CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2024

Avoid these trails: Flood assessment report

Dear Fellow Fat Tracks Club members and supporters,

A Year of Challenges and Opportunities

As we reflect on the past year, it’s clear that 2024 presented both significant challenges and exciting opportunities for FatTracks. The devastating floods had a profound impact on our community and our trails, but they did not dampen our spirit or our commitment to mountain biking.

Despite the adversity, we witnessed a remarkable surge in cycling participation. More people than ever took to the trails, discovering the joy and benefits of mountain biking. This increased interest is a testament to the resilience of our community and the enduring appeal of our sport.

Membership for 2024 was 539 members.

Fat Tracks Club Activities 2024

(Photos from these events and dates for future activities can be found on our website under ‘Social Rides and Galleries”)

On our social rides, an average of 12 FT members joined.

One big club outride from Norm Hudlin to Windfarm included +-50 riders.

We had 20 riders join for the Hayterdale weekend away.

And when the weather cancelled our outride plans, we hosted a bike maintenance workshop at Cyclo Pro which was very well received. Follow up workshops will be considered in the new year.

Crit-X as well as valley walks/hikes take place on Thursday afternoons during the summer months when the light is good. This is a great opportunity for club members as well as members from the public to promote our valley.

The weekly #NewbieTuesday ride is extremely popular and has grown into 3 social group rides: Newbies, Intermediate and electric bikes.

A valley conservation hike and information session with Graham Taylor was very well attended.

FatTracks members also joined some WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society South Africa) conservation initiatives in the valley, eradicating alien plant species.

The annual Baakens Bash was very successful this year. We tried a ‘fun ride’ format instead of an official race. The new format was very well received and the turnout on the day was much better than in 2023. We has 138 participants in total.

We also hasted a trail maintenance day where about 20 FT members joined in to do some critical work on our trails. They brought their own tools and we had a very productive day cutting some alien trees.

Social Media & Communication

The FatTracks Banter WhatsApp group is for members to post and organise rides with other members. No rides were posted on this group for 2024. We encourage club members to take the initiative via our social media platforms and connect with fellow club members, organising rides.

Looking ahead to 2025

We are filled with optimism. We have plans to further develop our trail network, promote MTB events, and foster a strong sense of community among our members. However, to achieve these goals, we need your support in any way club members can give.

Volunteers needed

We need volunteers to assist from time to time. Your help and expertise are invaluable in maintaining our trails, supporting with events, and promoting the sport we all love. By volunteering, you not only contribute to the growth of our club but also help shape the future of mountain biking in our region.

We will need volunteers to assist at next year’s events including: The Herald Cycle Tour, MTB & Road Races 2025, Astron Energy Run, Nanaga trail run & MTB event, Bay By Bike and Longmore Classic (Be sure to enter for the Cyclo Pro Fat Tracks supported Longmore Classic MTB event on the 1st of December 2024).

Trail repairs

Repairing the damages to our trails is a priority. We have received quotations to get the bridges that were swept away by the recent floods back up as soon as possible.

We appeal to all members to encourage friends and family to sign up as FT members. The Baakens Valley FatTracks trails give much joy to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay (with thanks to NMBM). Membership fees help us a great deal in keeping our trails in good condition.

Many thanks to our donors, sponsors and supporters

Continental SA for their continued, generous financial support of our club activities. Many thanks to Ryan Visagie, Product Communications Manager from Continental Tyre SA (Pty) Ltd. who facilitated the process to get Fat Tracks another three years of sponsorship.
Waudcray. Thanking the owners of Waudcray, and valued FT Life Members, Mark and Catherine Waudby for their generous donation to FatTracks towards trail upkeep and maintenance over the past year. It is much appreciated!
Steel Pipes & Fittings
City Paint and Tool
IPC Properties
Plastic Rebuilders
Billson Trucks
Pam Golding
Springwell
Ian Meaker Brokers

Heartfelt thanks to: Rack & Tow, Houdini, Cyclo Pro, Wayne Pheiffer Cycles, Rystix Timbercare, Schuinvilla Pharmacy, BMG/CRC, Dirt Magic Cleaning, Omnico, Auto Motorcycles and The Shox Radio Prize for supporting the FatTracks Baakens Bash – we could not have done it without you!

A big thank you to our FT trail partner, Norm Hudlin Trails, for hosting our AGMs free of charge every year. We encourage all members (who ride for free here), to support this great facility by spreading the word about the Norm Hudlin trails.

2025 Committee

NAME	CONTACT NUMBER	E-MAIL
Pieter Labuschagne (Chairman)	082 462 1586	pieter@fattracks.co.za
Scott Woods (Vice Chair)		dee@fattracks.co.za
Dee Hayter (Treasurer)
Sam van Schoor, Dee Hayter (Merchandise)
Vicki Laing and Andrea von Holdt (Events)		vicki@fattracks.co.za
Scott Woods & Pieter Labuschagne (Trails)
Stephen Craddock (Trailforks app maintenance)
Claire Warneke (Member queries, admin & media)		ftadmin@fattracks.co.za

In Conclusion

FatTracks will continue to address the needs of all the different levels of mountain biking in Nelson Mandela Bay. In the new year, we will also engage in talks aimed at serving the wider mountain biking community in NMB as well as provincial level.

Many thanks to my fellow committee members for your hours upon hours of your time you gift to Fat Tracks. It is appreciated.

Hats off to Joseph Jozman and Nedson Mangonyo our trail men, without Joseph and Nedson we wouldn’t have trails. And a heartfelt thank you to Johan Westaard and his team for being on call for grass cutting and trimming.