National mountain bike competition Hog Charge returns early next year.
The 23rd edition of the annual mountain bike competition will be held on January 23 next year at Peponi School in Ruiru, Kiambu County.
Organisers had received an impressive list of entries by Monday. The bike race is also a charity event whose proceeds will be channelled towards supporting the Rhino Ark, a charitable trust registered in Kenya and which is involved in an environmental conservation project that focuses on the Mount Kenya water towers.
The Hog Charge, which is sponsored by milk processor Brookside Dairy, is a team competition that will see groups of four riders navigate around a course of checkpoints in the shortest time possible on mountain bikes. The teams will be entered in either the under-12 category, the under-14 category, or in the open classes.
Next year’s event promises to be a more explosive fight for honours on the back of a challenging navigation circuit, which includes a new bike pit and cycling track.
The dreaded mud gauntlet, at the penultimate stage of the race, is expected to offer a befitting challenge and excitement to both riders and spectators.
Brookside Dairy which has sponsored the Hog Charge for the past 20 years, and hosts Peponi School said all arrangements for resumption of the bike competition were in place.
More than 50 schools from across the country had by yesterday confirmed participation in the event, with more participants expected to register before the deadline.
“Apart from the three entry classes of under-12, under-14 and the open category, next year’s event will also feature a family fun race for both parents and their children,” Ngina Pratt-Mburu, Peponi School’s head of marketing, said.
Organisers have set 160 as the upper limit of participating teams.
The last edition of the competition held in 2020 saw Nairobi’s Brookhouse International School run away with titles in both the girls’ and boys’ open cycling categories.
In the girls’ open race, Brookhouse’s team christened “The Mosquitoes” weathered hot and dusty conditions at Sukari Ranch to triumph in 11 minutes,54 seconds while the boys’ team christened “The Ram Riders” won in 12.00:00.
Ms Ngina thanked Brookside Dairy for its sponsorship, which will see participants treated to a rich serving of the processor’s quality milk. BY DAILY NATION