2020 Nedbank Desert Dash set for December
The 2020 Nedbank Desert Dash was officially launched here on Monday, with over a thousand cyclists that have already registered for the event.
The event will take place on 11 and 12 December from Windhoek to Swakopmund with the solo category registering 212 cyclists of which 18 are females.
The two-person teams have 126 teams while the four-person teams have registered 134 teams.
Nedbank Namibi a’s , Managing Director, Martha Murorua while speaking at the launch said this year’s launch has presented the most complexities due to the times we are living in.
Even with great uncertainty over international travel, by last Friday’s count the organisers had recorded a contingent of international riders that constitutes 35% of the overall total, she said.
“We promised a cycling experience unlike others at our first official launch in October 2015, and this is what defines the Nedbank Desert Dash. Each one of the cyclists has a very specific reason or cause for why they take on the gruelling race,” she said.
The Nedbank Desert Dash has been in existence for more than two decades with Nedbank being the platinum sponsor since 2015. Sports minister Agnes Tjongarero who also spoke at the event said credit should be given to Lema Events and Nedbank Namibia for always making sure the Desert Dash becomes a possible dream every year.
Its proud history I am reliably informed that the event tells a tale of a few friends who challenged each other to see whether they have the durability to cycle non-stop from Windhoek to Swakopmund. It must have sounded impossible at the time, but now the race is known internationally,” Tjongarero said.
She added that the Desert Dash has always attracted top international riders, which gives Namibians an opportunity to test themselves against international competitors in their own back-yard. This year will see international riders coming from countries such as Germany, Spain, Canada, Austria, Congo, United Kingdom, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. – Nampa