UPDATE ON - MADIKWE MADNESS MOUNTAIN BIKE AND TRAIL RUN EVENT
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The first ever Madikwe Madness Mountain Bike and Trail Run Event took place this weekend from Friday 21 October to Sunday 23 October!
It was a super successful event and the 3 days were filled with loads of fun, adventure and laughter!
A huge big thank you to Ernst Kruger, Freelance Artist, Designer and Film Maker, who designed our logo for the event free of charge as his contribution to our Community Fundraising event!
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The luxurious tents from Rush adventures (www.rushadventures.com ; www.mobilecamps.co.za)
were an absolute hit…
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Participants started arriving from 14:00 and was welcomed with a race bag at registration and the allocation of their tents after which they were served an ice cold beverage whilst watching the sun set over the Greater Madikwe Game Reserve.
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The catering for the event was also done by Rush Adventures and the food was exquisite with a variety of dishes to choose from!
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Prior to dinner on Friday evening the participants were formally welcomed to the event with a short background on Madikwe Conservancy and Purple Rain Properties, the goal of the project, the Madikwe Mambas and a race briefing.
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Our first night was not uneventful at all, as we were blessed with a couple of drops of rain, but it with the rain came a huge big wind storm that lifted numerous tents and showers from their stands! Rush Adventures however managed to re-erect the tents in no time and this was most definitely the start of an adventurous weekend that blew us all away!
Saturday morning was Mountain Bike Race day and the Mountain Bike Challenge was set off at 05:45am sharp to start with the rise of the sun over the magnificent African bushveld! The 80km cycle route was scenic, exciting and at some stages challenging, but at all times with a magnificent view of the landscape, the Marico river, vast open plains and plentiful game!
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Lunch on Saturday was done in our beautiful Madikwe Botanical Gardens, the participants enjoyed the gardens whilst having lunch overlooking a waterhole in the Big 5 Madikwe Game Reserve.
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On return to the Race village on Saturday afternoon, a mouth-watering lamb spit was on the go and the boma fire was burning. Sunset was celebrated with ice cold beverages overlooking the Kameelboom plains.
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For the event that took place during dinner on Saturday evening there are no words…
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On Sunday morning the Madikwe Madness Adventure was completed by a 10 and 25km run through the scenic Madikwe bushveld, beautifully fresh, after the previous night’s rain storm.
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On behalf of the Madikwe Mambas, we would like to thank everyone that participated, contributed to and supported the Madikwe Madness event – A particular thanks to Nikki and Antoinette at Just Wear It for the super race shirts they produced and to Africa Safe-T for ensuring paramedics onsite at all times! It was great fun and we are looking forward to next year’s event!
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