Amanzimtoti training partners Brennan Anderson and Hendrik Bester are looking forward to making their debut appearance at the Fedauto Sani Dragon in association with Mortimer Toyota when this year’s race takes place on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October.
The two-day Southern Drakensberg event is fast growing in stature and with a second stage climb up to the finish line at the top of the iconic Sani Pass, this year’s Sani Dragon was one race the pair were not going to miss.
“We’ve both never been up Sani Pass, let alone by bike, so that was definitely the draw card for us to come and do the Sani Dragon this year,” explains Anderson.
“We can’t wait to take part in this year’s Sani Dragon,” echoes Bester. “We’re both in reasonably good shape and so hopefully we can have a good two days in the saddle.”
Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
Despite having never competed as a team previously and Anderson being thirteen years Bester’s junior, the upper South Coast duo believe they have the makings of a good partnership.
“We’ve never raced together before but both being from Toti, we are regular training partners and are looking forward to racing the Sani Dragon as team mates,” says Anderson.
“Perhaps having turned 40 in January, Hendrik is the experience in the team and I, at 27 years-old, am more the ‘exuberance of youth’,” he laughs.
“I am a reasonably good climber and Brennan is obviously still quite young and fit; hopefully I can hurt the youngster on the climbs a little bit!” chuckles Bester.
While unsure of the strength of the rest of the field, the pair remains quietly confident that they can challenge for a podium place next weekend.
“We’ll definitely look to give it our all while we’re out there,” says Anderson.
“We’ve been training as much as possible throughout the winter, and even before then, and recently we’ve been trying to prepare the lungs as best we can for the Dragon’s climb up Sani Pass.
“Even though we’ll be riding through such a beautiful part of the world, we’ll look to go as hard as we can on both days and then we can appreciate the view once we’ve crossed the finish line at the top of Sani Pass and are heading back down again.”
Bester, who finished second at the Sappi Scottburgh MTB Race in mid-August, believes the pair take some good confidence with them into the Sani Dragon encounter.
“Scottburgh was definitely my best result of the year but I’ve also picked up a few age group podiums throughout the year as well.
“I managed to get an eighth at the Tour de Krantz recently too – an event where Brennan and I actually ended up riding a lot of the race together.
Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
“We train together too and so know each other’s strengths quite well, so I think we’re both quite confident and feeling good about the Sani Dragon,” explains Bester.
The 2016 Fedauto Sani Dragon in association with Mortimer Toyota takes place on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October. Entries can be submitted and more information found at www.sanidragon.co.za.
Source: Gameplan Media
