Cyclist Kevin Evans calls it quits

JACK MILNER

“I’ve had great sponsors and ridden for fantastic teams over the years. Most importantly, I’ve built up personal relationships with all of them. There are so many and I can never thank them enough for everything they have done, to help me try achieve my personal goals that I set out for myself,” Kevin told Tread magazine.

“But the time has come for me to step down from fulltime racing. I will always be involved in the cycling world and industry; it’s my love and my passion. Perhaps I’ll return to racing in a few years’ time, in the competitive ‘vets’ category, but for now I have some other priorities, small ones, like life, family and business.”

In July, Kevin will contest the Momentum Knynsa Festival road and mountain bike events for the last time as a professional and will conclude his racing career in September at the Crater Cruise Marathon, which he’s won five times, the Pennypinchers Dr Evil Classic three-day stage race, which he won in 2014, and then the Pennypinchers Karoo2Coast, which he has won three times.

Kevin turned professional at the age of 24 and that late start might well have played a part on his longevity. While he has primarily been a mountain bike racer, Kevin has also excelled on the road. In 2008 he finished fifth at the Tour of Egypt, ninth at the Tour of Ireland and 19th at the Tour of Britain.

He also competed for South Africa in 2008 at the road cycling World Championships. And in 2010 he finished second overall at the Giro del Capo, won the King of the Mountains jersey and, later that year, the South African Individual Time Trial title. In 2013, Kevin won gold in the road race and silver in the time trial at the Maccabi Games in Israel.

However, the majority of his successes have been on the mountain bike. He represented the country at the mountain bike World Championships every year consecutively from 2003 to 2012, mostly in the marathon but in 2003 and 2007 also in the Olympic cross country. He won the South African cross country elite title twice and the marathon title four times, which is still a record.

His final national team representation at a marathon World Championships was last year, when South Africa hosted the prestigious global event in Pietermaritzburg. His highest marathon World Champs finish was eighth in 2009.

Kevin also won the South African National Marathon Series title for six consecutive years and contested 10 Absa Cape Epics, finishing on the final overall podium four times with four stage wins.

————————————————————————————————————— 

Maccabi SA is keeping busy

We are still a couple of years away from the next Maccabiah, but Maccabi SA (MSA) is keeping the organisation busy, especially with younger sportsmen and women.

Maccabi SA Golf has been in a good state for many years and the Pro Shop Maccabi SA Golf National Championship took place from April 26 to 28 at Houghton Golf Course. Some 75 players competed in the 55th edition of this three-day event.

The field of players was divided up into divisions A, B, C, Masters, Super Seniors, Women and Juniors and what has been the tradition for many years, Mr Maccabi SA Golf himself, Barney Gordon, assisted in the handing out of prizes of the overall winners.

Division A: Jonathan Josset; Division B: Dan Stillerman; Division C: David Spilkin; Super Seniors: Stan Allison; Masters: Adrian Diamond; Women: Elaine Rubens; Juniors: Jonathan Kotzen

Maccabi SA Golf will now be looking to the Camp David Tournament where South Africa play Israel for golfing glory at the Israeli Open in November.

In cricket, on April 27 Maccabi SA Junior Cricket hosted a 50 overs format tournament at King David Victory Park. Some 40 junior cricketers from different schools competed under the banner of MSA.

There were two age groups – Under-13 and Under-18 who battled it out and the “blue caps” won the U18 division and the “white caps” the U13 division.

This tournament was part of the greater MSA project to be a sustainable ongoing and active community organisation that can add value. Events such as this provide an out of school Jewish setting which is vital in keeping our youth engaged in the community. More events have been planned.