Our province is really blessed to have the support that we receive from the City of Tshwane metro council. No doubt that you would have seen some new kids on the block at Saturday's event. Thanks to the combined efforts of the city council, the department of Education and AGN, we have found some uncut diamonds with enough talent to go right to the top!
The Gauteng North Cross Country season is preparing to go into its final lap now and the standard of performances is improving dramatically every weekend. The time has arrived to start biting the bullet!!
We hope to announce the team to Newcastle on Friday morning, before the schools close. I am sure that the selectors will have a tough time identifying this team with so many great performances over the last five events. I will forward you more detail as soon as I have it.
Event 6, Innovation Hub (Enduro) (20 June 2009)
Well done to the Enduro team for hosting the second largest league ever without a glitch. It is because of the high standard of the events hosted by our clubs that the sport is growing so much.
Our sincerest gratitude goes to Mr. Jackie Kunene of the City of Tshwane and his department (Ria, Khomotso, Trudie) for providing us with transport and infrastructure to give opportunities to 120 athletes. Your efforts are paying dividends already. Also, thank you to the coordinators of the School districts, Mr. David Moses and Mr. Tshepo Moroke for the communication to the schools.
I have not worked out the results of the league competition yet. Like last year, the champions will be crowned at the Gauteng North championships on 15 August 2009.
Results attached.
Old Photographs
82 days remain before the South African Cross Country Championships. The event will include an Expo this year. We would like to request anyone who might still have some old photos taken at the South African championships a few years ago, to borrow it to us so that we may take copies of it to display at the expo.
Place keeping on the starting line
Please note that we are not allowed to stand on the starting line to reserve a place for our children while they are warming up. It is creating tension amongst parents. We would not like to have to start policing our events. We appreciate your understanding.
The Rest of the season
In the third stage, things become a little more complicated. In our drive to combine AGN and school events we will split our events into two groups:
· Primary school athletes (Ages 8 to 13).
To qualify for the South African Cross Country championships, athletes have to take part in at least three of the following events of which the Gauteng North Cross Country championships is compulsory:
Boerefort Primary School (24 July 2009)
Tuine Primary School (31 July 2009)
Simon Bekker Primary School (7 August 2009)
Gauteng North Championships (15 August 2009) (Compulsory)
You can contact Japie Venter at 082 823 8019. Please note that Primary Schools still need to affiliate to take part in the events on Friday's so that so that they can add your name to their results system.
Smaller groups, individual athletes and development groups will be affiliated via Athletics Gauteng North. Please try and have your school affiliated before the school holidays by obtaining a electronic file from Japie Venter.
· Secondary school athletes, seniors and masters (Ages 14 and up)
To qualify for the South African Cross Country Championships, athletes have to take part in at least three of the following events of which the Gauteng North Championships is compulsory:
Irene (18 July 2009). Agricultural Research Centre Irene, starts 12:30, please contact Wynand Breytenbach at 012 654 0005.
New Balance (25 July 2009) Fountains Valley. This event incorporates the first ever Trial Running event on the Gauteng North calendar. Contact Alan Smith at 073 255 7931.
TUT (1 August 2009) Tshwane University of Technology (Technicon Rand), starts 12:30, contact Jazz Mnyengeza at 076 262 9752.
Gauteng North Championships - LC de Villiers (15 August 2009) (Compulsory), starts 10:00, contact Andre Gobey 072 191 0538 or the AGN office at 012 327 4931.
The National Cross Country championships take place on 12 September 2009 at LC de Villers in Tshwane.
Andre Gobey
072 191 0538
