2016 African Mountain Bike Championships ready for launch

AfriSki 2016

The 2016 African Mountain Bike (MTB) Championships start tomorrow at the Afriski Mountain Resort in Butha-Buthe.

The MTB championships will run from tomorrow until Sunday.

The African MTB Championships carry Olympic qualifying points and several African countries that are yet to qualify for Rio 2016 will compete. It is the first time Lesotho will host the continental event which was held in Rwanda last year.

The venue for competition will be at Mahlasela Pass. The African MTB Championships cover different events under the two main MTB disciplines – cross-country and downhill. 

The events scheduled for the championships are the Cross-country Marathon (XCM), Cross-country Team Relay (XCR), Olympic Cross-Country format (XCO), Cross-country Eliminator (XCE), Downhill (DHI) and Enduro.

Lesotho is yet to qualify for the Olympics. However, the country still has an outside chance to make it to Rio since it is ranked second in Africa and 41st in the world International Cycling Union (UCI).

Afriski Mountain Resort is situated above 3000 metres. It is renowned for snow sports in winter, with mountain biking and other adventure sports taking place the rest of the year.

The African MTB Championships are coming to Lesotho

2016 African Mountain Bike (MTB) Championships

Event Programme

Wednesday, 30th March:    

15:00 – Official Opening Ceremony

16:00 – XCR International Team Relay

Thursday, 31st March:

09:00 – XCM – 60km Marathon (Men/ Women)

14:00 – END – Enduro

Friday, 1st April:

10:00 – XCO – Youth and Young age

14:00 – XCO – Veteran and senior age categories

Saturday, 2nd April:

10:00 – XCO – Woman Elite, U23 and Junior

14:00 – XCO – Men Elite, U23 and Junior

Sunday, 3rd April:

09:00 – Downhill – Official Seeding

11:00 – Downhill – Final Run

13:00 – Closing Ceremony