Hi all,
My name is ZHANN MEYER (Regional Head of Standard Chartered's Commodity Traders & Agriculture for Africa), I live in Johannesburg (South Africa) and I have an insatiable passion for the outdoors, nature and cycling! I am privileged to combine these passions in competing in cross-country Mountainbike Races across South Africa.
This year I am putting my offroad racing to a good cause, and looking for sponsorship for aguably the pinnacle of Offroad Mountainbike Racing in Southern Africa, the arduous and trecherous SANI TO SEA race being held over 3 days - starting on the 3rd March 2010 in the foothills of the Drakensberg.
The 'SANI TO SEA' is an annual race which takes you through the spectacular rolling hills of South Africa's KwaZulu Natal region. This province is renowned for its lush vegetation, extensive sugar cane farms, challenging hills and more importantly home to one of the world's most poisonous snakes, The Back Mamba! Avoidance of this venomous resident is carefully addressed in the Race Briefing on day 1, and riders are constantly reminded of the fact that engagement in any way is probably not a wise idea! This area is also the origin of the country's largest tribe, the Zulu Nation, and the location of a famous historical Anglo-Zulu battle where the Zulus, only armed with spears and shields, managed to outwit and conquer the English, who marched in with shiny uniforms, rifles and canons! The Zulus were victorious thanks to the superior leadership and strategic mind of our famous Zulu King, 'Shaka Zulu'.
Enough of the history of the area and our gifted nation - Now a little more on the fundraising race itself....
The race takes place over 3 gruelling days with a limited field of 700 two-man teams racing on leg-numbing singletrack, jeeptrack and gravel plantation roads of distances of between between 80 and 100 kms per day - finally reaching the beach on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast, after a long 250kms and combined vertical climb of 4,500 metres. This is my second year and I can hardly wait to to see what nature will throw at me and my team mate this time around. Our excitement and careful anticipation is slowly building in expectation of 3 days of mud, gears and tears - all set in beautiful surrounds!
I am grateful I have the ability, health and most especially the eye sight to participate in such an exciting adventure - I would be honoured to be able to contribute to a valuable cause and restore sight to many South Africans who are not so fortunate.
So please open your hearts, wallets and purses for a great cause! Eye care and cataract operations are low on the South African Government's agenda with the HIV pandemic obviously taking a priority - Help me give the gift of sight back to South Africans who cannot look after their already impoverished families nor have any hope of earning a meagre living, because they don't have the means to have a simple operation to restore such a valuable commodity - their Eye Sight.
EVERY CENT COUNTS! And for every Dollar, Dirham or Rand you give, Standard Chartered will match your donation Dollar for Dollar, enabling us to double the benefits and impact to the community. Feel free to contact me on Zhann.Meyer@sc.com or learn more about the race itself at www.sani2c.co.za
Regards,
Zhann
Johannesburg - SOUTH AFRICA
