Speedy Chases First Juicy Lucy

Yolande Speedy (left, pictured with Yolande de Villiers) is keen to add the inaugural Juicy Lucy Series event at the Logwood Bike Haven to her list of accomplishments.

African women’s mountain bike champion, Yolande Speedy (IMC Mongoose), will be one of the stars in action at the Juicy Lucy Series, which kicks off on Saturday at Logwood Bike Haven just north of Johannesburg.

Fresh from an impressive 31st place at the recent World Cross-Country Championships, Speedy will be chasing yet another title, to add to what has already been an impressive year.

Among her 2007 list of achievements, Speedy has won the Mixed title at the Absa Cape Epic and the Subaru Sani2c (both with partner Paul Cordes), and she also won the SA Marathon Championships and the African Cross-Country Championships.

With one event remaining she looks set to claim the Mazda Series title, and for good measure, she has added the inaugural Juicy Lucy Series title to her to-chase list.

"I’m planning to do all three events in the Juicy Lucy Series. It’s something new and challenging, and much needed for the discipline of Cross-Country racing," said Speedy, currently South Africa’s best Olympic Games women’s prospect.

Cross-Country is the only Olympic mountain biking discipline, and consists of a medium-duration, high-intensity form of lap-racing that tests the rider’s fitness, will, skill and strength.

In an effort to boost South Africa’s Olympic hopes both in 2008 and beyond, Juicy Lucy has invested in the three-race series which kicks off on Saturday, followed by a second event in October, and the final in November.

Each event will take place on a different course, and Saturday’s circuit will be fast and flowing, with October’s course expected to be tight and twisty, and November following with a combination of the two.

Logwood Bike Haven offers a professionally manicured palette of single-track racing that’s become legendary throughout the country, and the Juicy Lucy Series will give riders a chance to test themselves in a safe environment not far from the city.

There are prizes on offer for top finishers and racing starts at 08h00. To enter or to find out more information, visit the Cult Cycling website.