Hip-athon & Eco Festival 2009

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The Friends of Zeekoevlei and Rondevlei invite you to explore their neck of the woods on the 21st of November 2009.

Introducing the first Zeekoevlei Hip-athon Adventure Races and third annual Zeekoe Fees… Run and ride through wetland nature reserves and an important bird area within sight of the sea. Then enjoy a family Eco Festival with a green products market and exhibits, a beer tent, food stalls, snake shows and music supplied by the Barleycorn Folk Club. Help us to raise funds to manage the invasive water hyacinth and create jobs in our community. Register for Hip-athon.

Zeekoevlei was proclaimed a local authority nature reserve in June 2000 and is one of the youngest conservation areas in Cape Town. Being an urban conservation area, much of its boundary is openly shared with 136 private homeowners. Rondevlei has the only group of hippos in their natural habitat in the greater Cape Town area. Strandfontein is rated as one of the top three waterbird sites in the south-western Cape, and as one of the top five sites in South Africa.

Zeekoevlei & Rondevlei Nature Reserves

Hip-athon Adventure Races

There are three types of races for participants of all ages and interests:

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon: Not for the faint-hearted or unfit. An eco-adventure, all-terrain race comprising a 7,5 km run and a 22,5 km cycle (strictly mountain bikes) in and around the Zeekoevlei and Rondevlei Nature Reserves and Strandfontein Important Bird Area. The biathlon can be done by one person or as a team of two.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: Precedes the Hip-athon and features just the 22.5km mountain bike section of the route. Prepare to get down and dirty.
Hipplet Run: A 5km fun run/walk from the Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Centre on Peninsula Road to the Zeekoevlei weir and back the same way. All minors to be accompanied by an adult who takes responsibility.

Each participant receives a free Hip-athon T-shirt and a plant. Register for Hip-athon via our online registration system, hosted by EnterOnline (EntryTime).
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DISTANCES & CATEGORIES

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon: 22.5km Mountain Bike Cycle & 7.5km Trail Run
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: 22.5km Mountain Bike Cycle
Hipplet Run: 6km run/walk

START TIMES

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon: Start at 09h00. Cut off is 12h30.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: Start at 07h30. Cut off is 08h30.
Hipplet Run: Start at 09h30. Cut off is 10h30.

There will be a sweeper for all events.
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ENTRY FEES

Hipp-a-thon Adventure Biathlon: Entry is R80 per team and each team will receive a free Hip-athon T-shirt and indigenous plant. Spot prizes will also be up for grabs.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: Entry is R80 per team and each contestant will receive a free Hip-athon T-shirt and indigenous plant. Spot prizes will also be up for grabs.
Hipplet Run: R5 entrance

Entry fees are non-refundable.
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REGISTRATION

Hip-a-thon Adventure Biathlon
- In advance: www.enteronline.co.za
- On the day: From 06h00 to 09h00 at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Centre on Peninsula Road.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race
- In advance: www.enteronline.co.za
- On the day: From 06h00 to 07h15 at the False Bay Ecology Park on Zeekoevlei Road.
Hipplet Run
- On the day: From 06h00 to 09h15 at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Centre on Peninsula Road.

MAPS

Street Map: Hip-athon, Bike Race, Hipplet Run, Eco Festival, ZEEP & FBEP

See a birds eye view of the Hip-athon & Mountain Bike Race routes

Birds Eye View: Hip-athon & Mountain Bike Race routes

See a birds eye view of the Hipplet Run route

Birds Eye View: Hipplet Run route

RACE ROUTES

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon: After the start at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Centre, follow the arrows and marshal instructions. The run takes you on gravel and sand tracks through unpopulated terrain into the pan area. The change over to bikes is at the False Bay Ecology Park Environmental Education Centre. The cycle is all-terrain. Negotiate the mud, gravel, sand dunes, and trails through the pans alongside Strandfontein beach. Then on to the old Zeekoevlei tar road and back along the eastern shore of Zeekoevlei, detouring along the shoreline to the Zeekoevlei weir. Finish the way you started on the dirt road back to start/finish line.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: Starts and ends at the False Bay Ecology Park Environmental Education Centre. The cycle is all-terrain. Negotiate the mud, gravel, sand dunes, and trails through the pans alongside Strandfontein beach.
Hipplet Run: After the start at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Centre, follow the arrows and marshal instructions. The track along Zeekoevlei through the nature reserve ends at the weir. Finish the where you started at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Centre.

ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon: Before the 9h00 start of the race, Hip-athon entrants are to drop off their bikes first at the start of the bike section of the route – the False Bay Ecology Park Environmental Education Centre off Strandfontein Road. Then drive to the parking area in a field off Fisherman’s Walk. The start of the race is a short 500m walk tothe Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Centre on Peninsula Road. Add a half-an-hour to your driving time for the bike drop-off.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: Before the 7h30 start of the race, Adventure Mountain Bike entrants are to drive to the start of the bike section of the route – the False Bay Ecology Park Environmental Education Centre off Strandfontein Road.
Hipplet Run: Before the 9h30 start of the race, Hipplet Run entrants are to gather at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Centre on Peninsula Road.

False Bay Ecology Park Environmental Education Centre

DIRECTIONS TO MOUNTAIN BIKE START

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon Bike Drop-off & Adventure Mountain Bike Race Start

From Strandfontein Road, turn into Zeekoevlei Road – right if you are coming from Cape Town and left if you are coming from Pelican Park. Look out for the sign for Zeekoevlei and the False Bay Ecology Environmental Education Centre. Drive through the entrance gate to Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve’s eastern shore and follow a small road for 2 kilometres. At a stop street you will see the environmental education centre. Drop off your bike in the holding facility at the courtyard. Lock your bike, using your own lock, if you wish.
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DIRECTIONS TO START OF HIP-ATHON ADVENTURE BIATHLON

Return the way you came on Zeekoevlei Road. At the T-junction with Strandfontein Road turn left and then left again onto 14^th Avenue. Take the last road right into Buck Road. After the stop street take the 2nd road left into Fisherman’s Walk. Travel just under 2 kilometres and opposite Fish Rd, turn right into the field and follow marshals to the parking area. Follow signs to registration area (about 500m walk).
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Mountain Bike Terrain, Strandfontein Pans, False Bay Ecology Park

PRIZES

Prize giving will be held at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Centre on Peninsula Road, during the Zeekoe Fees, which will follow the sports events.

Hip-athon Adventure Biathlon: No medals will be awarded, but there will be completion prizes and small extra prizes for the top five males and females.
Adventure Mountain Bike Race: No medals will be awarded, but there will be completion prizes and small extra prizes for the top five males and females.
Hipplet Run: Top three females and top three males in each category to get prizes.
- Categories: Under 6 / Under 10 / Under 13

Spot prizes will be awarded for the funkiest, coolest, hottest and silliest over all categories. Prizes will be handed out at 13h30 at the Zeekoe Fees, at the Zeekoevlei Environmental Centre on Peninsula Road.
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GENERAL INFORMATION

There will be a change area where bikes must be dropped off before the race.
Take your security ticket for your bike with you on the run.
There will be marshals and water provided along the run route.
Bring your own water for the bike ride.
Security will be present all day so bikes can be fastened onto vehicles after your ride while you enjoy the Zeekoe Fees.
Toilets will be available.
Medical services will be available.