Varsity College Multisport Series - Shongweni Dam 22 July 2012

VARSITY COLLEGE MULTISPORT SERIES 22nd JULY - SHONGWENI DAM Hosted by The Westville Cowboys BE THE FUN! Okay, so maybe you missed the first one – now is your chance to find out exactly what all the hype was about at the second event in the Varsity College Multisport Series which takes place at Shongweni Dam... Fun and multi–sport are the very essence of this game. If you’re looking for one or both of these elements this is where you need to be on Sunday 22nd July ! There is more to offer so for those of you who prefer not to do the whole ‘multi’ thing you can now choose either the stand alone Trail Run options (5km / 15km) or the stand alone Mountain Bike options (20km / 40km). And, being at Shongweni Dam means that the paddling events (multisport) are back in the mix. The Varsity College Games Challenge takes place just before prize-giving. Make up a team of 4–6 and plunge yourself into the fun ! Varsity College Westville (aka the Cowboys) will be your hosts for the day so be prepared... Pre-entries close on Thursday 19th July and are significantly cheaper than entries on the day, so be sure to get your entry in ASAP... Click here to enter an event EVENT FORMAT: – TRAIL RUN 5km and 15km – MTB 20km & 40km – MULTI X Short Course (2.5km trail run, 10km MTB, 1km trail run) – MULTIsport Short Course (2.5km trail run, 10km MTB, 2.5km paddle) – MULTI X Long Course (5km trail run, 20km MTB, 2.5km trail run) – MULTIsport Long Course (5km trail run, 20km MTB, 5km paddle) GREAT ENTRANT GIVE-AWAYS valued at over R400!! – A pair of technical Salomon trail running socks to the first 200 entries received, valued at R50! – The first 400 entrants to register will receive: Best 4 product valued at over R300 & a GU gel valued at R18 – The first 400 finishers will receive an aQuelle on completion of their race, as well as a GU Recovery sachet & a medal. FURTHER INFO ON www.maxcluer.com ENTRY FEE´s MULTI SPORT and MULTI–X (LONG COURSE) LONG COURSE Pre-Entry Late Entry (after 17h00 Thurs prior) Individuals R150 R180 Teams of 2 R200 R250 Teams of 3 R300 R350 MULTI SPORT and MULTI–X (SHORT COURSE) SHORT COURSE Pre-Entry Late Entry (after 17h00 Thurs prior) Individuals R100 R150 Teams of 2 R160 R210 Trail Run DISTANCE Pre-Entry Late Entry (after 17h00 Thurs prior) 5Km R50 R80 15Km R100 R210 MTB DISTANCE Pre-Entry Late Entry (after 17h00 Thurs prior) 20Km R80 R100 40Km R120 R150 KIDS Multisport Dash KIDS Multisport Dash R20 (entries on the day only) BE THE FUN – SEE YOU THERE !!

Varsity College Surfing Team Top Performance at USSA 2012

Varsity College Surfing Team Top Performance at USSA 2012 Durban North’s Tammy Lee Smith took the top women’s honours for the second year in a row, while Shawn Dennis won the men’s title. The Varsity College Surfing Team of 8 guys and 2 girls made waves in Victoria Bay at the 2012 USSA Surfing Champs. Varsity College came third overall, flying the Varsity College flag high at all times!

Varsity College Beach Walk 2012

2012 Varsity College Beach Walk Why not spend the morning of Saturday 18 August, walking Durban's north coastline, socialising with friends and family whilst raising funds for the North Durban Honorary Officers and the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve? Last year's walkers raved about the breathtaking scenery. You can choose between the 10km or 5km route starting at Shipwreck Beach and Virginia Beach respectively, and ending in the heart of the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve. Shopping centre vouchers are up for grabs for first across the finish line for both distances and a lucky draw for all entrants. Music will be set up along the route and walkers will remain refreshed. For more information contact Fathima Naidu at Varsity College Durban North on 031 573 2038. We hope to hear from you soon!

Multisport Series presented by Best 4. Event 1: Race Report

Varsity College Multisport Series presented by Best 4 Event 1: Race Report It was muddy. It was crazy. It was lost. It was fun. It was games. It was the first event in the Varsity College Multisport Series at Holla Trails, Ballito on a beautiful sunny day in the middle of winter after a downpour during the night which left the track sodden. And yet the participants arrived in droves to find out what all the fun was really about. Who other than local resident Tyrone White to win the MultiX Long Course over a 5km trail run, 20km mountain bike and 2.5km trail run. Aside from living a stone’s throw from Collisheen Estate, White is one of the country’s top multisport athletes with world class pedigree so his win was fitting. However, there was no time to waste as Eston farmer Derrin Smith was snapping on his heels just forty-two seconds back in second place and SA Duathlete John Ntuli rounded a classy men’s podium in third place. Sarah Gray is no stranger to the top of the women’s podium and she claimed a comfortable win ahead of Karen Thomson with Maryanne Soulsby in third place. The Short Course race over a 2.5km trail run, 10km mountain bike and 1km trail run is geared for the racing youngsters and the novices. Leading home the field was Thomas Jessop, SA’s top Sub-Junior mountain biker, who claimed the title ahead of fellow Team Jeep team mate’s Cameron Wright – top SA Sprog mountain biker in second place and Devon Smith in third place. Young Tiffany Keep took the victory in the women’s race ahead of an ill-fated Mikaela Jonsson and the feisty Courtney Smith in third place. To satisfy the non-multisporters, the organisers introduced the stand alone trail run and mountain bike events. Some enthusiasts raced both like Marion Young and John Ntuli who were the respective men’s and women’s 5km trail run winners. The 15km trail run was won by Mzamo Zondi in one hour, sixteen minutes and 29 seconds while Alexia Loizou claimed the women’s win in one hour, twenty-three minutes and 31 seconds. Racing was tight at the front of the 40km MTB race with Robert du Preez taking the win in two hours, five minutes and forty seconds ahead of Travis Walker in second and Western Cape rider Marthinus Esmeyer third. Dawn Hermon was first home in the women’s race ahead of Xenia Witte and Jessica Stamp third. The 20km MTB race was won by Merik Sparg and Lara Bateson respectively. Be the fun ! Host campus Durban North Pirates faced tough opposition from rival campus the Maritzburg Mammoths and a phantom showing from the Westville Cowboys. Games included the tough Qhubeka bike challenge over the MultiX Short Course and the Varsity College Games Challenge which included a Siamese sack race, the wheelbarrow race and the blind-fold three legged race. The Change A Life Academy just pipped Team Jeep SA in a final show-down of ching-chong-cha to claim the Game Challenge title. Event two takes place at Shongweni Dam on Sunday 22nd July. Be there ! RESULTS – MultiX Long: Men overall: T White (Russell White Racing) 1h18.18, D Smith (Team Jeep) 1h19.00, J Ntuli (Change A Life) 1h22.43. Women overall: S Gray (Scottys) 1h40.24, K Thomson 1h58.40, M Soulsby 2h00.12 MultiX Short: Men overall: T Jessop 50:03, C Wright 53.18, D Smith 53.58. Women overall: T Keep 57.20, M Jonsson 1h00.27, C Smith 1h00.48. MTB 40km, Men: R du Preez 2h05.40, T Walker 2h06.00, M Esmeyer 2h06.22. Women: D Hermon 2h53.50, X Witte 3h18.44, J Stamp 3h22.00. MTB 20km, Men: M Sparg 1h04.16. Women: L Bateson 1h20.52.

Varsity College Multisport Series 2012

VARSITY COLLEGE MULTISPORT SERIES 2012 Bring on the fun ! Max Cluer Sports Marketing is excited to announce Varsity College as the new title sponsor to the Multisport Series. Varsity College, an educational brand of The IIE, is a dynamic young brand making it perfect partner to the Multisport Series with its focus on a healthy and energetic lifestyle. Carole Adam, National Sports Manager at Varsity College commented “Varsity College is the proud new title sponsor of this action packed Multisport Series. Varsity College has a Sports Life initiative at each campus which encourages students to get involved in healthy outdoor lifestyle-orientated sports such as MTB, Canoeing, Trial Running, Surfing etc. and the series is a great fit to take our Sports Life vision to the next level! Varsity College will also be adding a fun new dimension to the series which will appeal to all competitors as well as encourage spectators to have a bit of fun too!” This multisport series is designed around the family, it’s all about getting out there and having fun. Trail Running, Mountain Biking and Paddling make up the three core disciplines. The venues are beautiful and safe and make for a fantastic day out. Participants can compete, or just take part in various ways and forms, as an individual or as a team. The Full Distance event is geared for the weekend warriors and the racing athletes and a Half Distance event for the younger generation and less adventurous, the perfect platform to learn and get involved before taking it to the next level. The Kids Multisport Dash allows the youngsters to get involved in the sport and perhaps even become future champions; mom and dad are welcome to take part as well. Participants may choose between the MULTISPORT and the MULTIX events. The full course MULTISPORT comprises a 5km trail run, 20km MTB and 5km paddle while the short course is made up of a 2.5km trail run, 10km MTB and 2.5km paddle. The MULTIX caters for the non-paddlers and comprises a 5km trail run, 20km MTB and 2.5km trail run and also offers a half-distance event. The KIDS MULTISPORT DASH offers youngsters between the ages of U7 and U11 their own taste of multisport. For the first time this year, the organisers have introduced a TRAIL RUN option (5km / 15km) and a Mountain Bike race (40km /20km) to cater for those individuals who prefer to concentrate on one discipline ! With full catering & beverages on offer, ablution facilities, medical and safety standards to spec and fantastic giveaways, Max Cluer Sports Marketing strive to offer their participants a value for money package and a ‘feel good’ experience. Bring your mountain bike and helmet, running shoes and canoe and lifejacket (if doing the Multisport event) for a great day of fun and exercise with family and friends. For the active and outdoorsy, there are few better ways to spend your weekend than at the Varsity College Multisport Series. FAST FACTS DATES & VENUES: Event 1: 24th June – Holla Trails, Ballito (KZN North Coast). * Event 2: 22nd July – Shongweni Dam, Durban. Event 3: 19th August – Albert Falls Dam, outside Pietermaritzburg. EVENT FORMAT: - TRAIL RUN 5km and 15km - MTB 20km & 40km - MULTI X Short Course (2.5km trail run, 10km MTB, 1km trail run) - MULTI X Long Course (5km trail run, 20km MTB, 5km trail run) - MULTISPORT Short Course (2.5km trail run, 20km MTB, 2.5km paddle) * - MULTISPORT Long Course (5km trail run, 20km MTB, 5km paddle) * * Only the first event at Holla Trails will NOT offer the paddling options (Multisport). The second two events will introduce the Multisport as a lead in to Triple Challenge (4th Nov). ENTRY FEE’s LONG COURSE Pre-Entry Late Entry (after 17h00 Thurs prior) Individuals R150 R180 Teams of 2 R200 R250 Teams of 3 R300 R350 SHORT COURSE Pre-Entry Late Entry (after 17h00 Thurs prior) Individuals R100 R150 Teams of 2 R160 R210 Teams of 3 R240 R290 TRAIL RUNS 5km – R50 / Late Entry R80 15km – R100 / Late Entry R120 MTB EVENTS 20km – R60 / Late Entry R90 40km – R120 / Late Entry R150 KIDS Multisport Dash: R20 (entries on the day only) Entry fee includes: - Free entry to all venues - Refreshment on completion of race - Medal to all finishers

The Open University - Working in Partnership

The Open University and The IIE / Varsity College are working together to offer graduates an opportunity to achieve an internationally recognised honours degree from the Open University. The agreement between The IIE / Varsity College and The Open University enables students who have successfully completed The IIE Bachelor of Arts degree in Corporate Communication or Bachelor of Commerce degree at Varsity College to progress with their studies by registering directly with The Open University for the equivalent of the final year of a BA (Honours) Open degree or a BSc (Honours) Open degree. The Partner Varsity College was founded 21 years ago and today enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private tertiary education in South Africa. There are Varsity College campuses across the country in Sandton, Midrand, Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban North, Westville and Pietermaritzburg. The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), of which Varsity College is an educational brand, is the largest, most accredited private provider of higher education in the country. The IIE has responsibility for registration, teaching, assessment and certification for all students registered for qualifications conferred by The IIE. The Project In May 2011, The IIE received accreditation by the South African Council on Higher Education for two new degrees; the Bachelor of Corporate Communications (BA CC) and Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). The Open University (OU) and The IIE / Varsity College are working together to offer graduates exemption of up to 240 credits towards the OU Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Open Degrees, with Honours. Thus, students completing the IIE BA CC/ BCom degree through Varsity College will have the opportunity to continue studying and articulate their degree into an internationally recognised UK Honours degree. It is expected that the first students entering the OU system will register in May 2015, after claiming credit transfer early 2015. The Aim This project offers the high achieving graduates of The IIE at Varsity College a pathway towards an internationally recognised UK Honours degree with the Open University, a leader in supported open learning. The Benefits Students will be able to study online for an internationally recognised UK Honours degree, while remaining in South Africa. The learning design of The IIE Bachelors’ degrees offered on all Varsity College campuses through contact teaching and integrated student supports, ensures that students are prepared for OU online study. Contact: OU Partnership Manager: Viki Little Email: v.n.little@open.ac.uk Tel : 00 44 1908 858750 Web: www.varsitycollege.co.za Who is the Open University? The Open University promotes educational opportunity and social justice by providing high-quality university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential. Through academic research, educational innovation and collaborative partnership the Open University has become a world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open learning. The OU was founded to open up higher education to all, regardless of their circumstances or where they live. The institution supports students of all ages and backgrounds: school students wanting experience of university-level study, school leavers who choose to begin their careers while they study for a degree, people wanting to develop or update their skills, or change career entirely, and retired people wanting to explore new interests and keep mentally active. The OU is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all and monitor themselves to make sure they live up to these ideals. The Open University, IIE and Varsity College are working together to fulfil their shared commitment to student-centred learning and to enable South African students to successfully transfer to online study at The Open University. Testimonials: “The Independent Institute of Education (IIE) is the largest, most accredited private provider of higher education in South Africa, a point we have reached through an unequivocal commitment to quality and innovation in education. The Open University generally shares these values with us. Using this foundation, we have built exciting opportunities for students in our own degree programmes and beyond, by giving our students access to OU material, learning methodologies and eventually, qualifications.” Dr Felicity Coughlan Director and Head of Institute Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd.“The synergy between Varsity College and The Open University is characterised by a shared set of values: openness; student-centered, innovative technology enhanced learning; global connections; and authentic relevant student support for careers and life-long learning. Through Varsity College, The OU is able to extend its reach into South Africa and the continent with huge potential for further learning opportunities at the OU for our students.” Odette Francesconi Managing Director Varsity College

Riaan Schoeman – VC Olympic Swimmer

Riaan’s Journey Believe it or not, Riaan Schoeman, the 22 year old Varsity College student and 2012 Olympic qualifier, used to be scared of the water! When Riaan was 8 years old he joined a swimming club in Durban North in order to get over this fear. And get over it he did! Soon, the only thing he will be getting over is miles of ocean as he wings it to the Royal Palace in Monaco with to stay with Princess Charlene, followed by a journey to the Olympic village in London. Riaan moved on from the Durban North swimming club to training at Kings Park in Durban, but at first he did lots of other sports as well. In grade 7, he decided that swimming was the one passion that he would follow. On the advice of his coach, Alistair Hatfield, Riaan dropped all the other sports and focused exclusively on swimming. Ever since then, his training has been absolutely intense. He has been training for two hours every morning, and two and a half hours every afternoon, along with his coach for ten years, to get to this point! Riaan went to Durban High School (DHS) and Oakridge College, in a solid routine of swimming, school, and some socialising on the weekends. At 13 years old, Riaan won his age category in the Midmar Mile. This win gave him the taste of success and inspiration he needed to justify the intense training. The next big milestone for Riaan was the first national record that he broke at the age of 14. These successes resulted in Riaan travelling internationally for the World Youth Championships. Now, there was a new reason to keep training and keep achieving – the international travel bug hit Riaan, and doing well at swimming was a great way doorway to seeing the world. By 2008, Riaan had not really thought about qualifying for the Olympics in Beijing, but unexpectedly he did, breaking Terence Parkins 400m medley record – once again, the hard work and sacrifice paid off with results. So Riaan went to the Olympics and placed 11th in the 400m medley, and was the second youngest there at just 18 years old. An exciting part of this experience was having Ryk Neethling and Roland Pienaar as team leaders, which Riaan says was ‘inspirational, they gave great guidance’. Riaan Schoeman – the road to 2012 Olympics After the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Riaan turned his attention towards his education, and his journey at Varsity College started. Riaan is studying a BCom in Industrial and Organisational Psychology and plans to complete the Degree mid-2013. In 2009, Riaan won the Midmar Mile open event, which was a huge achievement for him. In the years building up to 2012 and the London Olympics, Riaan trained as hard as ever but also found himself branching out and experiencing other areas of life. Beside studying, he enjoyed taking up tennis as a hobby, as well as trying his hand at a few triathlons and some day trading on the stock exchange. The next swimming milestone was a bronze medal in the 400m medley at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. The time came to shift focus to London. The training quantity and load increased, and Riaan attended a lot of international swimming camps. His observations on international training methods vs the South African experience is that the South African ‘scene’ is a lot more sociable and lifestyle oriented, whereas the international camps had a more ‘all or nothing’ approach. He feels that he benefitted greatly from the international training experience and adapted his training accordingly. Riaan, like all sportspeople, has not only had triumph and great results. He experienced a disappointment when he only placed 9th in the 2011 World Championships, after he had been working and training really well. However, the set back was not a major one and Riaan qualified for the London Olympics in the trial in April 2012. Riaan is staying in Durban until the 14 July, so he can finish up with his exams. He will then be joining the rest of the South African Olympic swimmers in Monaco, being hosted by South African swimmer, Princess Charlene. After a week and a half at the Palace, Riaan will fly into the Olympic Village on the 23 July, and be racing on the 28 July. When asked what his goals for the Olympics are, Riaan says ‘I want to do better than I did in Beijing, soak up the atmosphere, support my team mates, experience London and meet up with some friends.’ The months of May and June have been stepped up in training intensity, which will taper off toward the beginning of July when training will consist of fine tuning rather than intense training, so that he is rested for the actual Olympic event. Riaan eats very healthily and does everything in his power to stay healthy, including getting as much rest as possible. In addition to training and racing, he mentioned that the Olympic Village always involved a LOT of walking – even just to the dining hall and back! He says ‘The atmosphere in the Olympic Village is just incredible, you are surrounded by the best athletes in the world, you see Roger Federer in the apartment block next to you, and Usain Bolt at the table next to you in the dining hall!’ In summary, Riaan felt that what really has given him the platform to get this far is the support of his family, friends and coach (Alistair Hatfield). They have given up a lot for many years, taking him and fetching him and lending their unwavering support, for which he is really grateful. When asked for advice to give other sportspeople, Riaan says ‘You can find focus when you love what you do. Without the love, it would be impossible to keep that focus. My advice is to never give up, to dream, to set goals and to work hard.’