Hi everyone, sorry it has taken so long to update my blog, in the process of moving house and changing jobs....................

Well........where to start..................

The Masters World Champs was really such a great experience, I went there with a my sights set on a top 10 finish in my category and a top 20 overall and boy did we deliver!!!

It was a rough start as I had a huge crash over the bars early in the week trying to clear a big step up jump, had bruises in between my legs for days after, very wierd place to be bruised by the way but that is where the handle bars caught me on my way over. As far as high speed jump crashes go I got very luck though, only bent my saddle and tore my grips.

Qualifying run was on the friday and after a very long wait and battling with the nerves we headed up for our runs.
I pushed about 80% and had a smooth run, it put me in 3rd place in my category and at this stage I saw that I could possibly get a podium here.

The next day we faced an even longer wait and by now my chest was starting to play up even more,
I had been struggling with a chest infection for a week already and the sprinting was not helping!

At the top of the hill there was the usual buzz of guys warming up on training bikes and everybody doing their own rituals before the nervous wait in the start gate as they count you down.

I had a near perfect run and sprinted my heart out, when I crossed the line I heard that I had improved my time by 12 seconds and I knew I had done enough for a podium finish.......................

I ended up taking silver in my category and 5th overall for the day, stoked!!

Just for interest sake, I would have taken gold in the "younger" age group, lol.......

Thanks to everyone for their support, it was a very humbling experience and once again without the Sponsorship from VRS I would not have been able to be a part of this amazing event so big thanks to you all.......

Well, that time has finally arrived..............................

We set off tomorrow at 3am and head for Maritzburg, 
World Champs here we come.............

Just wish I didn't have to spent the last week with a bad cold...................................

Wish me luck!!

                        Woohoo, I have been given Dirkie's bike to ride at the worlds

                                                  My new bike is fast, lol

       Built my big jump bigger!! Stayed in one piece, bring on the World champs!!

And after so many highs this year for Dirkie I really feel all his pain after a big crash has left him with a broken Knee cap and put him out of the running for the World Champs!!!!

Tough luck my man, hopefully I will still be able to fly the flag high for us!!!

Congratulations to my team mate Dirk Lourens for Winning SA champs this weekend!!!
Your hard work has paid off, finally got the double win!!!!

                      My new jump...............6 weeks to go............

                            go big or go home!

So it all came down to the last national, all of us fighting for our positions, well......all of us but my team mate Dirk Lourens who had the win in the bag so to speak, far ahead on points!!

Had a crash in my seeding run, hugged a tree in great style but managed to get down in 3rd for the main.
Congrats to Dirk for taking the win in great style and our Junior rider, JP for taking 2nd in his category!!

Great weekend racing, next stop is the World Champs for me but the other boys are going to try their luck at SA champs in PE next month so "Good luck" guys!!

So.........JHB National, had high hopes for this one..................

Friday, first run down, over shoot a double and go over the bars into rocks............

Was ready to pack my bike up on Saturday after not sleeping with all the pain but Willie insisted I wait it out and try do a run to see if I could maybe race on Sunday..........

After eating anti inflammatory tabs and pain killers all day and night I managed to get onto the bike on Sunday and some how manage a 2nd.

Big ups to my team mate Dirk for taking his 3rd consecutive win!!

Also a huge win for our Junior rider who was flying all weekend!

Got some nice pics out riding today!

 Camp looked good on the weekend, Thanks Willie for the personal touch

 Main run photo

Looks like we copied and pasted this from the African Cup!!

It is that time again,

bags are packed and we are ready to make our way down to Pietermaritzburg today for the National Point series this weekend. I found out that we are riding last years World Cup course so it is going to be a tough scary one, just hope we don't get rain!

Wish me luck!!

Hi all, been a while..............

We managed to have the whole team together for a training session on Dirkie's new and improved course this weekend, was lots of fun, especially the "step up"!
Not long now and we heading off to Pietermaritzburg for round 2 of the National series, will keep you updated!

Wishing the team the best of luck!!

 Camp looked good but was difficult setting up in the rain the whole time

 Had a crash in my race run

Podiums for the two Sub Vets and our Junior rider got a 2nd, well done team!!!

While our boys are doing their first race in Pietermaritzburg, the local paper has published a full page story about their journey towards the world championships!

Trailer looks awesome!!

On Thursday, 7 March we were packed and ready for Maritzburg.  We left at midnight and arrived there at 07:30 for registrations.

Great, one week before African Continental Cup and I feel under the weather, timing couldn't be worse!!!

Thanks for the "goodies" Skull Candy

Off to do some slalom training at Dirkie's track

Good day on the track, super hot out there though!

Tough luck for our riders this weekend, 1st round of National champs in Jonkershoek was a muddy affair by the sounds of things. Both riders had bad runs, finished 7th and 8th respectably in their categories.

Well done guys!!!

My new jump I built, it is BIG!!

Our team trailer in the back ground, will get a nice pic for you soon, it is amazing!!

Just so you know, it has not been all fun and games!! Luckily I was wearing my body armour!!

This is the jump where it all went wrong!

Some training photos, I have a feeling we going to have some big jumps to deal with this year!

   Kit has arrived, Thank you Titanium designs!!

The story goes like this:

Dirk Lourens, my age old friend and partner-in-crime, somehow through his good relationship with KTM, managed to organize a bike for me and after much deliberation, I approached my Manager, Diederik Herholdt from Ngwenya Lodge and dropped hints of sponsorship with which he replied: "Put something together for me, and we can try". Diederik presented my proposal to Mike Scrooby from VRS, and without any deliberation, Marjorie Forssman, from VRS gave us the magical go-ahead, which, by the way, was very humbling as there was no hesitation. I have been racing for 20 odd years and it still amazes me, after all these years, how well everything has fallen into place this year. It must be a sign.!

News of our team spread like wildfire and a few more sponsors jumped on board namely: Malelane Toyota, Skullcandy, Uvex, Cyclelab, Titanium Clothing, LVT and Ogio.

Dirk Lourens, set off on a personal mission to create one of the best team-trailers in the business and after months of hard work, I think he has succeeded. When you see the photo you'll understand what I mean.

It has been and still is a very daunting mission to set off on at my age as it is a very dangerous sport and I don't "bounce'' so well anymore, lets not even get into the amount of training that will go into this year but the fact that the World Champs is coming to SA, it just cant be ignored!'

I want to thank everyone right off the start for believing in me and for all the support I have already received, it is all of this that will get me through this year, I simply couldn't even think of doing this alone!!

So......let's do this!

Tomorrow starts today!!!

Imagine being 36. You promised yourself to stop Downhill Racing two years ago and out of the blue, the opportunity to race in the World Championships in your own country, falls into your lap. Well, long story short: Here we go again!