SIGNIFICANT PRIZE MONEY BOOST FOR DUTOIT TANKWA TREK

The DUTOIT Tankwa Trek, one of South Africa’s premier three-day mountain bike stage races, will be offering a significantly increased prize purse for the 2016 edition, which takes place from 12-14 February 2016.

The total prize purse for the 2015 edition was R32 500, but now stands at a significantly increased total of R226 600 for the fourth edition of what has become an almost compulsory preparation event for the annual ABSA Cape Epic.

Our decision to increase the prize money is part of our investment in the Tankwa Trek as an event aimed at the committed mountain bikers who take their racing seriously,” said Carel Herholdt of Dryland Event Management, co-owners and organisers of the DUTOIT Tankwa Trek.

“Based on the huge interest in what’s a very new event, particularly in 2015, by teams preparing for the Cape Epic, we have decided to built the Tankwa Trek into a race that caters properly for the fit, conditioned racers and the prize money will certainly be a draw card, not only for South Africans but for international teams too,” added Herholdt

“Taking place exactly four weeks before the 2016 ABSA Cape Epic, the DUTOIT Tankwa Trek is ideally positioned on the calendar for riders eager to test their equipment, physical condition and partnership strength,” said Sean Badenhorst, editor of TREAD magazine, who competed in the 2015 event.

“The Tankwa Trek is a hard, but rewarding race that really tests you on every level as a mountain biker and the intensity of the racing is as high as that which we experienced at the 2015 Cape Epic. The Merino Monster climb on Day 2 of the Tankwa Trek pushed me to my absolute limit and I can happily say it was harder than any of the climbs I faced at the Cape Epic a few weeks later,” added Badenhorst.

In addition to the attractive prize money on offer, the DUTOIT Tankwa Trek has invested heavily in media around the event, with a dedicated PR service as well as a TV production which gives riders and their sponsors valuable exposure both in South Africa and abroad.

 “We understand the value of media exposure for sponsors both of our events and those of the racing teams and that’s why we have ensured we give a full media package to the DUTOIT Tankwa Trek,” explained Herholdt.

“In keeping with our commitment to help grow women’s racing, the prize money for overall placings for men and women – both team and solo – is equal. We also recognise the importance of the Veteran, Master and Mixed racing categories and have ensured good prize money in those divisions,” added Herholdt.

The amount hasn’t yet been revealed, but Gillie Geldenhuis, who owns the farm Merino used on Day 2, will once again offer a prize for the first South African team to the summit of the Merino Monster climb.