>>Message from John Donald, director of CAMPUS sport and recreation SPORT 2007 | UNIVERSITY OF

>>Guest speaker: Kass Naidoo

Physically the likes of Tony Greig and Mike Hol- ding may tower over her, but Kass Naidoo still stands out in any cricket commentary room.

And it’s not just because she looks better in a dress than either Greig or Holding. Since making her de- but as the country’s first woman cricket presenter during the 2003 Cricket World Cup at the tender age of 25, Naidoo has become almost synonymous with the televised game in South Africa. She made her radio commentating debut at the The past year has seen sig- bers who represented South Af- Boxing Day test match between South Africa and nificant gains for sport and rica at the World Student Games the West Indies in Durban in 2004, and realised a recreation. Most notably, the (aka Universiade 2007) in Bang- childhood dream when she crossed over to televi- new Fitness Centre is emerg- kok, Thailand, in August. sion for the one-day series between South ing from the ground at the Ko- UCT boasted a total delega- Africa and New Zealand in 2005. pano precinct, and council vot- tion of 12 students and three staff She was also a commentator at the ed R10 million for the upgrade members to the games, indica- 2006 Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, and was of the Kopano soccer facilities tive of our competitiveness at na- appointed to the International Cricket and the installation of an artifi- tional student level. And student Council’s voting academy to choose the cial pitch, in recognition of the Queen Moloko was also there International Women’s Cricketer of the numbers of students playing as manager of the South African Year in 2006. the ‘beautiful game’ at UCT. soccer side. To cap it all, Naidoo co- In addition, the sports hosted - the first South The Sports Council’s policy of awards will reflect that a African to do so - the In- sport for all has had a meaningful further seven students re- ternational Cricket Coun- impact on intra-mural sport over presented South Africa at cil Awards alongside top the past 12 months, with existing senior level in a variety ESPN-Star cricket an- programmes expanding to accom- of sports, highlighting chor Harsha Bhogle this modate the ever-increasing inter- the broad spectrum of year. est, and the addition of cricket activity available on She’s a sought-after and basketball to the eight clubs our campus. MC, and has resigned now offering properly structured Here’s toasting from her SAfm sports sustainable programmes. another memorable show Game Plan to Competitive sport has also student sports year launch the online www. enjoyed good results as usual, re- as reflected in this gsport. . . for Girls (www. flected particularly in the success p u b l i c a t i o n , a n d gsport.co.za), which aims of the water polo club in the local hoping that 2008 will to raise the profile of South leagues and the seven club mem- be even better. African women in sport.

Rugby under-20s 13 from UCT at UCT ref top of INSIDE go unbeaten World Student Games the pops >>New life for UCT’s cool Mbiyozo is in Sevens heaven UCT soccer MPHO MBIYOZO is one chilled- was invited to the camp, everything went well and was selected >>On the ball out dude. He arrives in his sweat for the tournament in Dubai, which we won.” Dedication, loyalty and team spirit are behind UCT Soccer pants, a hoodie and baseball cap; And he gets to see the world. As mementoes he col- UCT staff and students arranged matches with Club’s “brilliant” performance this year. everything about him screams lects a bottle of wine from every country he visits. shared their soccer ex- other schools. rapper. And, looking at his ini- “It’s fantastic. I’m in a different country pertise with primary school “It has been a learning Firstly, both the men and women’s teams will represent the tials, one could be forgiven for every week, meeting different peo- students as part of the soccer curve for us student coaches, Western Cape in the national South African Student Sports thinking he’s Cape Town’s ver- ple.” club’s community development who are not new to playing soccer Union championships in December. sion of Eminem. He’s enjoying the life of a project. but are mostly new to coaching,” Mari Engh, chairperson of the club, said it was the second Sevens player, but Mbiyozo she said. “Nonetheless, it has been a consecutive year that the women’s team has won the provin- But get rid of the rapper gear has his sights set on the Two teams from the Claremont Pri- fantastic year and experience, which I cial SASSU tournament, but UCT could not attend the national and Mbiyozo transforms into longer version of the game mary School, the under 11s and the hope has been thoroughly enjoyed by games last year because of a lack of funds and the unavailabil- the green and gold of the Bok as well. under 13s, became the first beneficia- all involved.” ity of players. Sevens team. “It would obviously ries of the Sisonke project, as the out- Brickhill said they were planning to Mbiyozo, who was be nice to play Currie reach programme is called. broaden the project next year. awarded a scholarship Cup and Super 14 rug- Linda Brickhill, UCT Soccer Club’s to attend UCT in 2002, by. I want to play with development officer, said the project has used the UCT first and against the best.” was envisaged late last year and XV team as a spring- Even if that means a implemented this year. board to rugby success. move out of Cape Town. Between April and September, “I basically came “I want to Brickhill, together with team- down here for the play at the top mate Tara Weinberg and rugby,” he admits of level, and if that Peter Buckton, a senior his move to UCT from o p p o r t u n i t y sports administrator, Natal. comes some- coached the chil- And at only 23, where else, dren and Mbiyozo has grabbed obviously his opportunities. He’s I’m go- played for Western ing to take it.” Province’s Vodacom year received a call-up from Spring- Grant Shub, courtesy of Cup and Currie Cup bok Sevens coach Paul Treu. teams, has been in the “I had never played Sevens be- Stormers camp, and last fore,” recalls Mbiyozo. “But after I >>Gary Kirsten to lend grit to team New fitness centre The national games take place when most students head home during the vacation period. But this year the team has It seemed written in the stars that on the way foreseen the problem and have asked members to consider the UCT cricket first team would staying for the games. fluff its first game under new coach Over the years UCT’s student popula- “It was a matter of planning ahead, before we even qual- >>Chess team Gary Kirsten. tion has grown while available ameni- ified. We sort of reckoned that we will win again and pre- ties have stayed more or less the same. pared ourselves,” Engh said. on the move Chasing 160 in its season-opening one- To accommodate this growth and the On the finance issue, Engh added they were busy fund- day match against Western Province increased interest in sport on campus, a raising and were confident that they would make the UCT’s chess club has tak- in the interprovincial Cricket Club, UCT seemed to have the new fitness centre is being built next to target. en its game one step up. Af- chess competition game in the bag at 100 for three with the new Graça Machel Hall residence. Beside the SASSU games, UCT club has also done ter winning the B division of for the SASSU na- 20 overs left. But the team somehow well in the domestic leagues, with the men’s team the Western Province League, tional student’s managed to fall short of its target, fin- When complete, the 900sqm centre will winning promotion to the premier division in the the A team has been promoted team in Bloemfon- ishing its 45 overs on 157 for nine. to the UCT team because of his own fond include a climbing wall, a fully equipped Wynberg-based Cape District Football Association. to the premier division in 2008. tein from 28 to 30 If anything, the scene is now set for Kirst- memories playing for UCT under Duncan gym and a heated swimming pool. It will On the other hand, the women’s team, which has September. en to work his magic. As chance would have Fletcher, who would later coach England. be open to both students and staff, and a mixture of local students, from neighbouring Af- Star player Jacob Rachoene scored Four UCT play- it, he was strolling around the ground with a “To have that kind of influence at that membership rates are expected to be far rican countries, Europe and America, came third in nine out of 11 points in the compe- ers also fared well selection of books on mental strength tucked stage was crucial to my career,” he says. lower than other gyms. the Cape Town region of the South African Football tition, winning eight games and in the Mackie Me- under his arm. Kirsten’s as keen to see a couple of his An interesting feature is an indentation Association (SAFA Cape Town). drawing two, which qualifies him morial Tournament, “The mental aspect is such an important young players make it to the provincial and in the footprint of the building to accom- They were pipped by the mighty Winnies and Cape for a league medal. Rachoene held at the Claremont part of the game,” he says. “We spend a lot of even international arena. And club cricket is modate an old New Zealand Christmas Town Roses. also tied for first place with Chess Club from 21 to time on the physical aspects of the game, but just the right theatre to hone their skills, he Tree, which is about 150 years old. “It has been an incredible year performance-wise, defending champion Maela 23 September, with the mental is often more important.” believes. “We tried to retain as many trees as we I don’t know in how many years,” Engh said. “We have Johnson in the UCT Inter- Johnson scoring The UCT side has some of the right stuff, “If the structure is in place and things could,” says John Critien, executive direc- been beating teams 11-0, 9-0 and 8-0.” She praised the coach- nal Blitz Tournament four and a half out though. The side hovered around the relega- work out, the team could do well. And a few tor of Properties and Services, “so rather ing staff “for building a team spirit that has never been seen on 20 September. of seven points in tion zone for the first part of the 2006/2007 players could move onto the next level.” than cut it down we decided to incorpo- before”. He will take the open sec- season before rallying to finish in third place rate it into the structure.” “The coaching team has done a magnificent job, focus- p a r t tion. in the premier league. • The UCT Cricket Club is sponsored by Olmeca The building will be finished in De- ing on playing a good game and creating a positive atmo- In part, Kirsten volunteered his time Tequila. cember, and will officially open in early sphere.” 2008. >>Student sports award for MacDonald >>Pearce is the >>Tough >>Lipton Fraser MacDonald clinched the Most Out- new voice of sport trade for Challenge Cup standing Student Leader in Sport title at the 2007 UCT Caltex Student Leadership When Matthew Pearce was power For a week in August, Cape boasted salted sailors who had Awards. We asked what makes him tick. eight years old he used to Town’s came alive with represented South Africa onboard run around his parents’ ballooned sails as 29 yachting teams the Shosholoza in the recent America’s What are you studying? garden with a rugby ball, Power lifting can be a demanding from across South Africa competed in Cup. BCom honours in financial analysis and mimicking a television sport, and that is exactly what one the 99-year-old Lipton Challenge Cup. Team Lipton UCT finished a proud portfolio management. sport commentator. UCT student found it to be. sixth overall, a mere eight points behind the On the first day of racing, 24 August, UCT Transvaal Yacht Club. Sport? Thirty years on, Not only did Euraima Tobias have Yacht Club entry Lipton UCT, manned by This is an improvement on their show- I’m a member of the Mountain & Ski Club. Pearce, a UCT to excel in lifting heavy weights skipper William Norton, Steven Rhodes, Carla ings of the past three years when they finished graduate, is to win the South African Junior Dyer, Oliver Hobson, Constantin Hatzilambros ninth, seventh and ninth. Best sportsperson? doing rugby Championship, but he also had and Bridget Clayton, finished seventh on the “We are proud of our achievement,” said Steven Bradbury, Australian short track commentary to flog his motorbike to buy his leader board. skipper Norton. “It puts UCT Yacht Club on speed skater and unlikely gold medal win- even amicable - working relationship with for a living. ticket to the Power Lifting World By race day five, Lipton UCT had moved up the map.” ner in the men’s 1 000m in the 2002 Winter the SRC, something that was chilly, at best, And he’s Championships in France in Sep- to sixth position, five points behind Transvaal Olympic Games. in the past. I also rewrote the SASSU-UCT good at it. tember, where he represented Yacht Club’s Rote Hexe “Bumbo”. constitution and renamed it the Student This year South Africa. Defending champions Greg Davis and Best quality? Sports Union. I introduced four new port- he received “I really wanted to go,” Tobias Gareth Blanckenberg (a former member Tenacity. folios: publicity officer, residence and in- the 2006 SAB says. of UCT Yacht Club) of Theewater Sports tramural sports, events co-ordinator and Newcomer of the year award for his commen- It was a steep price, though. Club’s Dalys Insurance were back in the What skills development did you initiate webmaster, to ensure that future SSU com- tary for the SuperSport television channel. “I will deal with the heartbreak. I top spot. at the UCT Sports Club? mittees have a good website and publi- “I live a full life,” he said, adding, “It’s a can always buy another bike after I have At the time, UCT’s Rhodes ad- Sponsorship and management workshops. city, well organised events and that they privilege to get the bulk of your income from graduated. But you don’t always get an op- mitted that the crew would be cover the concerns of residence/intramural your passion.” portunity to represent your country.” hard-pressed to overtake What is your role on the South African sportspeple at UCT. To be honest, it was a But that did not come on a silver plate. Tobias, a biochemistry student, had to raise any of the boats in the Students Sports Council? group effort from the SASSU-UCT (now Pearce sent tapes of his radio commentary his own money as the sport is not well sup- top five. All these I was the treasurer in 2006 and chairperson SSU) committee and SRC representatives. to Supersport, asking for a chance to try out ported. He said all the other fundraising at- y a c h t s in 2007. on television. tempts had been unsuccessful. Your best sporting moment? The channel had a policy that commenta- In France, Tobias also found the going Your achievements? Every time I’m on in the Hex River tors had to be former rugby players of inter- tough. He was placed 10th out of 20 Two things stick out: forming a closer - and mountains. national or provincial standard but, since get- power lifters from around the globe. ting his chance, he has proved that you don’t Not quite as well as he had need to have gone through the rugby mill to hoped to do, Tobias admits, but be a sport commentator. just being there was worth it >>Antunes is champion lifesaver >>Queen of the “I so wanted to do it that I never gave all, though. >>UCT student the up,” the former UCT club rugby player ex- best in extreme sport No one can accuse lifesaver Jade An- board plained. tunes of just treading water. Since 2005 he has done test and Super 14 It’s been a big year for Jenine Ellappen. Not only matches, and a Currie Cup final. Nick Gorman took up the “brutal” Muay Thai martial art to This year alone, Antunes bagged 25 wins did this former sportsperson of the year play her Pearce was inspired by legendary com- try something new, something unusual. at various local and national champion- part in securing the UCT A team promotion to the mentators Martin Locke, Kim Shippey and ships. She also skippered Western Pro- A Division in the Chess Western Province league, Trevor Quirk. But Gorman, a film and media student at UCT, found the sport, vince at the South African National Still- but she also came home from the All Africa Games In addition to his commentating, Pearce also known as Thai Boxing and popular in the Southeast Asia, water Champs in March, where she won with two silver medals and one bronze. does consulting work in property develop- interesting and got obsessed with it. the Open Victrix Ludorum and scored ment, marketing and sponsorship. That obsession has turned him to be the best lightweight the highest points overall. That led to her A member of the South African ladies chess team, El- He was born and bred in Cape Town, ob- Muay Thai boxer in South Africa. And in November he will selection for the South African high-per- lappen was one of approximately 9 000 contestants tained a human resources degree and did a represent the country at the World Championships in Bangkok, formance stillwater lifesaving squad for participating in 27 sports at the event, which was postgraduate course in marketing and busi- Thailand, where the sport originated. three competitions later this year. held in Algiers in Algeria from 11 to 23 July. ness science at UCT in the early 1990s. “I have this excited-nervous feeling. I can’t wait to get In September this year, she was part of The chess team took second place, earning a While at UCT, he wrote articles for various there.” the SA under-23 squad that finished se- silver medal. Ellappen won an additional newspapers on rugby, cricket and golf. Muay Thai is also known as the Art of Combining the Eight cond overall at a surf lifesaving compe- bronze medal for her individual per- Pearce became the first editor of Golf Weapons of the Body because strikes can be executed using tition in Japan, bested only by Australia monwealth championships in England formance, and another silver medal Digest magazine and went on to edit Sports eight contact points on the fists, feet, shins, elbows and knees. but trumping sides from the US, England in 2006. in the “blitz” competition, in which Illustrated. “It is quite a brutal martial art,” says Gorman. and the host nation. Antunes returned Leading a national squad and help- players must win their games in All along he was doing radio commentary He says that it was “very hard” to win the national cham- with two silver medals - one in the tube ing her team members is useful under five minutes. for SABC. pionships and had to beat one of his friends. He now teaches rescue event, the other for the taplin re- practical training for her studies She has already attended two “The most difficult part of my life is to the sport, in addition to the intense training to prepare for the lay in which she did the swim leg. in occupational therapy, jokes Chess Olympiads, the first in balance my family and career.” world tournament. And in November she heads for Ger- Antunes. Spain in 2004 and the second in His dream? It’s a huge load for a senior student. many with the SA senior team, which “It helps me deal with peo- Italy in 2006. Next year, Ger- To have a TV talk show and do some trav- “I think I’m just coping,” he says. she will captain, as she did at the Com- ple’s problems.” many beckons… elling. >>Travelling >>On bikes and >>Up for a Queen things game of footie on

Even a stainless steel plate and a 28cm ti- fake grass? tanium nail, which held his arms together, couldn’t keep 26-year old UCT duathlete Footballers, say your goodbyes to mud- It will also double up as a practice pitch William Robinson from being South Africa’s sliding soccer sessions or losing skin in for 2010 Soccer World Cup teams. best age-group duathlete and taking silver a slide tackle on a grassless turf. UCT’s Why the new investment in soccer at at the world champs. getting a new soccer field and it’s ex- UCT? pected to be up and running by March “Soccer has been identified by sports Robinson broke both arms in a league biking next year. administration as an emerging sport,” said race last February, a mere two weeks before John Critien, executive director of proper- the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour. He still A R10-million Astroturf, synthetic grass in- ties and Services. managed to cycle at full throttle, but says his terspersed with plastic beads to break the More students want to play footie. running was slightly affected. fall, resting on a cushion of soft sand, will “At the moment we are turning people There are two things Queen Moloko re- “My right arm didn’t swing quite as well as soon replace the worse-for-wear Kopano away because we cannot accommodate members clearly about Bangkok and the it used to.” However, since a second operation soccer field. Floodlights, to the same stan- more teams,” Donald says. World Student Games. in July when the nail was swapped for more engineering students, and maintaining the finishing his first Argus on a mountain bike dard as the hockey field’s, and refurbished “There is a misguided feeling that rugby steel, this has been fixed. Western Province Athletics association’s web- at 16. He’s gone from strength to strength, stands will also dress up the new pitch. is the flagship sport at UCT,” Donald ex- The first were the uniformly stunning sta- But this guy is unstoppable. site, which he also built. and now sports two sponsorships - acsis as- Currently UCT has 35 soccer teams, plains. “This is, however, not the case. Its diums of the universities in Bangkok. (And “Two events stand out.” In February, he A full plate? As expected, his response is set consultants for his cycling and Montrail/ amounting to about 700 players, who (rugby) big alumni following is prepared to that the universities were practically on each won a gold medal at the South African Duath- that of a winner: “If you set a goal and make a CAPESTORM footwear and apparel for his have to make do with three fields. That’s plough money into the club.” other’s doorsteps.) lon Championships in Pretoria, and in May plan, you’ll succeed.” trail running. And he’s still his own cycling an incalculable number of studs trampling “We would like to assist soccer to be- “Some universities even had two huge he came in second in his age group (25-29) at He does admit, though, that he enjoys rac- and duathlon coach. UCT’s soccer turf annually. “It becomes come a flagship.” stadiums,” Moloko recalls. the World Duathlon Championships in Györ, ing from the front. In the next few years, he sees himself com- overused quickly,” says John Donald, di- A good investment, considering our The second was the suffocating humidity Hungary. In October, Robinson and Dion Middel- peting in more international duathlons, and rector of sport. women’s soccer team has already qualified in which the South African soccer women, In total Robinson has competed in 60 races koop, his UCT running coach, will team up keeping up with his academic regime. “An artificial pitch has a lifespan of ap- for the national student championships. whom she accompanied as manager, had to since recovering from the crash: that’s 29 cycle for the inaugural Cape Odyssey trail running Much like his movement through competi- proximately 15 years and it requires little The men’s side needs four points from play most of their games in. Heat aside, the races, 11 road runs, eight cross-country runs, race, a five-day event covering 211km, start- tion traffic, Robinson’s slipstreaming through maintenance,” he added. “The new pitch three games and the women have won the side still managed a 12th spot finish out of nine multi-sport events and three trail runs. Of ing in Hermanus and finishing at the Lanzerac his thesis, Numerical Study of Solitons in Ar- can be used more frequently.” league with two games in hand. 16 teams, an improvement on their Turkey those, Robinson modestly adds that he’s “man- Manor and Winery in Stellenbosch on 20 Oc- rays of Damped Driven Nonlinear Oscillators. 2005 performance where they finished sec- aged” eight outright wins, two category wins, tober. The study simulates a chain of coupled pen- ond from bottom out of 12 squads. and nine further podium places. “I am peaking in my cycling, and would dulums, modeled with an array of nonlinear It was still tough going. “The competition “Managed” begs to be explored. Robinson like to get my running on par with my cy- Schrödinger oscillators. >>JC is was at a different level,” Moloko reports. “manages” a six-day-a-week training regime cling,” he says. “I look at how introducing disorder in while working on his master’s degree in ap- This unassuming Capetonian got into the the system can lead to more ordered oscilla- province’s top referee plied mathematics, tutoring undergraduate cycling saddle for the first time 22 years ago, tions.”

Jerome “JC” Fortuin of the It’s a job that demands impar- Schools Development Unit has tiality, calmness and decisiveness >>On won the Western Province Referee – and a respect for those on and off >>UCT students Society’s Referee of the Year for the the field. And you must be able to com- the run in world games third successive time. municate with all levels of society – even the zealots who question your calls. Fortuin began presiding over matches in How does he handle pressure? There’ve been a 1994 and became a panel referee in 1997. “If you’re wrong, admit it and get it couple of highlights A sizeable UCT staff and students cohort ed swimming, Roger Adams athletics and The Rugby World Cup has thrust refer- off your chest (he once shouted at a play- for the UCT Athlet- was among the South Africans that took Frans Mamabolo basketball. ees into the spotlight. Think of that forward er to “Shut up!” and it was on national ics Club in 2007. part in the World Student Games, aka Uni- Another student, Queen Moloko, was pass that saw the All Blacks bow out of the TV). Focus then to do it right next time. For one thing, the versiade 2007, in Bangkok, Thailand, in also in the management team, representing competition. If you’re right, enjoy the women’s team fi- August. soccer. Fortuin is philosophical. “They played moment.” nally won the West- Although the country didn’t do well, par- against weak teams in their group. The The trickiest rule to ern Province cross The UCT contingent included seven play- ticipants enjoyed rubbing shoulders with forward pass could happen to any ref. interpret is the tackle- country league. ers from the water polo club - Paul Brewis, some of the world’s great Olympic stars. They (the All Blacks) started to appeal to-ruck rule. And seven athletes Adam Kajee, Matthew Kemp, John Lotz, King, who is doing his honours in infor- and stopped playing.” “When do you de- picked up WP caps Jonathan Palmer, Edward Schmidt and Tra- mation systems, said the competition was What made him take it up? cide it becomes a over the year. That vis Williamson. “very tough” and, as a result, the SA team “I was fattening up and to ruck? Every- includes pole vaulter Sylma Jordaan and javelin thrower Odette Olivier, as well as the group in Chris King represented the country in the did not make the top 15 to go through to the keep slim decided to be- thing hap- the picture with coach James Evans. Amy Aronson was in the province’s cross country and swimming, Andre du Plessis in basketball, second round. come a ref,” the former pens at 10km teams; Robyn Williams in the 10km junior squad; Lauren Stewart, who was the WP 8km David Sedgwick in judo and Mike Malahe in However, he said it was great experience fullback and flyhalf more than cross country champion, was selected for the cross country and half marathon sides; Ineke fencing. to be there. said. 100km/h.” Nel was in the junior 10km and junior cross country squads; and Jeanré Rossouw was in the Three UCT sports administrators were “It was very nice to see some of the top province’s junior 100m and 200m teams. also part of the squad - Lydia Hall represent- swimmers in the world.” >>UCT rugby director >>Climb on the wild side for Hall >>Munnik on top form

resigns “Do you fancy a walk?” At the tender age of 22, third-year BSc student Oliver Mun- nik was half of the youngest team competing in the Open >>Mountain In a surprise move, UCT director of rugby, Spencer King, It’s 22h00 and Anthony Hall Men’s Elite category of the gruelling Transalp Challenge, has resigned from his position. Personal reasons were is swotting economics. The which took place in Germany from 15 to 22 July. and ski outreach cited for his decision, which will take effect from the end voice is UCT staffer Andy of this year. Lewis’s. There’s trouble on Up and away for outreach the club while exposing the mountain. Can Hall join programme the kids to different types of King has enjoyed a successful nine-year stint at the UCT Rug- the rescue team? climbing,” Greenwood said. by Club, and is held in high esteem by his colleagues. Search and rescue weren’t It was William Blake who wrote: “For example, we’ve held meets In a statement, president of the UCT Rugby Football Club, on Hall’s mind when he “Great things are done when men at Lion’s Head, we’ve been cav- Dugald MacDonald, said, “During his tenure, Spencer has started climbing 12 years and mountains meet.” ing at Boomslang Cave above Kalk made a significant contribution to the club and has been in- ago. It was something a Taking that a step further is the Bay, climbed the Saddle near Devil’s strumental in creating the very efficient administrative struc- bunch of buddies did when UCT Mountain & Ski Club’s outreach Peak and been rock climbing at the ture the club currently enjoys.” their own climbing buddies programme, headed by second-year old quarry.” got “caught out”. climber Megan Greenwood. At the end of last year, they spent But UCT’s technically The outreach team has joined up a night at the Mountain Club of capable climbers like Hall, with the South African Education South Africa’s hut on Table Moun- Andy Lewis, Brent Jennings & Environmental Project to work tain. and Julia Wakeling have be- with 15 grade 10 pupils from var- “We focus on team work,” come invaluable to groups ious schools in the province. Greenwood said. “At the end of like the Wilderness Search The aim is to get them out each meet we gather for a de- and Rescue team. Recently the pa- for a well-aligned team, not a der- of their communities and briefing session. It’s amaz- pers have been full of stories about ring-do hero. into the great outdoors. ing what comes out. climbers and hikers coming to grief, As someone who calculates the “My desire is to They’re extremely often on . risks of any given situation, Hall match skills open to new At 23, Hall has seen some pretty finds it tough to truss up the body The mountain bike equivalent of the Tour de f r o m things.” hairy things. With his particular of a fellow climber and not reflect. France, the Transalp covers a daunting 700 ki- suite of skills, he’s often sent in as “Climbing is not like cricket. You lometres over eight days with 22 000 metres the “bait” or “jockey”. can’t just declare,” he muses. of altitude. It is regarded as the toughest He grins at the euphemisms. The “You always go up the mountain mountain bike race in Europe jockey will abseil over a dangerous hoping they’re still alright and shel- “It was one of the hardest races of my ledge to get an injured climber into tering somewhere.” life,” says Munnik. “It was so excruciat- >>Surf club takes first and a harness - or a body onto a stretch- He has some strong views on ing that at times I thought, ‘Why am I er. opening previously inaccessible doing this?’ But the satisfaction and second at SASSU event But don’t single him out for brav- places to the public for commercial sense of achievement makes it all The club has, however, for financial reasons decided not ery. He’s adamant that he wouldn’t gain. It’s become too easy for peo- worthwhile in the end.” to fill the position. be prepared to do it without his ple to put themselves in “extreme Munnik and his 20-year- T h i n g s Since the announcement, King, MacDonald, and club vice- buddies above, those who rough it environments”. Often, through in- old partner, Mark Knox, are looking presidents Neil MacDonald and Phil Kilroe have met to dis- on a ledge through an icy, sodden experience or by underestimating secured an overall 10th up for UCT’s cuss the way forward for UCT rugby. night to haul him back up again. conditions, they land in trouble. place in the race, beat- Surf Club after King is assisting in the handover to make sure his depar- It’s work Often transported to rescue sites ing far more expe- the men’s team ture is as smooth as possible. by helicopter, Hall recently rienced cyclists won the SASSU Reflecting on his time at the club, King said, “I was only took part in a simulated in the process, team trophy in going to be here for two years, after a sabbatical from teach- helicopter disaster. and asserting June. ing. But working at UCT got into my blood, and I have en- >>Hockey They were strapped themselves joyed it tremendously.” in and flipped as a world- The women’s team came King describes his experience as “fantastic”, and the stu- club & ABSA upside down in c l a s s in second, pipped by Nelson dents as the lifeblood of the university. a pool, wait- t e a m . Mandela Metropolitan Univer- “They have kept me on my toes and there’s never been The UCT hockey club wards the general ing for the sity in Port Elizabeth. a dull moment,” he says. sported a new name and running of the club, rotor blades Club chair, third-year film and “It’s been very stimulating and a great environment. kit thanks to a sponsor- explained John Donald, to stop be- media student Krystal Tavenor, took I just feel that, having been here for nine years, I need a ship from ABSA. Early in director of sport and rec- fore hauling third place in the women’s competi- new challenge. That’s why I decided to call it a day.” 2007, the club signed on reation at UCT. In addi- themselves tion, behind UCT’s second-placed Kerri And the highlight of his tenure? the dotted line with the tion to the cash award, to safety. Anderson. “Without a doubt, winning Intervarsity at Stellenbosch. financial services com- Absa also sponsored S e l f In the men’s event, UCT powered their The support that day will last in my memory for a long pany for a four-year the club’s new kit, p r e s e r v a - way to first and second places, Chris Bond tak- time to come. sponsorship agree- which the men and tion is im- ing the number one slot and first-year student “But, that said, also to just go down and watch the un- ment worth around women’s teams portant. In Joshaid Salie second place. gled to get good waves. “ der-20 side play and see them topping their log is just as im- R250 000. This donned in the the wilderness, The competition, contested by nine other tertiary institutions, was A dearth of women joining the club seems to have been re- portant as watching the first-team successes.” Grant Shub, money will 2007 sea- there’s unlikely held at Seal Point, Cape St Francis, in conditions perfect for some - a versed. Five women took part in the trials for the team – and there courtesy of Varsity go to- s o n . to be anyone else to big swell that heralded storm conditions – but difficult for others. are more on the way judging by the growing interest in the club’s count on. “The surf was breaking at the back,” Tavenor said, “and I strug- surf lessons. >>Hockey youngster >>Club >>UCT rugby’s unbeaten Seven water polo Ikeys in SA training squad ploughs back Trojans put opposition away to world games

The UCT first team may have had an unremark- into rugby able year in the Western On Goedgedacht farm in the Seven UCT water polo players were drafted for the team that Province Grand Chal- Riebeeksrivier Valley, a group represented South Africa at the 24th World University Games, lenge hockey league, but of farm boys tussle for an oval aka Universiade 2007, in Bangkok, Thailand, in August. that didn’t keep Eugene ball. “After a rigorous two-hour session, Ian Healey hosted the Pelteret from catching Paul Brewis, Adam Kajee, Matt Kemp (captain), JD Lotz, Johna- The farm dates to the early 1700s. To team at a braai and then we took the eye of the national day there are over 15 projects that them to Newlands to see the final than Palmer, Edward Schmidt and Travis Williamson took up the selectors. Stormers’ game of the season,” said lion’s share of places in the 13-strong team. help farm workers and their chil - dren escape the cycle of depriva Le Roux. The competition, says Kemp, was tight, and the games quick. Pelteret, 20, has been tion common in rural communi “It was great to share in their ex South Africa finished 14th out of 16 teams, losing to Japan, - citement at actually being in the named for the South ties. Great Britain and Serbia. Not the result the team had hoped for. - and to share in - African under-21 train- An initiative by alumnus John - their enthusiasm for the game. It is The games are meant for full-time students under the age of 25, le Roux of the UCT Rugby Club ing squad, from which this enthusiasm of the young people, a brief that got blurred, Kemp said. is an example. In a community will be selected a group to this commitment and hard work, that “A lot of teams had professional players, some of whom are with rising school dropout play in the African Junior has kept me involved in UCT rugby all probably more part-time students than full-time, and while we rates and high teenage preg World Cup Qualifier Tour- these years.” couldn’t prove it there were definitely players who looked over nancy, sport has become a nament in September 2008. valuable avenue for self ac - 25,” said Kemp. “If we had known we might have taken some of Here teams will vie for spots tualisation. our national players, but instead picked a side loyal to the spirit of in the Junior World Cup in The development centre - a university games. 2009. at Goedgedacht now fields “Looking back if we had done the same we may have fared a league rugby and netball Should he make it into little better. The teams were more professional than we expected. teams. the final squad, it won’t be Not only has Le Roux raised They take advantage of any weakness you have; the pace is much Pelteret’s first showing in the funds through his business net faster, and at times even ball possession became difficult.” green and gold. He’s already work to build a rugby field, But this has raised the bar. represented South Africa at last year he arranged for the - “The outstanding facilities and extremely high level of com- under-16, under-17 and un- farm trust’s rugby team, petition was a taste of what the Olympics might be like,” added der-18 levels. Valley Eagles, to attend a Kemp. Which may explain why, for now, UCT training session Back home UCT water polo is in top form, winning the South there are no butterflies fluttering about in with coaches Barry The future of UCT rugby has never looked brighter, thanks to a African Students Sports Union league, beating the Maties at inter- his stomach. O’Mahony and faultless season by UCT’s u20 A1 Trojans. varsity, and taking the Butterworth Cup for the club of the year “I’m not really nervous,” says Pel- Cecil “Doc” at the 2006 Sports Awards, as well as the Landstrem Trophy for teret. “But, unsurprisingly, I am very Moss. The scoreboard says it all: 18 wins in 18 games in which they chalked performance of the year, which was shared between the women’s excited at the possibility of playing up 677 points and conceded only 45. Best of all, they convincingly and men’s first teams. for my country at an internation- outplayed their Matie counterparts, winning all four clashes this Belgrade in Serbia will host the next world university games al tournament,” he says. season, scoring 130 points and conceding a miserly 26. in 2009. And at the recent Currie Cup clash between West- ern Province and the Lions, the UCT Trojans met the WP Rugby Institute in a curtain raiser, winning 38 – 3. >>Netball soars “It’s been a remarkable achievement,” coach and UCT alumnus John Dobson says. “No one can remem- to the top ber when a UCT rugby side went unbeaten.” Keeping up its yo-yo track re- siders” are allowed - the netball Open-side flanker and captain for two years run- cord, the UCT netball first team squad suffers an annual facelift as ning (he also captained Grey College PE’s first XV), has again taken top spot in senior players graduate. Wåith no Monté Taljaard attributed their success to “hard work, the Western Province Netball stable squad, the side has never re- team spirit and always striving to become better”. Union’s (WPNU) A1 league. ally established itself in the Super “It’s been a highly successful season where we’ve League, and are typically relegated identified a lot of talent and used it in the best way The side boasted a near perfect at each attempt. possible.” record, getting the better of teams “It’s a huge jump into the Super Favouring an open, varsity style of rugby, players from Durbanville, Bellville and League,” says Cameron. are expected to score from any position, Taljaard says. , among others. But that’s next year’s worry. He lauded the club’s rugby bursary system, say- This likely means promotion For now, the team is basking in the ing it had brought in talent from the Eastern Cape and in 2008 to the Super League, the glow of another promotion and, KwaZulu-Natal that might otherwise have been lost WPNU’s top tier. But it’s not a recently, the call-up of a no fewer to UCT. move that coach Louise Cameron than nine players into a score of There are six black players of in the starting XV. is keen to make just yet. Western Province junior squads. “It’s not something we pushed. It happened natu- As befalls all UCT sports clubs In time, perhaps, these players rally.” with its strong emphasis on stu- will help the UCT team cement a Their success will filter into the first team next year. dent participation - few “out- place in the Super League. And this time they’re hoping for more record score lines, this time among the spectators. >>Squash star records double

Young squash talent Siyoli sport, and the men’s and wom- winner of the wheelchair sec- Lusaseni scored a rare double en’s first teams took both the tion of the Boston Marathon, in 2006 when she was named Butterworth Cup as joint team the first wheelchair racer to UCT Sportsperson of the of the year and the Landstem break 01h20 for the mara- Year, becoming one of only a Trophy for performance of the thon, holder of the best handful of students to win the year for its all-conquering show- time for the marathon (he award twice. ing at the SASSU competition. broke the tape at 01:18.27 “We had dreams of winning in 2004), and winner of the In 2006, Lusaseni assisted UCT something - one trophy, maybe Los Angeles, Paris, Boston to a South African Students - but nothing like this,” says and Sechenkon Marathons Sports Union (SASSU) win, Kemp. in 2006, as well as 2006 Lau- was in the national senior team In addition, the tennis club reus Sport Star of the Year. for its famous victory over the won the Transformation Tro- Netherlands, and captained the phy, and Professor John Simp- South African student squad son, chair of the UCT Sports that collected a surprise bronze Council, made special awards at the World Student Games in to Pierre le Roux and Charlie Hungary. Stuart for their long service to The water polo club hogged the UCT hockey club. most of the silverware at the And Sele Selamolela, a for- awards dinner, however. They mer member of the Mountain walked off with the Club of the and Ski Club who scaled Mount Year trophy, Fiona Mallett was Everest in 2006, received the named the best first-year stu- Chairperson’s Award. dent, Matt Kemp received the Guest speaker at the event Turpin Cup for service to UCT was Ernst van Dyk, the six-time

>>One August in Bangkok

UCT sports administrator Roger Adams athletics team over shares some moments from his time the days to come. at the 24th World Student Games (Uni- Team South Af- versiade 2007) in Bangkok. In addition rica may have found to managing the athletics squad, Ad- the demands on the ams also spoke at the conference held playing field daunt- by games organisers, the International ing, but Thailand University Sports Federation, becoming turned out to be an only the second South African to do so. amazing cultural ex- perience encapsulat- It was a heart wrenching sight to see the ing a rich history of guy in the office down the hall with his Southeast Asian life- hands in his hair next to that basketball style. Bangkok itself court in Bangkok. Managing the South Af- is a bustling city with rican team to the World Student Games can multiple tourist attractions like shopping Too bad that he is yet to get the machine air- come at a price is what Frans Mamabolo malls, markets, Buddhist temples, massage borne, but a good deal remains a good deal. must have thought at that moment, staring parlours, outdoor activities and such. The And Lydia discovered even better Thai food down the barrel of another looming defeat. very spiritual Thai people radiate a natu- at some exotic haunt in the heart of town. The story does not brighten up when the ral warmth and humility, ever eager to be This turned out to be a great trip after all. gal in the office next door laments another of assistance. This was epitomised when a Joy finally arrived for Team South Af- swimmer eliminated when we arrive back passing young girl offered me and my 93kg rica when the athletics team recorded four at the athlete village that night. I did not frame her passenger seat on the back of a bi- medals on the track. Fair reward for a team blame Lydia Hall when she turned to the cycle to get me to the end of my walk some which proved to be extremely popular dining hall to for comfort from that wide two kilometres away. Paddling the bicycle with the local community for its exuber- spread of the most exotic of Thai dishes. I was another equally young girl! ant singing and dancing exploits. All in chose to sit down to enjoy a very entertain- Frans bounced back when he negotiated all it turned out to be a good outing with ing cultural show which was a nightly fea- the best of deals for a remote controlled toy some of the brightest young sporting tal- ture in the village amphitheatre, forgetting helicopter at the Lampuni night market, ents in the country and two much-loved for a while the challenges that awaited my one of the renowned features of Bangkok. colleagues.

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