South Africa welcomes Singlepseed Worlds

The town of Winterton, South Africa will host the 2012 Singlespeed World Championships on September 29. While the majority of the field will be there to dress up in batty outfits and party all night long after the race, some will be there for the beer shortcuts, a signature of this annual leapfrogging global event.

Some will come to win the rights to host SSWC2013 in their country. Some will be there to get the tattoo reserved for the winners and yet others will simply come to make friends and experience the awe inspiring riding of the KwaZulu Natal bushveld.

There are no UCI points on the line and no qualification procedure. The only rule is that bikes are limited to one gear.

Organizers have said that local registration thus far has been strong, and they are hoping to attract more international riders to keep the event's global vibe strong. Entries are limited to 1000 riders.

They are running the event as a not-for-profit. "Besides covering hard costs and giving up our time for free, any extra loot we make is going straight into the immediate community; not a back pocket in sight!" said a statement on their website.

The 2010 Singlespeed Worlds were held in New Zealand. Last year's Worlds were held in Ireland, where South Africa won the right to host this year's event.

For more information, visit www.sswc2012.co.za.