Championing animal rights
Walmer Sun reporter
CYCLING legend Martin Nefdt has reassembled his 1967 Springbok track team plus a host of local celebrities to ride The Herald VW Cycle Tour in aid of abused and abandoned animals on February 2.
Nefdt, a Walmer resident, and his cohorts will be in the 55km pursuit road race through the streets of Port Elizabeth.
The group of 30 sponsored riders will use the event as a fundraiser for the Uitenhage-based SPCA, which serves the entire Nelson Mandela Bay.
"Everyone I've spoken to has been so responsive and really wants to do this," Nefdt said, who was inspired to cycle for a cause by his brother, Louis, the chairman of the East London SPCA.
The group hopes to raise awareness and at least R15000, and they will be highly visible on race day in their matching team shirts.
Leading the bunch on a tandem will be Nefdt, 65, and seven-time South African sprint champion Willie Marx, 70.
These former SA champions and rivals played to capacity crowds at the Westbourne Oval, breaking numerous individual records between them.
They will be joined by team-mates Johan Nicol, who was the first SA rider to break the five-minute barrier in the 4000m pursuit, and former national sprint and road champion Jack Lester. Both are 66.
The foursome competed at the 1967 world championships in Amsterdam but missed their chance to become Olympians when the country was banned from the games in Mexico the following year.
For more information, contact Inge Nefdt on inge.nefdt@nefdtgroup.com or 072-389-1399. Find updates on www.heraldcycletour.co.za or on Twitter @heraldcycletour and on Facebook.