On the 2nd and 3rd of April 2016, mountain bike enthusiasts will be able to take part in the 2nd Marriott Freedom Race, an exciting mountain bike event that celebrates the 26th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.
The Marriott Freedom Race, sponsored by Marriott Asset Management accommodates both serious cyclists and families looking for a fun day out. Riders can choose between a two-day, two-person team ride which covers +/-60kms per day (120km in total), or a one-day individual ride over a shorter course of 40kms.
Day one starts at the eNanda Adventure Centre on the banks of Inanda Dam. The route makes its way around Inanda up onto Table Mountain and through some newly cut single track that will excite even the racing snakes. The finish of Day one in Inanda will have a strong traditional African influence, with something of interest for the whole family. Local cuisine and beverages will be available in addition to locally sourced crafts, musicians, and dance groups.
Day two starts from the eNanda Adventure centre, after which the 60km and 40km riders then split. The 60km team riders head up onto the beautiful Shembe plateau where they will be able to enjoy some breathtaking view. The riders then descend back down to Inanda Dam and ride along some of Durban's best MTB trails alongside the uMngeni River until they reach Durban's famed promenade and the finish line on the Suncoast Sundeck.
Here, riders and their families can spend the afternoon relaxing in the race village, which will include a massage tent for the Team entrants and a food and beverage tent run by Suncoast Casino. Prize Giving takes place at 12h00.
Registration will take place at SUNCOAST from 10h00 to 17h00 on Friday 1st April 2016. Further details regarding starting times are available on the Marriot Freedom Race website at www.freedomrace.co.za.
The Marriott Freedom Race is also proudly supported by SUNCOAST, The Durban Green Corridor and Go! Durban. The event offers R40 000 in prize money for the various categories.
A portion of the entry fees will be donated to Durban Green Corridor Youth MTB programme, which aims to develop and involve the youth in environmental and economic programmes - activities which are often not available at their schools.
News supplied.
The SA Triathlon market is abuzz with excitement of the approaching MiWay Midlands Ultra Triathlon, which includes SA long distance Triathlon Championships on the 6th of March at Midmar Dam. Top contenders Kent Horner and his wife Claire will be making their way from the Cape to test their mettle and hopefully gain a win. Both Kent and Claire won the event in 2009 and will be hungry to show their form. Local KZN athlete Donovan Van Gelder, who has numerous wins at Midmar is also looking for a win, but will have some tough competition from up and coming Triathletes Rudolf Naude.
Howick Hospice invites you to enjoy a morning of shopping at it's very first event for 2016. The Car Boot Sale will take place on 27 February on the grounds at 7 Mansfield Road, Howick. Entry is free and all are welcome.
Ceiling fans are now in stock at 
We are now almost three weeks into the new year but it is not too late to wish all our sponsors, new and old, good health and a prosperous new year and to thank them for their generous offers of sponsorship. We also wish all bowlers good health, a good start to the new year and a successful year of good bowls.
Pictured here on the left, Howick Prep Grade R ‘Hoppers’ hard at work on Day 1.
On Tuesday, 8 December 2015 the Midlands Sages held their end of year Turkey Trot at Howick Golf Club. A field of 44 kicked off with shot-gun start in a 4-ball alliance, 2 to count competition. First on 90 points were Tim Stent, Barry Erxleben, Brian Cook & Colin Burden, 2nd – Don Carr, Norman Atherton, John Olding & Gordon Smith, and 3rd – Ian Leyenaar, Albert Loveday, Harry Koovarjee & Reg Dold. At prizegiving, Sages members were also presented with chickens for their attendance over the year.
Howick High School pupils, Sarah and Kirsten Mingay, finished the Bronze Class of the 2015 Roof of Africa Motorcyle Endurance Race, finishing 70th (Sarah) and 71st (Kirsten) out of 128 entrants and 108 finishers. They were the first two ladies over the finish line in the Bronze Class with only one lady completing the Silver Class.
Some of the fittest athletes in South Africa lined up yesterday for the last big triathlon of 2015. Dubbed the toughest 1/2 iron distance triathlon in South Africa, the athletes were eager to test their mettle and see who was the toughest! Athletes arrived at Midmar Dam to cool, cloudy conditions, but soon after the Sprint race start it was clear that the day was going to change into perfect racing weather. The Sprint race started first, with Ben De la Porta exiting the 600m swim just ahead of Glen Gore. On the bike course the top positions chopped and changed as the athletes surged to finish the 20km cycle loop ahead of the chasers. After an error with the race leaders on the bike course, making it a 25km cycle route, it was up to the athletes to sort their final positions on the 5km run course. Haig Gibb claimed the overall title with Ben Dela Porta and Glen Gore in third. In the Ladies Sprint race, Riana Robertson, Mikaela Jonsson and Jessica Dignon and Kate Clelland battled it out for the lead on the bike and run courses. Robertson managed to move ahead on the run and claimed the overall win 2min ahead of Jonsson. There was a battle for 3rd place with Dignon just clinching the last podium position after a hard run ahead of Clelland.
Howick High School presented a First Team Cricket Cap to Nicole de Klerk, its first female recipient, this weekend at the fixture against Carter High School played at Howick. Nicole was also selected to play for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland Senior Women's cricket squad in November last year. Nicole is pictured here with her fellow 1st team members receiving her cap from team coach, Mr Gareth Gardner.
Still looking for MIDMAR MILE ACCOMMODATION?
The current star at FreeMe KZN is our three week old male Cape clawless otter pictured above. He was discovered under a car at Fort Nottingham far from water with an injury to his neck leading us to believe he had been removed from the den by a predator. He has expensive tastes and is fed full cream evaporated milk and salmon capsules and is gaining weight daily. He is presently 2.2 kg in weight and will eventually weigh in the region of 23 kg. He will be sent to the Otter Working Group for his three-year rehabilitation back to the wild once all the necessary permits are in place.
Members and visitors who have been into the club during the course of this past week will have noticed the remarkable improvements to the clubhouse. Not only is there a permanent stage , we now have new curtains which sport our club colours and badge. To quote from an email which I received: “The curtains are LOOOOOKING FAB UUUU LUUUS DOLL.” A huge vote of thanks is extended to Bernice Meyer for organising the curtains. Thanks is also due to Barbara Brook and Helen Emberton for helping Bernice to hang the curtains and to Alan Wells who was in the background, helping where needed.
Oh what a night! The night of 05 December 2015..... when many present and past members of Umgeni Waterfall met at the club to celebrate the end of the year. There was a stellar cast of members including ‘The Lady in White’, ‘The Andrew Sisters’, 10 year old(er) ’Lena Zavaroni’ and ‘Lee Marvin’ in a revue presented by members of the club under the able direction of our own ‘impresario’ Barry Bedworth. The revue took place on our new permanent stage which was made possible by many donations from public enterprises and members.
The Churches of Howick have combined this year to host an unforgettable