Page 140 - Bulletin 9 2005

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cycle races and speed records the broad straight flat beaches at Strand, Muizenberg and
Blouberg were popular, and some of the early races took place here. (Figs 3.33 & 3.34.) A

press report of the day describes one such race:

Cape Times, 1930:
1,000 WATCH MOTOR CYCLE RACE
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SATURDAY’S EVENT AT BLAAUWBERG
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RIDERS’ DIFFICULTY WITH WATER
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The 50-mile event organized by the Cape Peninsula Motor Cycle Club on Saturday
afternoon at Blaauwberg Strand proved very successful.
The weather was fair, but the strong north-westerly breeze that was blowing caused
frequent encroachment of the sea on the course. In consequence, the race was marred to
some extent by retirements.
The crowd of well over 1,000 people enjoyed the spectacular sight of riders, unable
to check their speed, dashing through the water and being at times almost obscured from
sight by the spray flung up by their machines.

On the dry salt pan, at nearby Rietvlei, events like The Argus Light Car Derby over 15

miles, with a prize of £100, attracted crowds of up to 5000, created traffic jams on the
approach roads, and saw hundreds and hundreds of cars parked near the circuit. Speeds of

60 mph were usual. (Figs 3.35 & 3.36.) Another popular pan during the dry summer

months was Noordhoek. The circuit was “dumb-bell” shaped running north-south, and
spectators lined the ropes marking the margins. Crowds of 3000 were common. (Figs 3.37

& 3.38.)

Hill-climbs were short strenuous tests where individual events lasted less than one and-a-

half minutes. Geneva Drive in Camps Bay, then a private gravel road, was considered to be
an ideal hill-climbing course as the gradient, the switch-backs, and the short links between

them, made for excellent spectator viewing, and provided an arduous test for the competi-