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The boys, accompanied by adult cyclist Max van Camp and mum Karin Rissik driving their back-up vehicle, left Prince Albert on Monday, October 6 to cycle the 275km back to Knysna. The trip was initiated by Rissik, a Grade 10 pupil at Knysna's Montessori School. It was his second cycling expedition to raise funds for worthy projects.
On the first day the youngsters found themselves in sweltering Karoo heat of 42 degrees, but only two days later, as they tackled the Prince Alfred Pass, it cooled down to 8 degrees with rain and a strong headwind.
"But we all survived, enjoying the beautiful scenery as it changed from the dryness of the Karoo to the green of the forests of Knysna. Andrew and Matthew Rissik joined us for the last mountainous leg of the ride in the rain! Although it was a tough ride, we are all ready to do it again next year!" grins Rissik, who undertook a similar trip when he was only 12 years old.
"This is the second time I have done this ride. When I was twelve I built a bike with my uncle and then we rode the same route to raise funds for my school. After doing a cycle race with the kids from the Knysna Sport School, I saw that their bikes were not in such a good state. I wanted to do the ride again and so I decided that this time it would be to raise funds to get new bikes for the Knysna Sport School cycling team as well as funds for 1st Knysna Sea Scouts, of which I am a member. Thank you to all the people of Knysna and Plett and everywhere else who sponsored me and Chant on this ride. We raised enough money to enable us to buy two really nice bikes for Knysna Sport School and put something into the Scouts too!" he explained proudly.
Although the young cyclists had their fair share of punctures and extreme weather, their three days on the road made for an unforgettable adventure. The team averaged between 70km and 75km each day and over-nighted on a farm at a hot spring and in a building at the Keurbooms Game River Trail Park.
"The third night was very wet, so it was great that they were given permission to use a building which the owner is busy erecting," said Karin Rissik. The youngsters serve as an inspiration to youth everywhere to take initiative and make their mark while contributing to the communities in which they grow up.
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The young cyclists were welcomed back to Knysna at Mugg & Bean. From the left are Max van Camp, Chant Messina, Liam Rissik with family Andrew and Matthew Rissik.
At the handover on Friday, October 31 of two bicycles to the Knysna Sport School's Development Trust were (from left) Chant Messina, Colin Mathiesen (chairperson of the trust), Paulus Sgonyela (cycling coach) and Liam Rissik. Sea Scouts Rissik and Messina cycled 275km to raise the funds needed to buy the biccles.
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