Nairobi’s Banda School successfully defended the girls under 14 title as the Silver Jubilee edition of the annual Hog Charge came to a close at Peponi School, Ruiru at the weekend.

Cheered on by a large partisan crowd that included parents, Banda hit the tape first for the 15km cycling circuit in 1hr 28 minutes, ahead of Hillcrest Preparatory, who clocked 1.44:00.

The Hog Charge, which is sponsored by hosts Peponi School, milk processor Brookside Dairy and Northlands City, is Kenya’s premier national mountain bike which sees competitors ride through a series of check points and obstacles in the shortest possible time.

In the under 14 mixed race category, Molo’s St Andrew’s Turi carried aloft the diadem after returning a time of 1hr 41 minutes. They were followed by Nairobi’s Peponi House, who clocked 1hr 49 minutes.

Kenton College won the under 12 girls race in a time of 1hr 56 minutes, ahead of Peponi House who finished 7 minutes later. Brookhouse Karen were third placed in 2hrs 4 minutes.

In the boys’ category, Peponi House led the pack after returning a time of 1hr 23 minutes, with Kenton College runners up in 1hr 32 minutes. The Banda School were content with third place in a time of 1hr 51 minutes.

Brookside Dairy’s market intelligence manager Rebecca Munge and Peponi School’s marketing director Ngina Pratt-Mburu, hailed the high turnout at this year’s event, which saw riders take to the challenging course that included the dreaded gauntlet at the penultimate stage of the race.

Over Sh 6 million was raised during yesterday’s race, to support conservation efforts in the Mt Kenya water tower. Since inception, over Sh 60 million has been raised in the competitions 25 year history.