Racers riding solo and teams of two and four contested the fifth edition of the 340km Desert Dash over December 18-19.
Starting in Windhoek, the route climbed the Khomas Hochland up to a level of 2,000m above sea level. Racers navigated twists and turns of the descent, at one stage dropping 700m in only 10km, made more difficult by the conditions being a moonless night.
Racers crossed the rugged, unforgiving Namib Desert and finished in the quaint coastal town of Swakopmund. With the cold Atlantic Ocean on one side and the red sand dunes of the desert on the other, the town itself summarized the extremes of this race.
Up to 24 hours were allowed for racers to complete this lengthy, single stage event.
Results
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Solo men 23-39
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Arno Viljoen (GT Mr Price )
14:07:50
2
Henning van Wyk (Merida 96 )
2:05:19
3
Tjipe Murangi (Team Cycletec )
2:06:03
4
Ian Grassow (Still )
3:13:29
5
Heinrich Kohne (NMC Methealth )
3:54:27
6
Noddis Uys (Noddis )
4:21:13
7
Gerhard Liebenberg (Fil413 )
Row 6 - Cell 2
8
Andrew Reid (Langer Heinrich )
4:59:51
9
Carl Hahn (Oops )
5:00:30
10
Stefan van Doorn (Bushrider )
5:00:40
11
Pierre van Rensburg (Pankop )
Row 10 - Cell 2
12
Philip Steyn (Die Nama en sy baja sukkel )
5:11:44
13
Basson van Rooyen (Basson )
5:12:09
14
Omri Kleynhans (Omri )
5:17:10
15
Richard Quin (The Mighty Quin )
5:41:42
16
Robert Redecker (495)
6:20:37
17
Sias Le Roux (Team SLR )
6:49:15
18
Terry Wilson (Team Slowbee )
7:36:15
19
Dave Rooney (Roon Dogg )
7:36:58
20
Johann Baard (Spykerboud )
7:39:05
21
Bradley van der Walt (By Grace I Race )
7:44:44
22
Johan la Grange (Splinterboud )
Row 21 - Cell 2
23
Kristian Larsson (Viking )
7:56:34
24
Christopher Ehinger (Seal and Gasket )
7:56:45
25
Damien Agnew (Cycles Wholesale )
8:25:50
26
Wouter Pentz (Wouter Pentz )
8:31:29
27
Dennis Nathrass (Team GTR )
8:57:38
28
Christof van Niekerk (Christof van Niekerk )
9:09:48
DNS
Andrew Rowles (Cindy Lauper )
Row 28 - Cell 2
DNF
Gerhard Breed (Style )
Row 29 - Cell 2
DNF
Louis Botha (Louis )
Row 30 - Cell 2
DNF
Jacobus Diener (Willeklong )
Row 31 - Cell 2
DNF
Martin Ciolkosz (29pgc10 )
Row 32 - Cell 2
DNF
Michael Curtis (Half Not )
Row 33 - Cell 2
DNF
Jannie Tromp (Skorpion )
Row 34 - Cell 2
DNF
Louis Putter (Pupkewitz )
Row 35 - Cell 2
DNF
Heimer Anderson (Anderson Transport )
Row 36 - Cell 2
DNF
Etienne Jobert (Afripex Tygirs 3 )
Row 37 - Cell 2
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Solo men 40+
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Andy Chase (Beka Lighting )
15:18:15
2
Axel Otto (Axel Otto )
0:55:38
3
Riaan Boshoff (Riaan )
1:04:53
4
Riaan Derks (Broker )
2:01:24
5
Ludwig Malherbe (Team Stihl )
3:12:54
6
Johan Bezuidenhout (Afripex Tygirs 2 )
3:36:21
7
Johan Bothma (Pointbreak Solo 2)
3:49:33
8
Aidan de Lange (Why Again )
Row 7 - Cell 2
9
Hercules Viljoen (Hobodeho )
4:05:05
10
John Vonofakidis (Vono )
4:06:45
11
Pieter de Bruin (Pieterman )
4:08:50
12
Henry Verhoeven (Just4Fun )
4:23:12
13
Rob Jackson (Oldest coot )
4:31:17
14
Jan Laubscher (JanTrap )
5:01:44
15
Simon Hough (Agent Orenge )
5:31:36
16
Michael Childes (Afripex Tygirs 1 )
5:31:43
17
Willem Hyman (Martelpyp Rodeo )
6:25:52
18
Nicolas Wessels (Streetschool )
6:26:34
19
Daan Gerretsen (Flying Dutchman )
6:46:14
20
Wouter Behr (Martelpyp Rodeo 2 )
7:05:43
21
Jan Auke Dijkstra (Toearegg )
7:21:00
22
Jaap Venter (Jaap )
7:21:03
23
Charlie du Toit (Charlie du Toit )
7:21:04
24
Johan van Niekerk (Johan van Niekerk )
7:59:23
DNS
Johan Le Roux (Sinister se Pa )
Row 24 - Cell 2
DNF
Dennis Mc Donald (Aardvark 1 )
Row 25 - Cell 2
DNF
Johan Bester (Pcychocyclist )
Row 26 - Cell 2
DNS
James Parkin (Litespeed Homeward Bound )
Row 27 - Cell 2
DNF
Gus Klohn (InfraDEV )
Row 28 - Cell 2
DNF
Nick du Plessis (Nick Du Plessis )
Row 29 - Cell 2
DNF
Johann Liebenberg (Liebster )
Row 30 - Cell 2
DNF
Johan Fourie (Bleskop )
Row 31 - Cell 2
DNF
Kenneth Williams (Spartan unity )
Row 32 - Cell 2
DNF
Deon Viljoen (Obelix )
Row 33 - Cell 2
DNF
JC Faul (Oglala )
Row 34 - Cell 2
DNS
Michael Swanepoel (Solo )
Row 35 - Cell 2
DNS
Russell Paschke (Desert Rat )
Row 36 - Cell 2
DNF
Wayne Hartmann (Wayne Hartmann )
Row 37 - Cell 2
DNF
Willie Engelbrecht (Pointbreak Wille Willie )
Row 38 - Cell 2
DNS
Paolo Beltramo (Azzuri )
Row 39 - Cell 2
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Solo women
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Hannele Steyn-Kotze (Sludge )
16:23:08
DNF
Elmien Wagenaar (Elmien )
Row 1 - Cell 2
DNF
Claire van Aardt (Oolahwan )
Row 2 - Cell 2
DNF
Hesmar Venter (Hesmar )
Row 3 - Cell 2
DNF
Carmen Tromp (Kelkiewyn )
Row 4 - Cell 2
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Solo Under 23 men
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
DNS
Sion Le Roux (Mister Sinister )
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Two-person teams 23-39 men
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Team Cathy (Willie Mac Van Zyl and Nico Ruppel)
15:54:11
2
HKGK (Johann Pretorius and Dirk Uys)
2:21:09
3
Forklift and Allied (Klaus Papendieck and Sven Tegethoff)
2:41:45
4
African Shipping Services 1 (Andre Steinfurth and Rainer Sentefol)
3:02:35
5
African Shipping Services 2 (Stephan Drayer and Rene Graf)
3:02:37
6
The Rocket Scientists (Andre Christensen and Barry van't Slot)
3:39:54
7
Team Nokia 2 (Henri de Bruine and Mark Salisbury)
4:47:26
8
Koggelramme (Jannie Oberholzer and George Diener)
4:53:24
9
Further on up the Road (Michael Treloar and Kenneth Treloar)
5:43:39
DNS
Kea Camper Hire (Reinhard Haenisch and Christoph Haenisch)
Row 9 - Cell 2
DNF
Storage Solutions (Sem Shaanika and Junias Ndjuluwa)
Row 10 - Cell 2
DNF
DOK en DOOM (Ernst Coetzee and Christoff Coetzee)
Row 11 - Cell 2
DNF
The Odd Couple (Adrian Lee and John Knust)
Row 12 - Cell 2
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Two-person teams 40+ men
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Pointbreak Adrenalin (Wim de Vos and Corrie Muller)
13:20:00
2
7 Minute Disciples (Barry Cooper and Ian Macleod)
1:54:12
3
Hartlief masters (Christo Van Niekerk and Kevin Adendorff)
2:18:20
4
Gochas Movers (Wessel van Wyk and Philippus van Wyk)
2:25:50
5
Desertrats (Stefan Bohlke and Hans du Toit)
2:57:20
6
J and B (Jan Nel and Brendan Dawson)
3:15:09
7
Terason Nightriders (John Pope and Moller Nel)
4:03:22
8
Khomas Peddlers (John Cuff and Ingram Cuff)
4:09:59
9
Flying Doctors (Vincent Shaw and Hoffie Conradie)
4:22:50
10
Crew 111 (Volker Tiller and Thomas Rath)
4:38:04
11
Wheeling Willies (Lean Venter and Jan van den berg)
5:00:22
12
Desert Pistols (Chris Bartholomae and Hansie Jacobs)
5:43:28
13
Team Nokia (Gary Johnson and William-John Willis)
5:52:13
14
Laurel and Hardy (Karl Grunschloss and Naude Theron)
6:07:20
15
Dirt Devils (Nicolaas Venter and Sakkie Schreuder)
6:16:05
16
Desert Donkies (Chris Muir and Louis Wessels)
6:47:02
17
Desert Stormers (Michael de Kock and Wayne Wolmerans)
6:58:16
18
Spanibangli (Johan Mouton and Bill Jooste)
7:59:02
DNF
Toeka en Nou (Hendri Bornman and Philip Badenhorst)
Row 18 - Cell 2
DNF
Pharmaton pro active (Herman Maritz and Wessel Visser)
Row 19 - Cell 2
DNF
Gerus Team (Paul Bosman and Hagen Seiler)
Row 20 - Cell 2
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Two-person female teams
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Pink Panthers (Stephanie Faul and Elanor Grassow)
20:33:27
2
Desert Divas (Astrid Helm and Lidia Theron)
0:00:03
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Two-person mixed teams
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Hartlief mix (Helaine Dos Santos and Henning Blaauw)
15:29:00
2
Gecko Explorers (Pierre Rocher and Marisu Rocher)
1:25:36
3
Man takes wife (Susanne Borg and Leander Borg)
2:13:45
4
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (Christine Thirion and Johan Diener)
5:18:37
DNF
Aan trap rooies (Hennie van Niekerk and Louise van Niekerk)
Row 4 - Cell 2
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Two person U23 teams
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Sandstorms vani Kaap (Ruan van Schalkwyk and Lourens Calitz)
13:36:42
2
Methealth NMC (Heiko Redecker and Mirko Maier)
1:10:38
3
Desert Arrows (Sebastian Jahnke and Jason Reid)
2:09:08
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Four - person 23-29 men's team
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Cymot 3 Duitsers en 1 Schlapohr (Jacques Celliers , Pierre Knoetze, Derrick Clark, Frans - Anthonie Gerber)
14:36:13
2
OTB Sport (Peter Brinkmann , Paul Brinkmann, Mark Brinkmann, Robert Brinkmann)
1:46:55
3
Seven Minute Heathens (Oliver Pierson , Mathew Dalling, Nick DeLuca, Ian Maxwell)
1:47:09
4
FNB Namibia (Theo Neethling , Jaco Vermaak, Jacques Cloete, Herman Reinders)
2:24:19
5
Desert Rats (Peter Herle , Andrew Theunissen, Adrian de la Harpe, Raymond Heathcote)
3:05:33
6
Desert Duelers (Jens Unterlerchner , Axel Dainat, Max Pieper, Ricardo Coehlo)
Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.