Marissa’s 4th Graskop Triple Title

Marissa van der Merwe (Team Proline Computers) has demonstrated her cycling prowess at the Graskop Hillclimb Championships, presented by the Mpumalanga Cycling Union, when she won each division on the weekend, including a podium place in the stage three elite men’s event. 

 

Starting with the veterans, and the 30-39 and 40.40 age-group divisions, as well as the Junior Male and Females, Van der Merwe finished more than five minutes ahead of Team Proline Computers team-mate Robyn de Groot in the first stage 76km road race.

 

Stage two was the 8½km Hill Climb for which the event is named, and here Van der Merwe broke her own 2006 record by 30 seconds to finish in a time of 25:17, ahead of De Groot and third-placed Chanel Hinze.

 

But she kept the best for last, earning her the title of the Queen of the Graskop Hill Climb Champs, when she completed a hat-trick of stage wins for the fourth consecutive year, and finished third overall against competing against the elite women, the elite men, the 30-39 and 40-49 vets, and the junior cyclists.

Stage 1: 76km Road Race:
1. Marissa van der Merwe (Team Proline Computers) – 2:00:56
2. Robyn de Groot (Team Proline Computers) – 2:06:27
3. Maricha Nortje (Cyclelab) – 2:32:00

Stage 2: 8.5km Hill Climb:
1. Marissa van der Merwe – 25:17
2. Robyn de Groot – 28:05.
3. Chanel Hinze – 35:59

Stage 3: Graskop-Sabie-Tot Bo Longtompass:
Elite ladies started with the Elite men, vets 30-39, and 40-49 and juniors at Graskop, where Marissa van der Merwe surprised everybody by finishing in a phenomenal 3rd position overall.