technical rocky sections, incredible views and fast downhills.”
The last race of the Western Cape series takes place at Meerendal on November 14.
