Riding for Rivers and Wetlands: Part 1
23 September 2019
In March 2020, two courageous riders, Barbara Dallas-Daw and Nives Schabort, will be tackling the gruelling ABSA Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race in the Western Cape, South Africa.
They will be riding as Team FRC, supporting our organisation as we continue our research, training and education to promote effective management, conservation and rehabilitation of freshwater ecosystems in Southern Africa.
FRC is at the forefront of freshwater science in Africa, working collaboratively with many organisations to advance our understanding of how freshwater ecosystems function, how they respond to human-linked impacts like climate change, and how to use these precious water resources more sustainably.
The Untamed African MTB Race:
8 days, 647 kilometres, 15 550 metres of vertical ascent. Rugged mountain jeep tracks and rocky single tracks snaking through pristine fynbos. Sandy farm roads between manicured orchards. Bone-rattling descents off ancient mountain ranges. This is the 2020 Absa Cape Epic route. Wild and untamed. The pinnacle of mountain bike stage racing.
Raising money for a class-leadingriver education and awareness programme
Please support our Team FRC riders and our organisation by donating through our Riding for Rivers and Wetlands campaign! All funds raised will be used to support our class-leading Living Labs river education and awareness programme. The programme centres around connecting schools and other community groups to nearby rivers for an immersive nature experience that collects meaningful ecological data along the way.
Rivers are incredible outdoor classrooms for learning about biodiversity, ecology and conservation, and the activities covered during the Living Labs experience are designed to complement what is learned in Life Sciences lessons at school. This hands-on, wet feet, “real science” experience lets kids relax in nature and connect with their local river environment – often for the very first time! Since Living Labs was founded in 2017, our network of schools has grown to 29, and to date we have run a total of 46 outings, reaching 1311 learners. We are aiming to double this by 2021.
Follow the journey
We will be posting regular updates on the riders’ training as they tackle a number of lead-up mountain bike races in various mountain catchments across the region. We will be highlighting the importance of our water source areas as we journey with the riders. 
Follow #RidingForRiversAndWetlands
