MEDIA RELEASE
14.03.2016
COME AND PEDAL IN STILBAAI!
The school holiday is about to start and Stilbaai will again treat its visitors with a variety of activities like the 2016 Amana Properties Stilbaai Mountain Bike Challenge that will take place on Saturday, March 26, and three routes are being planned for this year’s event.
This mountain bike event aims to attract not only the ‘local’ riders who could not participate in the regular mountain bike event (this year called the Windpomp Sjerrie Traverse) due to hectic work commitments or not being in Stilbaai during the December holiday at all, but also the holiday makers who visit Stilbaai during the holiday in autumn.
The Stilbaai MTB Challenge took place for the first time in 2015 and attracted riders from all over the Garden Route and Karoo. This year’s event will see a few changes due to the race taking place during the Easter Holidays which is traditionally an extremely popular time when thousands of visitors make their way to Stilbaai and Jongensfontein. The organisers and route setters will keep the race to the eastern side of Stilbaai (not going over the bridge) so as to not cross any major tarred roads. All the action will take place from Julie-Se-Baai, the camping terrain adjacent to the R305 just before the entrance and bridge to Stilbaai.
The routes are slightly shorter than previously with the longest route now 65km while a 36km and 16km route are also available. But according to the Route Director, Riaan Moag, riders must not under estimate the ‘challenge’. He promises an enjoyable event where riders, from the age of eight to over 80, will be spoilt by die most scenic routes and views that will include riding in the Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve. The area received some welcome rain recently and is abundantly green.
The organisers aim to provide mountain bikers with a real challenge, but the riders will still have some energy left to enjoy all the other activities that are planned for in and around Stilbaai. The Amana Properties Stilbaai MTB Challenge falls in the middle of the holiday as schools close on March 18.
Holiday makers can also look forward to other activities like a Craft Beer and Wine Festival on the evenings of March, 21st and 22nd; visiting the stalls at ‘Die Brug Mark’ or the Jongensfontein Arts and Craft Market on Saturday (March, 26) or even enjoy some traditional bazaar puddings and finding other interesting things at a typical ‘platteland’ bazaar in aid of Huis Stilbaai, the old age home, on the same day! The adventurous golfers might like to try their hand at Night Golf on Saturday evening.
Those loving the water activities, will still be able to enjoy the beautiful autumn weather while kite-surfers will make use of the breeze to enjoy their surfing.
With so many other attractions in and around Stilbaai – like the ancient Fish Traps at Skulpiesbaai; the unique Tuin-Op-Die-Brak and a visit to the information centre and tourism bureau where fresh-water eels are being fed daily – there are lots of things for holiday makers and visitors to do.
Entries for the Amana Properties Stilbaai MTB Challenge are still open and riders will find all the necessary information on
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