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DPM LAUNCHES ‘STIX’ MTB

17/08/2017 08:10:00 BY ASHMOND NZIMA

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MANZINI – Manzini trails and surroundings are ready to welcome cyclists for the ‘Stix’ Mountain Bike (MTB) Classic.

Deputy Prime Minister, Paul Dlamini, launched the event last night at Manzini Club, which will be home for the festivities set for Saturday next week.
The event, which is headlined by the 55km race, is organised by MORMOND Electrical Contractors in partnership with Swaziland Electrical Sales. Action gets underway at 8am.

Instead of the King of the Mountain MTB race that is usually staged in Malkerns, MORMOND and its partners opted to come with the new-look event that would be staged in Manzini for the first time. ‘Stix’ is said to be derived from Afrikaans and is a word that has to do with stick and mud, where the route transverses.
“I will also cycle on the day.

“I will also encourage fellow Cabinet ministers to embrace cycling as it is a good sport,” said the deputy premier in his key note address.
The DPM hardly misses cycling races these days.

Clinton McNamara, one of the organisers, said nearby communities would benefit from proceeds of the race. Some communities along the route include Gundwini, Lwandle and Nhlambeni.
“The route is made out of district and main roads in the first few kilometres. Some of the hard climbs have been eliminated in the 25km event,” he said.

On top of cycling on single trails and cattle paths, there are six crossings on dried rivers. For registration and enquiries, would-be participants can liaise with the organisers on 7802 6866 or 7802 6868. Entries are open until August 23 (next Wednesday). The rest of the cycling events will be six, 12, 25 and 35km long. Registration fees range between E50 and E150.

Other fitness enthusiasts will be featured in an aerobathon, which has been organised by one of the partners, Fitness Zone.
The event has been dubbed a Family Fun Day and spectators are welcome. They have to pay only E20 as entry fee. Other guests in last night’s launch included Misters David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala and Owen Nxumalo from Sport, Culture and Youth Affairs as well as Public Service, respectively. Executives from MORMOND and Member of Parliament Mjuluko Dlamini and Chief Nkamane from Lwandle could also not miss out. Well-known off-races driver, ‘Mashesha’ Thomson from MORMOND was reported to be away in Mozambique on national duty.