All set for hog charge

Preparations for the 24th edition of the Hog Charge, Kenya’s national mountain bike competition, are complete and the competition has been slated for January 22 at Peponi School, Northlands Ranch in Ruiru.

The event, which is sponsored by milk processor Brookside Dairy and hosts Peponi School, is a race on mountain bikes, for teams of four, that sees groups of riders navigate around a course of checkpoints in the shortest time possible.

The teams will be entered in either the under-12, under-14 or open classes.

Yesterday, Brookside Dairy, the sponsors of the Hog Charge for the past 21 years, and hosts Peponi School said all arrangements for the 24th edition were in place. More than 60 schools from across the country had by yesterday confirmed participation in the event, with the numbers still growing.

“We are encouraged by the rising number of entries for this year’s event. Apart from the three entry classes of under 12, under 14 and the open category, the event will also feature a family fun race for both parents and their children,” Christine Maina, Brookside’s General Manager for marketing and her Peponi counterpart, Ngina Pratt-Mburu, said.

More than 700 riders are lined up for the event, which is also a charity race whose proceeds go towards supporting the Rhino Ark, which is involved in a conservation project that focuses on the Mt Kenya water towers.

Teams with competitors under the age of 18 will be accompanied by an adult who will be responsible for them at the event. To enter, a team must raise a minimum of Sh 24,000 in sponsorship – except for the family class whose entry fees has been capped at Sh 20,000.

This year’s race promises a more explosive fight for honours on the back of a challenging navigation circuit, which includes a new bike pit and cycling track.

Organisers are predicting dry and dusty conditions at the Northlands Ranch on race day, which is expected to offer a befitting challenge and excitement to both riders and spectators.

However, should the skies open up on race day, a muddy cycling circuit will heighten the thrills and spills for the participating teams and onlookers.

An upper limit of 150 teams appears to have stoked up a rush for entries, with the event’s online registration platform teeming with activity as teams race to beat the deadline for entries, according to the officials. At last year’s event, Nairobi’s The Banda School emerged victorious in the girls’ under-14 race. The Banda School’s team, the “Hogdashaians” who needed exactly 60 minutes to hit the tape, shook off stiff challenge from St Andrew’s Preparatory, Turi, who emerged runners up after cycling for 84 minutes.