Quote of the week

“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are.” – Muhammad Ali

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The Motul Roof of Africa – 10 Things to Know

Picturesque... The Motul Roof of Africa
There is just one day to go until the 2016 Motul Roof of Africa. Here are 10 facts you might not have known about the Mother of Hard Enduro.

1. Priority
Looking after the bike is every rider’s first priority. When former winner Chris Birch high-sided in 2013, his immediate thought was not about hurting himself, but: “Is the bike OK, because I need that to get home!”

2. Altitude
Lesotho is a landlocked nation, surrounded on all sides by South Africa. It is stunningly beautiful, but the altitude is daunting. The Maluti Mountains, through which the Roof runs, rise up on top of Southern Africa’s highest mountains, the Drakensberg.

3. Terrain
“The ground is so hard,” says British campaigner Ben Hemingway. “There’s a carpet of grass but underneath it feels like iron. It’s a different sort of ground to Europe, which is softer and more forgiving. This gives your hands and your body a pounding. It’s punishing.”

4. Extreme
“The Roof is extreme endurance. It’s really grueling all the time and takes a massive toll on you physically,” says Birch. “You don’t have to be the greatest rider in the world to get round, but you’ve got to be really fit to do it at any pace.”

5. Classes
The Roof is split into three classes: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Silver and Bronze riders take on a less demanding route, but even for them, the finish line can’t come soon enough. Some riders end up so shattered they can’t even ride their bikes up to the chequered flag

Defending champions Graham Jarvis
6. Start/Finish
Bushman’s Pass, which can be seen cutting across the mountain in the middle distance, is where the race start/finish zone is located. Spectator access is easy; not so for competitors

7. History
Race organiser Peter Luck has been involved with the race since 1977. “It’s my life,” he says. Many riders probably wish it wasn’t, when they see where the route is headed.

8. Villages
“Riders have to exercise caution through villages,” says organiser Peter Luck. “We try to avoid villages as much as possible, and we warn the locals not to bring their cattle out. In fact, we work with the local farmers on how to best route the race around their villages.”

9. Spectators
The Roof is unusual in that spectator assistance is a reality, and is always encouraged (as long as it’s not pre-meditated). The truth is that the course is so tough that if riders didn’t receive help from bystanders, even fewer would finish.

10. Route
The route is marked, but racers rely on GPS to stay on track. Nonetheless, getting lost is a constant hazard that haunts even the front-runners.  

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Redskins to compete at regional Zone 6 volleyball games

Redskins at the African Club Championship in 2011
Lesotho’s volleyball champions Redskins will compete at the Zone 6 Club Championships next month. The championships will be held in Namibia and will run from December 11 to 17.

Both the Redskins men’s and women’s teams will do battle in Namibia after winning their respective league championships last year.

The regional Zone 6 games are contested by national volleyball champions from the Southern African region. The countries that have been invited and are expected to compete this year are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as the hosts, Namibia.

Redskins last won the regional crown in 2010 when they beat Kutloano in Botswana.

To rugby and the president of the Federation of Lesotho Rugby, Fetang Selialia, will attend the 12th Rugby Africa general assembly meeting which will be held in Botswana from December 1 to 4.

The assembly will be attended by members and the executive committee of the continent’s governing body, Rugby Africa. Representatives from World Rugby will also be in attendance.

One of the main topics at this year’s assembly is expected to be a discussion on a new strategic plan for 2017. However, most importantly for Lesotho, the assembly is set to see the FLR receive full Rugby Africa membership, a promotion from the affiliate status it received almost two years ago.  

It is another major achievement for the FLR which was only formed in 2012 but has made huge strides since.

The promotion follows a 2016 calendar year that was particularly successful for the national rugby team, Likatola.

This year saw Likatola claim bronze at the Africa Cup Division 2 championship in Rwanda in May before they capped their year with a 31-11 victory over Malawi away from home in August.

Staying with rugby and Maseru Warriors concluded a perfect Treasure Investment Group Rugby League campaign by defeating Mabote Beavers 24-5 on Saturday in what was the final day of the season.

Warriors had already been crowned champions last weekend but ensured a dominant season by brushing aside Mabote Beavers. The four-team league championship was introduced by the Federation of Lesotho Rugby in September to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence. The teams that contested the championship were Warriors, NUL Spears, Mabote Beavers and LCS.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Week 12 Talking Points – League finally taking shape

Who will slip first? Kick4Life and Lioli are part of an apparent three-horse
race for the Vodacom Premier League title
The Vodacom Premier League is almost at the halfway stage and after the weekend’s action things are starting to take shape.

Things are clearing up at the top…
Half of the Vodacom Premier League season is almost in the books and the league finally appears to be taking shape when it comes to the contenders for the title.

Inconsistency had been the name of the game over the first weeks of the season as no team apart from Kick4Life separated themselves from the pack.

Despite slipping of late (collecting just four points from the last available nine), Kick4Life have done well to stay at top of the Vodacom Premier League with an impressive record of eight wins from 12 games. Leslie Notši’s team have only lost twice raising hopes they can pull off Lesotho’s very own Leicester City story.

However, it will be difficult to do with champions Lioli finally seeming to catch fire.

Tse Nala have scored 13 goals in their last three games including a 4-1 outclassing of Kick4Life and they are one again first in the Vodacom Premiership, ahead of Kick4Life on goal difference. Most impressively, Lioli’s goals have been shared. Of those 13 goals in the last three outings, Tumelo Khutlang has scored five, Tšepo Seturumane three, Tšoanelo Koetle two, Tšepo Lekhooana two and Bushy Moletsane has one.

The third team in the race is Bantu. Compared to the other two, A Matšo Matebele have had a stop-start campaign that has been hit by postponements and drama.

As a result, Bantu have not been as convincing. In fact, their 2-1 win over LCS on Sunday followed successive goalless draws with Sky Battalion and Sundawana. However, the Mafeteng giants are still well placed. With 24 points, Bantu are just two behind the joint leaders Lioli and Kick4Life, and they have a game in hand.

The relegation picture is also becoming clear
Just as things are becoming clear at the top, the bottom of the league is also clearing up. As things stand, Rovers, Likhopo and Butha-Buthe Warriors are the teams at the basement. Between them they have only managed three wins in 35 matches this season and one of those wins was Rovers’ 2-0 victory over Likhopo on Saturday, so things are not looking good for these three teams.

What is most worrying is the gap that is beginning to grow between them and the rest of the league. Butha-Buthe Warriors have two points, Likhopo have four and Rovers have eight. The next side above them is Liphakoe and they have 12 points.

Warriors, Likhopo and Rovers have to get something from this week’s final games of the first round. If not, they will start 2017 as the sure contestants for the two relegation spots.

Form Guide – Last 6 Games


P
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts.
1
Lioli
6
4
1
1
16
6
13
2
Kick4Life
6
4
1
1
10
7
13
3
Bantu
6
3
3
0
8
1
12
4
Matlama
6
3
2
1
11
4
11
5
Sundawana
6
2
4
0
7
4
10
6
LCS
6
3
1
2
7
8
10
7
Sky Battalion
6
2
3
1
5
1
9
8
Linare
6
2
2
2
12
11
8
9
LMPS
6
1
4
1
4
4
7
10
LDF
6
2
1
3
4
8
7
11
Rovers
6
2
0
4
4
9
6
12
Liphakoe
6
1
1
4
6
8
4
13
Butha-Buthe Warriors
6
0
1
5
3
18
1
14
Likhopo
6
0
0
6
1
11
0

Sky Battalion continue to impress
While Butha-Buthe Warriors are struggling, this season’s other new boys Sky Battalion continue to impress. Although they came into the top-flight as a well-run club, their start to the season is still quite surprising. So far, Sky Battalion have won five of their 11 games and have 18 points. They are riding high in sixth place. On Wednesday, Sky Battalion face Likhopo in a rescheduled game. If they win they would finish 2016 in the top four.

Looking at their form, Sky Battalion would be favoured to get something from a game against an out-of-sorts Likhopo. Sky Battalion have been a tough nut to crack in their debut premiership campaign and have only lost once since September.

More importantly they have almost secured survival with half the season to go.

12th place over the past three seasons


P
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts.
2013/14
Mphatlalatsane
26
4
11
11
23
32
23
2014/15
Mphatlalatsane
26
5
10
11
18
33
25
2015/16
Rovers
26
6
7
13
16
28
25

The average points tally for the final survival spot of 12th place over the past three seasons is 24 points. It means Sky Battalion need just two more wins to more or less guarantee their stay in the elite league for another year.

Strikers are on fire
One difference from last season is how strikers are finding their scoring touch this term. It is one of the developing stories of the season. Kick4Life’s Thabiso Brown still leads the way with eight goals but there are several players who are in top scoring form at the moment.

For example, Tumelo Khutlang has scored five goals in his last three games after his hattrick against Butha-Buthe Warriors on Saturday. Khutlang’s hattrick is already the fourth of this season joining Bantu’s Litšepe Marabe, Sky Battalion’s Tsietsi Motšeare and Motebang Sera of Matlama.

It is in contrast to 2015/16 where goals appeared hard to come by. In the end, Sera finished as last season’s top scorer with just 13 goals. That tally looks set to be bettered this season by a crew of in-form strikers, including Sera himself.

Things have gone south for Jane Thaba-Ntšo and
his Matlama teammates...
Is Matlama’s title challenge already over?
Last season Matlama were really good. They were in the title race until the final day. They were an exciting breath of fresh air with their adventurous football. And they came within a point of dethroning Lioli in an exciting championship battle.

That performance raised hopes that with an off-season to build, Tse Putsoa would mount an even more serious title challenge and finally bring their trophy drought to an end. Matlama are trophy-less since 2010, the last time they won the league.

Things started well enough and after six games Matlama were the last unbeaten team in the league.

But fast forward a few weeks and Matlama’s coach Moses Maliehe is gone and Tse Putsoa are in seventh place with 17 points from 11 games after being docked three points for their fans’ foolishness. On Saturday, Matlama put up a gallant display against Kick4Life but they couldn’t get the three points they needed drawing 1-1.

As it is, the record ten-time champions are nine points behind the league leaders. They do have a game in hand, but it is against Bantu and there is no guarantee of a win. As early as it is, Matlama’s championship challenge may be over.

Vodacom Premier League Weekend Results
Saturday, 26 November
Likhopo 0-1 Rovers
Matlama 1-1 Kick4Life
Linare 2-2 LDF
Butha-Buthe Warriors 1-5 Lioli

Sunday, 27 November
Sky Battalion 0-0 Liphakoe
Sundawana 1-1 LMPS
Bantu 2-1 LCS

Standings


P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts.
1
Lioli
12
8
2
2
25
7
18
26
2
Kick4Life
12
8
2
2
24
13
11
26
3
Bantu
11
7
3
1
18
4
14
24
4
LMPS
12
5
5
2
10
6
4
20
5
LCS
12
5
4
3
14
13
1
19
6
Sky Battalion
11
5
3
3
11
8
3
18
7
Matlama
11
5
5
1
12
5
7
17
8
LDF
12
4
5
3
7
7
0
14
9
Linare
12
3
4
5
20
18
2
13
10
Sundawana
12
2
7
3
10
11
-1
13
11
Liphakoe
12
3
3
6
11
16
-5
12
12
Rovers
12
2
2
8
8
22
-14
8
13
Likhopo
11
1
1
9
4
17
-13
4
14
Butha-Buthe Warriors
12
0
2
10
6
33
-27
2
·         Matlama docked 3 points and 3 goals
·         LDF docked 3 points and 3 goals