G2C partners make the wheels go round!
Organising an event which can expect up to 500 participants requires considerable support and in addition to major sponsor BUCO, the Grahamstown to Sea (G2C) 2022 Mountain Bike Race from Makhanda to Port Alfred on 6 November enjoys the backing of other exciting partners. Here’s how they’re stepping in:
WATER TABLES: VW Kelston Motors and Star Bread are providing water tables for the Makhanda (Grahamstown) end of the course. BUCO will have a water table at the midpoint.
Stenden and the SPCA will be supporting the arrival of cyclists into Port Alfred.
REFRESHMENTS: Twizza will provide refreshments for the end of the race to support the big BUCO finish.
YOUR BIKE: Enduran will be supplying bike chain lube for the goodie bags. The Cycle Asylum will be providing spare parts at the start, a training programme and part sponsorship of the spot prize.
T-SHIRTS: Xtreme will be contributing towards the T-shirts.
FUNDING: VW Kelston Motor Group, Star Bread Grahamstown, Vox Logic and our other sponsors are contributing financially.
MEDIA: Talk of the Town is the media sponsor.
EVENT SIGN-UP AND TIMING: Mountain Events.
PACKET PICK-UP: On Saturday 5th November at PJ Olivier High School, where Oldenburgia Trail Running events being organised by Get out and Run will also start and finish on Saturday. There there will be refreshments, music and a market from 9am to 2pm.
“We hope this event will provide our sponsors with some additional exposure and runners and cyclists and spectators some added fun,” said chairperson of the Makana Residents Association (MRA), Sally Price-Smith. The MRA is the event host and organiser.
The Makhanda, Port Alfred and Kenton branches of BUCO have joined forces to provide the main financial and logistics support for the event.
BUCO’s Marius Schmidt, said the event started off with just 170 cyclists and had grown to just over 400 by last year.
“It’s a fantastic initiative that has always brought people from Gqeberha, East London, Kenton and Port Alfred together,” Schmidt said. “It’s a great networking opportunity and BUCO is involved because it’s a community driven project.”
Schmidt said moving the finish to the Port Alfred Cricket Club meant people can spend the day there.
“It’s more family driven – kids can play there, there’s no danger of being hit by a car.
“We look forward to growing the numbers this year – we’d love to see 500 people cycling – when we reach that number we’ll be celebrating!”
BUCO are definitely in it for the long haul and have big plans for the race.
“For the next one we want to encourage people to camp overnight at the new finishing venue.”
The Grahamstown to Sea mountain bike cycle race was the inspiration of a group of Makhanda (Grahamstown) cyclists nine years ago. Penny Pinchers was the first main sponsor and when BUCO took over the company, their generous support continued.
Lindsay Vroom of Cathy Braans PR, with assistance from Mountain Events and BUCO, took over the organisation of the event after founding hosts the Saints and Sinners Cycling Club closed.
Vroom handed the baton to the Makana Residents’ Association (MRA) who have hosted it for the past two years, as a fundraiser.