Nairobi’s Banda School successfully defended the girls’ under-14 title as the Silver Jubilee edition of the annual Hog Charge came to a close at Peponi School, Ruiru.
Cheered on by a large partisan crowd that included parents, Banda hit the tape first for the 15km cycling circuit in one hourr 28 minutes, ahead of Hillcrest Preparatory, who clocked one hour 44 minutes.
The Hog Charge, which is sponsored by hosts Peponi School, milk processor Brookside Dairy and Northlands City, is Kenya’s premier national mountain bike event, which sees competitors ride through a series of checkpoints and obstacles in the shortest possible time.
In the under 14 mixed race category, Molo’s St Andrew’s Turi carried the diadem after returning a time of 1:41. They were followed by Nairobi’s Peponi House, who clocked 1:49.
Kenton College won the under-12 girls’ race in a time of one hour and 56 minutes, seven minutes ahead of second-placed Peponi House. Brookhouse Karen were third placed in 2:04.
In the boys’ category, Peponi House led the pack after returning a time of one hour and 23 minutes, with Kenton College runners up in one hour and 32 minutes. The Banda School were content with third place in a time of one hour and 51 minutes.
Brookside Dairy’s market intelligence manager Rebecca Munge and Peponi School’s marketing director Ngina Pratt-Mburu, hailed the high turnout at this year’s event, which saw riders take to the challenging course that included the dreaded gauntlet at the penultimate stage of the race.
Over Sh6 million was raised during the race to support conservation efforts in the Mt Kenya water tower. Over Sh60 million has been raised in the competition’s 25-year history.
