11 May 2016

Gem Diamonds Kalahari Challenge MTB is expected to attract over 300 mountain bike riders this year.  

The race, which is billed for June 10-12, will start and finish at the Lion’s Park in Gaborone covering a total of 247 kilometres.

The route would go through Manyana, Ranaka, Ntlhantlhe past Mogobane dam to Lekgolobotlo and back to Lions Park.

In addition to the Stanbic Bank sponsorship of P500 000, MTB race also received P250 000 from Avani Gaborone Hotel and Casino. 

Gem Diamonds Kalahari MTB race sponsorship director, Clive Grinaker, said the race had ingredients needed for an epic race that could compete with the best in the world. 

“The race has all the three ingredients needed to make a great race, one being an incredible route that racers will find interesting to ride on,” he said. 

He also said the atmosphere provided by the Southern African bush veld where the race had been mapped out, added to the ingredients. 

Managing director of Gem Diamonds, Haile Mphusu, said the race was a huge success as they were nominated as finalists of the best African sponsorship of the year by Discovery Sport Industry awards. 

He said the nomination came about on the first year of the sponsorship and they had committed over P3 million in the past three years. 

He said the sponsorship would go a long way in making a difference in the development of sport. 

“The Gem Diamonds Kalahari Challenge is indeed a limited field, full service race which attracts cosmopolitan cyclists from the region and far afield to compete for fitness purposes,” he said. 

Gem Diamonds was committed to sustainable development in regards to the social responsibility programme by providing support to communities and organisations with particular attention to education, health, environment and infrastructure. 

He said Gem Diamonds adopted the Kaudwane Primary school and had made sporting equipment donation to two boarding primary schools in New Xade. 

For his part, the race director, Seasmus O’Neill said they were expecting an increase of 325 in racers as compared to last year’s 65 racers. He said P2 million would be spent in organising the event.  

O’Neill said teams winners will walk away with P12 000, runners up with P10 000 and third placed teams will win P8 000. ENDS