Excitement is building around the upcoming and already famous Kremetart cycling event on June 10, with 1 100 entrants so far and many more expected.

In the midst of organizing an event which promises to be even bigger and better than the previous years, the organizers this week commented regarding the Kremetart’s Argus Seeding Status.

“In the interest of the cycling community and in order to dispel any existing rumours, we, as organisers of the Kremetart Cycle race in Louis Trichardt, are compelled to disclose the relevant facts and background relating to the recent ‘cancellation’ of the Kremetart’s status as an Argus seeding event,” the organizers said.

During 2005, the Kremetart organisers were approached by the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, referred to as the Cycle Tour Trust, who offered Kremetart “Argus seeding status” subject to its using Winning Time as time keepers at the event.

The organizers accordingly appointed Winning Time to be in charge of the time keeping of the 2005 Kremetart race.

“As is widely known, Winning Time made a total mess of the time keeping at the 2005 Kremetart race, to such an extent that the ‘times’ of entrants could not be established properly and, as a result thereof, a prize-giving ceremony was impossible,” the organizers said. They offered their apologies to the entrants who had been inconvenienced.

Early this year, the Kremetart’s status as an “Argus seeding event” was confirmed. No mention was made of utilising Winning Time as a prerequisite for seeding status. This was done by Mr David Bellairs, co-chairman of the management committee of the Cycle Tour Trust, who was well aware of what had transpired at the 2005 Kremetart race.

The Kremetart organizers appointed Champion Chip, with whom they had had no problems in the past, as the official time keepers “in the interest of the Kremetart and future entrants and in order to avoid a repetition of last year’s chaos.”

“Unfortunately, during March 2006, Bellairs of Cycle Tour Trust threatened to cancel the Kremetart’s status as an ‘Argus seeding event’ should we fail to disengage Champion Chip and reinstate Winning Time. From a cost point of view, to change timekeepers was prohibitive,” state the organisers.

Bellairs threatened the Kremetart organizers and only provided some answers through the engagement and intervention of the Kremetart attorneys.

“Cycle Tour Trust, despite the stigma attached to Winning Time as a result of past poor performances, is adamant in its stance to the effect that the engagement of Winning Time is an absolute prerequisite for obtaining or maintaining Argus seeding status,” reads the media release.

The Kremetart organizers found themselves in the position where, rather than having Argus seeding status, they had to protect the interests of future entrants as well as the reputation of the Kremetart by not utilising Winning Time with the resultant effect of not “qualifying” for Argus seeding status.

The Kremetart organizers request fellow cyclists to demonstrate solidarity by supporting local races because of a love for the sport and not to be influenced because someone chooses to ‘sanction’ an event. More than 95% of cyclists participate in races because of the recreational value and are more concerned with whether a race is safe, well organised and fun.

“This is what the Kremetart offers and much more. Show us where you stand on this issue by giving us your support,” is the challenge of the organisers.

For further information regarding the race, Koos Engelbrecht can be contacted on 082 490 6013.