Ocean View cyclists bring home gold

fuad Esack|Published 9 months ago

Fresh Start Cycling Club’s Ronaldo Levendal and Leetin van Roodt, in action in an under-17 Criterium Race at Century City, earlier this year. Picture: Fuad Esack

Ocean View’s Fresh Start Cycling Club members returned home from Oudtshoorn at the weekend, with nine gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals, after an impressive performance at Cycling South Africa’s Youth Cycling Festival last week.

Fresh Start Cyclyng Club founder-member, chairman and head coach Abduraghiem De Klerk, chatting with riders Ronaldo Levendal, left, and Jordin Newman, who both picked up a gold medals in Oudtshoorn. Picture: Fuad Esack

Established by Abduraghiem De Klerk and his wife Sageda 10 years ago, the youngsters have been making a name for themselves in cycling circles across the province and beyond.

De Klerk said qualifying races were held at Killarney Raceway to select riders to represent the province at last week’s Youth Festival with 17 Fresh Stop riders making the cut to go to Oudtshoorn.

Fresh Start Club’s supporters cheering club member Kendall Olivier, pictured here during one of her laps, at Killarney.

Fresh Start’s Kendall Olivier, 11, takes first place on the podium in the girls’ under-13 section at a Western Province Cycling Criterium event, in Century City, earlier this year. Picture: Fuad Esack

For now, they’re taking a break from competition as the youngsters head back to school for the start of the third term, he said. Riding bikes and reading books are equally important, he said.

Fresh Start’s Kyle August following his stint on the road at a WP Cycling Criterium event, in Century City, earlier this year.

“Pedal Power Association (PPA) rides will commence in September and then we’re looking at going to the SA championships because we have that calibre of riders,“ he said.

“We help with their scholastic career because we make them understand that it is Plan A. We are currently busy implementing other activities so that will hopefully attract more kids to join but we just don’t have enough bicycles to accommodate all,” he said.

For more information about the club, or if if you’ like to assist in any way, call 072 913 5865

Fresh Start’s Ashley Levendal, Kyle August, Lorenzo Lamb, Ashron Grodes, Amien De Klerk and Zaheer Delcarme gather for a group picture, at Killarney, after their stint on the track in a Western Cape league ride which served as a qualifier to represent WP at last week’s Youth Festival in Oudsthoorn.

Fresh Start Cycling Club members were among those who took part a Western Cape league ride which served as a qualifier to represent WP at last week’s Youth Festival in Oudsthoorn.