KNYSNA CYCLING NEWS – Two local mountain bike riders and learners at Oakhill School, James Devine and Filippo Manzo, recently took part in the 2021 SA Downhill Championship at Paarl Mountain.
Registration was done in Paarl on Saturday 26 March and the race was held the next day. There were 142 riders taking part in the competition, and Devine and Manzo were among 15 taking part in the 'Junior Men' category.
Racers were given one hour and 45 minutes of practice time in the morning on race day, with the first race run beginning at 11:00 and the second at 13:00.
Both local riders gave it their all and Devine managed to end 13th in the Junior Men category and 90th overall, while Manzo was in sixth place in the Junior Men category and 33rd overall.
The national championships also doubled as the first race in the Western Cape Downhill series. Two more races have followed in the series since then and while Devine did not take part this time around, his fellow Oakhillian did, and Manzo performed well.
The Western Cape DHI #2 race was in Paarl on 10 and 11 April, following the same format as the national championships. Manzo once again took part in the Junior Men category and finished an impressive third in his category and 19th overall.
The Western Cape DHI #3 race took place last weekend, 1 and 2 May, at Zevenwacht outside Stellenbosch. Manzo performed well yet again, finishing third in the Junior Men category and 25th overall, only five seconds off the category winner.
Oakhill downhill star Filippo Manzo
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