USSA titles for Maties rugby and cycling : 2017-07-17
On Wednesday the Maties cycling team won the USSA title for a third consecutive year after total domination on the road.
This follows the success of the Steinhoff Maties rugby team that finally won the USSA title with its fourth final. The tournament took place in Johannesburg.
In Port Elizabeth the Maties men and women’s team won the road competition. Gert Heyns and Frances du Toit were the individual winners. Riders from Maties won every stage. Max Sullivan won the green jersey as best sprinter en Heyns the polka-dot jersey for best climber.
The Maties rugby team beat Pukke 19-13 in the final played at the Wits stadium. Braam Venter and his team started the week with a victory over CUT (84-7) and easily dispatched Shimlas (50-7) in the semi-final.
It was a thriller of a final against the team from Potchefstroom that eliminated the home university Wits in the semi-finals.
“I am very pleased and relieved that we could win the final. We have come close to winning other for the last few years. To win the title means a lot to us. We can now build on this for the rest of the WP league and what we’ve learned here we can even use in next year’s Varsity Cup tournament,” said Venter.
Maties is now the USSA champions for both 15man and Sevens rugby. Venter was also the captain of the sevens team that won the last USSA tournament for sevens. The USSA Sevens Rugby Tournament is in September this year.
The rugby team is the only team to win a title last week. The Maties cycling team is currently in Port Elizabeth where the team is the two-time defending champion.
The Maties gymnastics team won the team competition and ended second overall to Pukke. The badminton and tennis teams were both third.
Other USSA results: Gymnastics – 2nd – won the team event; Badminton – 3rd; Tennis – 3rd /B team 2nd B Division; Netball – 5th; Hockey – 5th; Soccer – 5th B Division; Squash – 5th; Golf – 6th / B team won B Division; Basketball – Women 8th / Men 14th
USSA-titels vir Maties rugby en fietsry : 2017-07-17
Die Maties-fietsryspan het Woensdag vir die derde agtereenvolgende jaar die USSA-titel gewen na totale oorheersing op die teerpad.
Dit volg op die sukses van die Steinhoff Maties-rugbyspan wat met sy vierde eindstryd die laaste paar jare verlede week in Johannesburg uiteindelik die 2017 USSA-titel verower het.
In Port Elizabeth het die mans- en vroue-fietsryspan die padkompetisie gewen. Gert Heyns en Frances du Toit was in die algehele eerste plek. Maties se ryers het elke skof gewen. Max Sullivan het die groentrui vir beste naelryer gewen en Heyns was die beste klimmer in die toer.
Maties-rugbyspan het Pukke in die eindstryd in die Wits-stadion met 19-13 geklop. Braam Venter en sy span het die week begin met ‘n sege oor CUT met 84-7 en in die halfeindstryd maklik met Shimlas (50-7) afgereken.
Dit was ‘n riller van ‘n eindstryd teen die span van Potchefstroom wat die tuis-universiteit Wits in die halfeindronde uitgeskakel het. Maties was die heeltyd voor in die wedstryd.
“Ek is baie bly en verlig dat ons die eindstryd kon wen. Ons het die laaste paar jaar elke keer naby gekom. Om die titel te wen beteken vir ons baie. Ons kan nou hierop bou vir die res van die WP-liga en wat ons hier geleer het selfs gebruik in volgende jaar se Varsitybeker-toernooi,” het Venter gesê.
Maties is nou die USSA-kampioene vir 15man- en sewesrugby. Venter was ook die kaptein van die sewespan wat die laaste USSA-toernooi vir sewes gewen het. Die USSA-sewesrugbytoernooi is in September vanjaar.
Die rugbyspan is die enigste span wat ‘n titel gewen het verlede week. Die Maties-fietsryspan is tans in Port Elizabeth waar die die span die tweemalige verdedigende kampioen is.
Die Maties-gimnastiekspan het die span kompetisie gewen en algeheel tweede na Pukke geëindig. Die pluimbal- en tennis-span was albei derde.
Ander USSA-uitslae: Gimnastiek 2de; Pluimbal 3de; Tennis 3de; Netbal 5de; Hokkie 5de; Muurbal 5de; Sokker 5de; Golf 6de; Basketbal (vroue) 8ste; Basketbal (mans) 14de.
Maties ry in Cape Epic : 2017-05-04
Vir Nicky Gilliomee en CP van Wyk kon die pas afgelope Absa Cape Epic nie meer uiteenlopend gewees het nie albei Maties het egter ‘n wonderlike tyd by dié meerdaagse bergfietstoer gehad.
Gilliomee het die Cape Epic saam met die legendariese Hannele Steyn aangepak. Steyn is die enigste vrou wat al 14 Cape Epic-toere voltooi het. Sy is een van net vier jaers wat elke Epic sedert 2004 begin en klaar gemaak het. “Dit was die mees ongelooflike ervaring om saam met Hannele in die Cape Epic te ry. Ons het nog nooit voorheen so iets saam gedoen nie en ons albei was baie onseker oor wat om te verwag. Dit was ook net my tweede Cape Epic. Die doel was om Hannele te help om haar 14de Epic te voltooi. Ons het versigtig en konserwatief gery elke dag. Om saam met Hannele agt dae op my bergfiets te spandeer was baie spesiaal. Dit was ‘n ware voorreg om saam met haar te ry. Sy ‘n rolmodel. Sy het haar Suid-Afrika klere in sewe verskillende sporte! Ek is ‘n feminis en om dus saam met ‘n vrou soos Hannele te kon ry was ‘n eer,” het Gilliomee gesê.
Soos Gilliomee het Van Wyk enkele weke voor die Cape Epic eers gehoor dat hulle gaan deelneem. Dit was Van Wyk se eerste Cape Epic. “Dit was een hengse ervaring. Dit het begin met groot opwinding en baie toeskouers op Meerendal. Daar was drie helikopters in die lug en dit is iets waaraan mens nie sommer gewoond is nie. Met die verloop van die agt dae het dit gevoel of ek omtrent elke berg in en rondom Hermanus, Greyton en Elgin gesien en uitgeklim het! Daar was baie hoogte- en laagtepunte. Elke dag het die opstaan en regmaak vir die skof moeiliker geraak en meer motivering was nodig. Daar was selfs die oomblikke wat ek gewonder het wat is ek besig om aan myself te doen! Ons is egter daagliks beloon met van die ongelooflikste roetes en uitsigte wat alles die moeite werd gemaak het. Die hoeveelheid ondersteuning langs die roetes en algehele atmosfeer by die eindpunt en tussen die ryers is wat sal verseker dat ek beslis weer aan die Epic sal deelneem.”
Maties dominate inaugural Varsity Sports MTB Challenge : 2016-10-03
Photo credit Robert Ward
Cyclists from Stellenbosch University dominated both days of the first ever Varsity Sports MTB Challenge held in the Cape Winelands over the weekend.
Maties had done all the hard work during stage one on Saturday and just needed to protect their lead to be sure of securing overall Varsity Sports MTB honours on Sunday. The final general classification reflected the Stellenbosch students’ dominance: Maties finished in a cumulative time of 4:47.50, with UP-Tuks in second place (4:53.33) and UCT in third place (4:56.14) over the two days.
Cycling and Mountain Biking joined the HP Unit in 2016. “We have a very talented group of student athletes as one can see from Maties taking the inaugural Varsity Sport competition this weekend and winning USSA in July…yet again! We are very excited about our current IMAS interventions that has been added in their preparation plan and we look forward to supporting them pushing the boundaries of their performances in seasons to come,” said Sean Surmon, head of the Maties Sport HP unit.
Highlights from day one included a memorable 15 km climb through shady plantations towards the top of Du Toitskloof Pass, swooping downhills and manicured trails across private wine farms, while the outstanding features of day two were undoubtedly the unique Boschendal trails looping through forests and around farm dams.
Maties team captain CP van Wyk enjoyed the race and thinks that his riders worked together well as a team. He is very pleased with this opportunity for student cyclists to shine. His team mates were Ian Lategan and Jacques Lloyd.
Photo credit: Robert Ward
The Maties women’s team of Vera Adrian, Mariske Strauss and Nicky Giliomee crossed the line together and were all smiles as they described their experience.
“It was an amazing race in beautiful surroundings and it was great riding together in this format,” they said. Their time over two days was 5:32.34, with UP-Tuks in second place (6:26.28).
Maties Sport manager Candice Appollis-Williams was extremely proud of the Maties cyclists. The Maties team won the USSA competition earlier this year and have now cemented their reputation as arguably the best university cycling club in the country.
“For them to have dominated the way they did proves that our high performance cycling programme is leading the way,” she said.
Although the official varsity teams were predictably at the sharp end of the race, the Varsity MTB Challenge offered a world-class riding experience to both alumni and non-varsity-affiliated mountain bikers as well. Cyclists could nominate a university to ride for and earn points for that university. It came as no surprise that Stellenbosch University won that competition as well, earning a total of 3453 points. UCT was second with 2619 points.
Photo credit Robert Ward
Copy: Maties Sport and Varsity Sport
Maties Cycling does it again : 2016-07-13
Maties Cycling successfully defended their USSA title in Potchefstroom.
Maties men dominated the competition, winning the yellow jersey, green jersey, team classification, all hotspots except one, as well as all stages but one in the road race competition. They also came first and second in the mountain-bike competition.
Stages were won by and Max Sullivan and Gert Heyns, who finished first in the general classification. Dominic Calitz won the MTB event.
Nicky Giliomee and Marie Kempf, both mountain-bikers, put in a lot of extra effort before the competition to master some of the road-racing tactics.
It paid off, with Nicky finishing third in the general classification (road) for women, winning one stage and the yellow jersey after the time trail. She and Marie also finished second and third in the MTB event.
Maties Cycling’s Max Sullivan said the team is very happy with what they have achieved.
“It was real team effort. The competition was definitely stronger this year and the altitude made our first stage quite hard, but we still managed to come together and pull off a win.
“The team is very strong and there were several other eligible candidates for the 8-man team, highlighting the depth of cycling talent at Stellenbosch University. Maties could most certainly be deemed the best cycling university in the country, especially with the introduction of the high performance programme.”
Bergfietsry nou ook deel van HP-program : 2016-05-11
Bergfietsry is nou ook deel van die Maties Sport Hoë Prestasie-program by die Universiteit Stellenbosch en vanjaar ook reeds deel van die opwindende Varsity Sport-reeks.
Die Varsity-bergfietsuitdaging strek oor twee meerdaagse byeenkomste. Die eerste byeenkoms is op 9 en 10 Julie in die Sondela-natuurreservaat in Bela Bela. Die tweede byeenkoms is op die La Paris-landgoed in Franschhoek tussen 1 en 2 Oktober. Die byeenkomste gaan ‘n ekstra unieke universiteitsgeur hê met die algemene publiek wat ook kan deelneem en die universiteit van hul keuse kan verteenwoordig.
Die pas afgelope naweek het Maties Fietsry die intervarsity teen Ikeys op oortuigende wyse gewen en die fietsryers het gewys hulle gereed is om kompeterend te wees in die Varsity-bergfietsuitdaging.
Mariske Strauss, Afrika en Suid-Afrika se bergfietskampioen en ‘n Sportwetenskap-student aan die US is baie opgewonde oor die impak wat die HP-program op die sport in Matieland gaan hê.
“Dit is beslis ‘n stap in die regte rigting. Dit beteken ons sport is besig om te groei. Dit gee ook die Maties fietsryers toegang tot ‘n groot verskeidenheid van hulpmiddels, wat almal gaan help om hul sportloopbane te bevorder,” het Strauss gesê.
Strauss, ‘n vierde jaar student, hoop om vanjaar na die Olimpiese Spele in Rio te gaan. Sy het in 2014 haar land by die Statebondspele verteenwoordig.
“Danksy die ondersteuning van die HP-program het ek nie net toegang tot al die wêreldklas-geriewe nie, maar ek het nou ook die geleentheid om saam met die administrasie te werk en hulle die bes moontlike idee te gee oor wat presies in ons sport aan die gang is. Dit is ‘n baie goeie geleentheid om almal bekend te stel aan ons sport en hopelik kan ons sodoende meer deelname en belangstelling in die sport betrek.”
Volgens Strauss help die HP-program om die sport van bergfietsry meer toeganklik te maak op universiteitsvlak. “Ons kan nou meer studente betrokke kry by die sport en bied ‘n geleendheid aan diegene wat nie noodwendig dit self sou kon bekostig om al die ekstras (wat ons nou toegang tot het) te bekom nie. Ons kan dus mense ‘n beter idee gee wat die sport behels en sodoende kan ons baie vinniger groei en verbeter.”
Vir meer Varsity MTB Challenge inligting besoek www.varsitymtbchallenge.co.za. Sosiale media platforms is Facebook: Varsity MTB Challenge; Twitter: @VarsityMTB en Instagram: @varsitymtb.
ENGLISH
HP programme now includes MTB
Mountain biking is now part of the Maties Sport High Performance programme at the Stellenbosch University and this year already also part of the exciting Varsity Sports series.
The Varsity MTB Challenge comprises two multi-day stage races. Varsity MTB Challenge will see the two races take place in the Sondela Nature Reserve in Bela Bela between 9 and 10 July and on La Paris in Franschhoek between 1 and 2 October 2016. The Varsity MTB Challenge will have a unique university flavour. The races are open to the general public, who will be able to race for their university of choice.
The past weekend Maties Cycling won the Intervarsity against UCT convincingly and the local cyclists showed that they are ready to be competitive in the Varsity MTB Challenge.
Mariske Strauss, Africa and South Africa’s mountain bike champion and Sports Science student at the University is very excited about the impact that the HP program will have on the sport in Stellenbosch.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction. This means our sport is growing. It also gives the Maties cyclists access to a vast array of resources, all of which will help to promote their sports careers,” said Strauss.
Strauss, a fourth year student, is hoping to go to the Olympic Games in Rio. She represented her country at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
“Thanks to the support of the HP programme I not only have access to all the world-class facilities, but now I also have the opportunity to work with the administration and give them the best possible idea of what exactly is happening in our sport. This is a great opportunity for our sport and hopefully we can get more participation and interest in the sport.”
According to Strauss the HP programme will help to make the sport of mountain biking more accessible at university level. “We can now engage more students in the sport and offer an opportunity to those who might not have been able to afford all the extras – which we now have access to – themselves. We can therefore give people a better idea of what the sport is about and in this way we can grow much faster and become better.”
For more Varsity MTB Challenge information visit www.varsitymtbchallenge.co.za. Social media platforms are Facebook: Varsity MTB Challenge; Twitter: @VarsityMTB and Instagram: @varsitymtb.
Matie cyclist crowned African champion : 2016-04-08
Matie cyclist Mariske Strauss (24) overcame injuries and a bad tumble the week before to be crowned African cross-country champion at the 2016 African Continental Mountain Bike Championships this past weekend. This is her fifth continental title.
The event was held in Lesotho from 30 March to 3 April and cyclists were not only competing for continental honours but also for valuable UCI points. UCI points determine not only a cyclist’s starting position in a race but ultimately also how many cyclists a country can send to the Olympic Games.
The week before, Mariske came second in the Elite Women’s race at the third round of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series hosted in Pretoria after crashing twice during the race. Apart from some bruising, she sustained no serious injuries.
She was beaten by her Novus OMX Pro team mate Cherie Redecker, who came second at the African Champs a week later.
After the race in Pretoria, Mariske decided to follow a different approach at the continental championships.
“I decided to race my own race, have a blast and see how the field and I responded to the altitude.”
They riders had to complete five laps of a 5.4 km course at an altitude of approximately 3000m above sea level.
“The race started quite slowly. I then opened up the tap to the top of the first climb where I found myself in the lead. I kept things consistent and had a blast,” she adds.
Strauss has been struggling with injuries since 2014 – first she tore her abdominal muscles and then she tore her ankle ligaments. This meant she couldn’t defend her 2014 SA Cross Country or 2014 African Champs title in 2015.
“The past two years have been very trying but I had unbelievable support,” she says.
She is now looking towards the future. Due to academic responsibilities her next race will only be at the end of the month when she will compete at the Pietermaritzburg MTB festival.
She also hopes to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games in Rio later this year.
Mariske is a third-year BSc Sports Science student at Stellenbosch University (SU). Before starting her course this former Stellenberg High learner spent a year at Mars Hill College in the USA.
If all goes well, she will complete the final two subjects of her degree this year and graduate in December. It has not been easy for her to pursue a degree while continuing with the sport she loves, but she believes it has been worth it.
Author: Pia Nänny
Photo credit: Andrew Mc Fadden/BOOGS Photography