Northern Free State Swimming

The Penny Heyns Swimming Pool in Sasolburg (Northern Free State, South Africa) has played host to many top swimming championships over the years and in February 2008 once again hosted the Free State Swimming Championships for junior swimmers.
Swimmer from as far as Bloemfontein were in action and top performances were recored. Many local swimmers competed, but at the end of the championship only four were recruited into the Free State junior swimming team: Tjaart du Toit from Fonteine Primary School in Sasolburg, Suné Storme from Lumier Primary School, Alta Pellisier from Fonteine Primary School and Rohan Muller from Heilbron Primary School.

Regional Karting in Vereeniging

The first round of the regional karting championships took place at the Adrenalin Raceway in Vereeniging on Saturday (February 23).
The popular GP class was once again closely contested, with Len Talken clinching overall victory with 97 points. Second place belonged to Tony Baartman (96 points) and third was Laurance Jones (93 points).
The other class winners are:
Mini max - 1. Kelvin van der Linde, 2. Dewald Brummer, 3. Liam Venter.
GP junior - 1. Michael Taylor, 2. Sheldon van der Linde, 3. Nathan Parkins.
ROK junior - 1. Sean Frost, 2. Charl Smalberger, 3. Jordan Pepper.
DD2 - 1. Trent Williams, 2. Justin Allison, 3. George Dos Ramos.
Cadets - 1. Daygin Preston, 2. Clinton Bezuidenhout, 3. Liam Pienaar.
Max Challenge - 1. Devin Robertson, 2. Chad van Beurden, 3. Richard Napier.
Super ROK - 1. Robert Briggs, 2. Fabienne Lanz, 3. Rory Atkinson.
Max 175 - 1. Kenneth Maciver, 2. John van Wyk, 3. Bruce Clark.

Bride of the Year

By Elsje Vermeulen

Vaalweekblad, a very popular community newspaper in the Vaal Triangle (Gauteng, South Africa) crowned the 2007 Bride of the Year at a glamorous event held at Quest Conference Centre last Friday evening (February 23). More photos available at www.flickr.com/photos/snapattack2
After three of the twelve finalists withdrew from the competition, nine beauties strutted their stuff on the runway in front of the judges and spectators.
But as soon as Bernadine Bender made her first appearance, it was basically game, set and match. This stunning blond, with a down to earthy outlook on life and bubbly personality was well deservedly crowned as the 2007 Vaalweekblad Bride of the Year.
Two very striking brunettes took second and third spot: Rochelle de Beer was crowned first princess and Suzaan Nell as second princess.
During the evening even the grooms has a chance on the runway. Without knowing it, they were also secretly judged. Jeffrey van Staden was the man of the moment.

Transvalia's first winter sport for 2008

HS Transvalia in Vanderbijlpark (Gauteng, South Africa) is a Afrikaans medium school well known for top class performances in all fields of education and on the sport fields. The school boasted with top honours at the 2008 Inter High Schools Athletics recently and the very next weekend (Saturday, February 24) the school kicked off with winter sports. The school hosted a day of action with local schools as well as Hoogland High School participating. Here is action photos in the under 15 rugby game between Valia and the visitors from Hoogland. There is also action photos of the game between the girls first hockey teams of these two schools.

Vanderbijlpark Interhoër Atletiekbyeenkoms

(ongelukkig is daar nie genoeg plek vir al die foto's nie, maar hou die blog dop want die res van die foto's sal binnekort op 'n ander web-tuiste (link) beskikbaar wees. Daar is nog baie foto's en hopelik sal die nuwe link voor volgende week in werking wees). Foto's is gratis vir persoonlike gebruik. Kopiereg word behou).

Die jaarlikse Vanderbijlpark Interhoër is op Vrydag, 21 Februarie in uiters hittige weersomstandighede by die HS Transvalia aangebied.Na verwagting het die atlete van die deelnemende skole: HS Transvalia, HS Driehoek, HS Suiderlig, HTS Carel de Wet, Suncrest High School en HS Vanderbijlpark, hul beste gelewer op dié dag. Puik vertonings het vyf nuwe rekords opgelewer en een rekord is geëwenaar.Dewald Boonzaaier, spog-atleet van HS Transvalia was vir twee van die rekords verantwoordelik. Hy het die spiesgooi-rekord vir s.o/14 met amper 7 meter verbeter van 42.11m na 49.32 m. Hy het ook die diskus vir s.o/14 se rekord van 1992 (42.62m) na 48.52m verbeter. Dit het aan hom 1 200 punte op die ABSA-tabel verdien, wat aan hom ook die toekenning vir beste prestasie van die dag besorg het.

Die nuwe rekords is:

Willie van Heerden (Transvalia) - 200m s.o/15 (22.8s); Alicia Sauer (Driehoek) - 100m-hekkies d.o/16 (14.4s); Nanke Supra (Transvalia) - gewigstoot d.o/17 (12.41m). Izelle Neuhoff (Transvalia) ewenaar die 80m-hekkies vir d.o/14 (12.10s).

Die ander individuele toekennings vir die dag is:

Willie van Heerden (Transvalia) - junior victor ludorum; Gawie Kriel (Driehoek) - senior victor ludorum; Alicia Sauer (Driehoek) - senior victrix ludorum; Izelle Neuhoff (Transvalia) - junior victrix ludorum; Amanda Nagel (Transvalia) - beste baan-atleet en Dewald Boonzaaier (Transvalia) - beste veld-atleet en prestasie van die dag.

European Wake Board Championships

World class wake board action hit the Vaal Triangle (Gauteng, South Africa) from February 14 - 17 when the Get Wet European Wake Board Championship was hosted at the River Resort of the Emerald Casino.

The River Resort played host to top top riders and their families. For many it was their first visit to sunny South Africa. To top it off, it was quite a heat wave they had to deal with and they soon learned that there's a reason why everybody keep saying "use sunblock".

But event though some appeared very red and sore, it did not stop them from supporting riders.

Countries represented were: Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Great Britain, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland (believe it or not), Sweden, Belgium and lastly South Africa.

The final team results saw Great Britain clinch top honours with 650 points, with Italy in second with 378 points and South Africa in third spot with 355 points.

Although all the categories was packed with action, the men's open category was spectacular. Marc Rossiter of Great Brittain took gold, with South Africa's Clayton Krause in second place.

Accident at traffic light

If it's not load shedding, then its just the normal problems people in Vanderbijlpark (as well as other areas in Gauteng) have to deal with - out of order robots!
It is not bad enough that motorists have to deal with incompetent drivers and pot holes on the roads, they also have to think for everybody around them when it comes to a crossing where a traffic light is out of order.
One such a crossing (Faraday Boulevard and Rutherford Street) has been out of order for quite some time now and several accidents have accured. The latest happend mid-afternoon on February 14. Unfortunately I did not see who was in the wrong, but the result was just the same. Two vehicles were badly damaged and the passengers of one vehichle were in shock. Luckily nobody suffered serious injuries - this time!

Valentine's Ball - Carel de Wet Technical High School

Carel de Wet Technical High School in Vanderbijlpark (Gauteng, South Africa) held a Valentine's Ball on Friday, February 8 and the learners dressed to impress.

Keeping in mind that most young people really don't care about dressing up for anything, it was surprising and quite pleasing to see them polish and painted in style. It was like always especially the girls who put in the most effort, but the guys stepped up to the plate. Well done guys, that is a step in the right direction. Here are some of the photographs taken on arrival at the ball. As not all the photos could be posted in this blog, more photos will soon be available on a linked sight. Keep you eyes peeled, hope to have it ready and running before next week.

Fast One Mountain Bike Photos

Fast One Mountain Bike Race

The annual Fast One Mountain Bike Race (30 and 60km), hosted by Spectrum Sport in Vanderbijlpark (Gauteng, South-Africa) on Sunday February 3, saw last years winner successfully defend his title.
Ben Melt Swanepoel finished the 60km race in a good for gold time of 2:04:33. But it was no easy victory as it was a sprint finish against fellow MTN team mate, Mannie Heymans. Last mentioned took the second place in a time of 2:04:34.
These two professionals broke away from the rest of the field of more than 100 riders in the 60km division, and it was always going to be a fight for the title between these two.
The rest of the top ten finishers in the 60k race are"
3. Grant Sanders (2:11:32), 4. James Mcdulling (2:15:32), 5. Andries van der Merwe (2:16:37), 6. Ryan Reynolds (2:19:08), 7. Gordon Kienbaum (2:19:09), 8. Christo Vorser (2:19:10), 9. Neel Breitenbach (2:19:59) and 10. Mark Williams (2:20:29).
Samantha Oosthuizen clinched victory in the women's division and the overall 17th place in a time of 2:26:02.
Almost 260 riders competed in the 30km event, but it was Julius Cobbett who took first place in a time of 1:08:41.
The other top ten finishers are:
2. Thomas Peters (1:09:07), 3. Johan Pretorius (1:10:32), 4. Ruan Pretorius (1:1310), 5. Dieter Peters (1:13:14), 6. Reghard Roets (1:15:06), 7. Andre du Toit (1:15:14), 8. Karl Naundorf (1:15:33), 9. Jurie Moolman (1:16:34) and 10. Simon Rees (1:16:34).
* Despite having a flat wheel and having to run the last 2km of the race, local rider Kenneth Letsoko of Spectrum Sport, finished in a time of 1:19:56 to take the 16th place.

Sylvia Tromp was the first lady home in a time of 1:2:07.