LOUIS TRICHARDT – With two months to go until the annual Kremetart Cycle Race on June 7, the race has already attracted fifty percent more entries than last year. It is expected that the field on the main event, the 172-kilometre stage race will this year have close to double the number of participants.

A feature of this years entries is that sixty percent of the entrants thus far are new to the event and come mainly from the Johannesburg area. In the past the riders have been drawn from mainly Pretoria and Polokwane. A few cyclists have entered from further afield, such as Barberton, Potchefstroom and Mossel Bay in the Cape. Applications were also received for half of the hundred available stands in the municipal Caravan Park for the weekend.

This year the race is expected to attract in excess of 800 cyclists in the three events on the day, which means that between 1 500 and 2 000 visitors will spend the weekend in Louis Trichardt. It is also hoped that many of them will return as tourists at a later stage.

The very successful format of the race remains unchanged, but the club will be enlisting the help of the communities of Waterpoort, Vivo and Schoemansdal, as well as service clubs in Louis Trichardt to assist in the catering for and running of the event.

Women have also shown keen interest and already over twenty women have entered to ride the full distance. Ride Magazine editor, Adele Tait vowed that after South Africa lost in the cricket to Zimbabwe, the South African women are not going to allow Zimbabwean Bronwyn Swanepoel, who has dominated the event for the last two years to win yet again this year.

For cyclists in town wishing to enter, entry forms can be obtained at Cycle Centre and the Tourist Info Office or by phoning (015) 516 0387 or 516 0349.