BRICS

After lasts night's opening ceremony, the delegates enjoyed a business breakfast hosted by The New Age. Today is actual summit where the head's of the various states will be discussing pertinent issues and various trade opportunities.

Some quick facts on the BRICS nations.(taken from the the BRICS publication)

Brazil

Brazil's capital city is Brasilia. 

Nearly half of South America's population resides in the country.

80% of the population is urbanized.

There is a literacy rate of 86%.

São Paulo is the largest city and is one of the largest metropolises in the world.

Tourism is booming due to Samba music, soft sand beaches and sunny weather.

Brazil is home to the largest tropical forest park in the world, Tumucumaque National Park.

The largest industries are; textiles, shoes, chemicals, cements, lumber and iron ore.

Agricultural industries include coffee, soy, wheat, rice and beef.

The biggest exports are; transport equipment, iron ore, soy beans, footwear and of course coffee. 

Russia

The capital city is Moscow.

There is a 100% literacy rate!

Originally part of the Soviet Union, a failed coup in 1991 resulted in the establishment of Russia

Europe's longest river, the Volga, flows from northern Russia into the Caspian Sea.
The largest industries are mining and extractive industries, machine building, road and rail transportation equipment as well as communications equipment.
Agricultural industries include grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables and beef.
Biggest exports are petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals and fur.

India
Capital city New Delhi
A literacy rate of 60%.
India is land of great contrast, the world tallest mountain range lies to the north, desert in the west, some off the highest rainfall in the world falls in the east and almost tropical holiday resorts dot the south coast.
India has the second highest population in the world, but is growing faster than the country with the highest and is set to surpass it.
Home to Bollywood, the second largest film industry.
The largest industries are; textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement and mining.
Agricultural processes include rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, cattle and fish.
Biggest exports include textile goods, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, chemicals and leather manufacturers.

China
The capital city is Beijing.
The is a literacy rate of 86%.
China is the world's most populated country encompassing 20% of the world's people!
Is the 4th largest country in area.
China could have the world's longest continuous civilization, spanning 40 centuries.
China has one of the world's highest growth rates, averaging almost 10% a year.
The largest industries are iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum and cement.
Agricultural industries include rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, pork and fish.
The biggest exports are machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, footwear, toys and sporting goods

The Fifth BRICS Summit

Today is the official start of the 5th BRICS Summit in Durban and Wesgro is here flying the flag for the Western Cape to the world.

 BRICS is acronym for the association of the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Originally called BRIC, South Africa was included in 2010, an indication that we were becoming a strong economic force. 

The aim of the summits are for these nations to seek common ground on areas of importance for these economies. This year's summit will focus on the formation of a development bank for the BRICS nations with possible inclusion of other emerging markets. Another issue on the agenda is the role BRICS will play in the infrastructure development and industrialization of Africa, which was the pledge made at the 2011 BRICS summit that convened in China.

Events 25 March - 1 April

The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit and expo will take place from 26-27 March at the Durban ICC. 

The Two Oceans Marathon Expo will be held at the CTICC from Wednesday March 27 till Friday March 29.Find out what the latest trends are running at the moment.

People all over the globe will celebrating Easter this coming weekend 29March to 1April.

The ABSA KKNK Festival (Kleain Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees) will be taking place from 29 March to 6 April in Oudtshoorn. Known as the premier Afrikaans theatre and music event, there will be many performances in English so that the festival is open to a wider audience.

Stellenbosch will play host to the Cape Sports Festival from the 29th of March until the 3rd of April. Rugby, netball, hockey, soccer and tennis will be on showcase.

For trans-lovers, it is that time of the year again, Vortex will be on at The Circle of Dreams, Riviersonderend from March 29- April 1.

Paternoster will be hosting a Full Moon Market on Friday, March 29, enjoy shopping under the stars.

The Sedgefield Slow Festival will be taking place from 29March -1April. bring along the entire family and experience fun the old fashioned way with a range of events to tickle anyone's fancy.

The Wild Goose Chase, the official mountain bike race of the KKNKwill be held on the 30th of March at Goose Wine Estate in Langkloof.

Known as the most most beautiful marathon in the world, The Two Ocean Marathon, sponsored by Old Mutual, will be held on the 30th of March in Cape Town.

Visit the Wesgro Events Calender for more.

Stage 7 Grand Finale ABSA Cape Epic

Today was the final stage of the 10th ABSA Cape Epic, riders did a mad dash from Wellington to Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West. It was a bittersweet day as riders were delighted to finish the Epic, in memory of the Burry Stander, the 1st ,and to date only, South African winner of the Cape Epic.

Congratulations to the winners of stage 7; Jose Hermida and Rudi Van Houts, Sara Mertens and Laura Turpijn (Ladies), Erik and Ariane Kleinhans (Mixed), Bart Brentjens and Robert Sim (Telkom Masters), Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg (Grand Masters), Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes (ABSA African) and Jan Motshioa and Thokozani Mahlangu (Exxaro).

Winners of the 10th ABSA Cape Epic, Christoph Sauser and
Jaroslav Kulhavy of the Burry Stander-SONGO team.
Photo courtesy of @AbsaCapeEpic

The overall winners of the 10th Edition of the ABSA Cape Epic are Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy. The wining ladies are Yolande Speedy and Catherine Williamson, Yolande was so determined to finish her Epic that she rode today with a broken collar bone and 2 broken ribs! The winning mixed team, that have dominated the race, the Kleinhans couple, Erik and Ariane. The winners of the Burry Stander Memorial Trophy (ABSA African category), Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes. Nico Pfitzenmaier and Abraao Azevedo and Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg are the winners of the Telkom Masters and Grand Masters categories respectively. Prince Maseko and Phillimon Sebona outshone the rest as the overall winners in the Exarro developent category. Congtratulations to all of you and to everyone that finished this tough race!

ABSA Cape Epic - Lourensford, Somerset West

Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West is hosting the Grand Finale of the ABSA Cape Epic.

Surrounded by orchards, farmlands and vineyards, the scenic suburb of Somerset West lies at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains and forms part of the Cape Town region. Originally called Somerset after British Governor Lord Charles Somerset in 1819, “West” was later added so as not to cause confusion with another South African Town, Somerset East. 

The beautiful Helderberg Nature Reserve is one of the attractions of the area. While the reserve is famous for its wild proteas and superb bird life, it is also home to small mammals such as the bontebok and duiker. There are numerous walks that showcase the beauty of the reserve, including proteas, birds, fynbos and medicinal plants. 

There are numerous wine estates within the Somerset West area which are complemented by views across False Bay. There is also a well-established mall, the Cheetah Outreach Programme and a monkey sanctuary for those looking for a wild life experience. 

 Lourensford Wine Estate, established in the year 1700 is arguably one of the most beautiful wine estates in the world. Steeped in history and heritage, the estate also boasts an ultra-modern winery utilising technology unique in the Southern Hemisphere. The magnificent soils and diverse microclimates create the ideal terrain for awarding winning wines. Lourensford Wine Estate is fast becoming one of the biggest wine estates in South Africa, with over 300 hectares of vines already planted.

Stage 6 ABSA Cape Epic & Burry Stander Memorial Trophy

The penultimate stage of the 10th edition of the Cape Epic saw riders embark from a wet and rainy Wellington at 7am to Stellenbosch as the cut off for this stage has just passed. 

Winners for this stage are as follows:

Mens - Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy

Ladies - Sara Mertens and Laura Turpijn

Mixed - Erik and Ariane Kleinhans

Telkom Masters - Nico Pfitzenmaier and Abraao Azevedo

Grand Masters - Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg

ABSA African - Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes

Exxaro - Thabiso Komape and Thomas Sokolangane

Congratulations and good luck to all those riding the final tomorrow.

The Burry Stander Memorial Trophy - Presented to the overall winner of the ABSA African Jersey
 

The Burry Stander Memorial Trophy was shown for the first time to ABSA Cape Epic riders at the Prologue (17 March 2013) of this year’s ABSA Cape Epic. Burry Stander, who died tragically in a collision with a taxi whilst training on 3 January 2013, would have ridden the 2013 event as the reigning champion. Created by Angus Taylor, the trophy will honour the first and to date only South African winner. It will be awarded to the overall winner of the ABSA African Jersey. The African Jersey was introduced in 2007 and awarded to the leading African riders in the race.(cape-epic.com)

The trophy will be presented at the final at Lourensford Wine Estate tomorrow.

Don't forget that tonight at 8:30pm is Earth Hour, please turn off your lights and help save our planet.

ABSA Cape Epic - Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is hosting the end of stage 5 and beginning of Stage 6 of the ABSA Cape Epic.

Situated in a magnificent mountain valley lies Stellenbosch, the heart of the South African wine industry and gateway to the Winelands region. Stellenbosch is a quaint town full of history, containing finely preserved examples of one of the most serene forms of domestic architecture in the world – the Cape-Dutch style. The town continues to pay homage to its culture and heritage as each new generation of architects, buildings and town planners ensure the aesthetic value of the town remains intact.   

Named after its founder, Simon van der Stel in 1679, “Stel’s Bush” or Stellenbosch, was the first European settlement in Cape Town and became fondly known as Eikestad or “Village of Oaks” due to the trees planted by its founder. Stellenbosch become a centre for education in the early 19th century, and has stood firm to its roots as home to the world class Stellenbosch University.

This visual effect of Stellenbosch is of course enhanced by the fact that the town is surrounded by spectacular mountains and some of the world’s most famous vineyards, adding to the town and region’s attractiveness to local and international tourists.

Stage 5 ABSA Cape Epic

Stage 5 was set around Wellington, a short and "easy" course which lead to a few surprises. Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy retained the yellow jersey, Yolande Speedy and Catherine Williamson also kept the ladies leader's jersey, the 1st team over the line in the mixed group has changed for the 1st time in this race with Theresa Ralph and Damian Perrin taking the win. In the Telkom masters category Nico Pfitzenmaier and Abraao Azevedo retained their blue jersey, Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg kept their purple grand masters learder's jersey as did Prince Maseko and Phillimon Sebona of Exxaro with their green jersey, the red ABSA African jersey was won by Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes. Congratulations to all of you!

Photo courtesy of @AbsaCapeEpic

ABSA Cape Epic - Wellington

Wellington is hosting Stage 5 and the beginning of Stage 6 of the ABSA Cape Epic.

Part of the Winelands region of the Western Cape. Originally known as Limiet Valley (border or frontier valley), the area became known as Val Du Charron or Wagenmakersvallei (Valley of the wagon maker) towards the end of the 17th century, when the French Huguenots settled here. After the eventual establishment of the town in 1840, the name was changed to Wellington in honour of the Duke of Wellington, renowned soldier and conqueror of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

  Cape Dutch homesteads and exquisite vineyards pay legacy to the Huguenot origins of this town famous for its wines, brandies and vine nurseries thanks to the superior soil and climate of the region. The Wellington Wine Route and Wellington Brandy Route are major attractions offering the visitor more than thirty fine wines and brandies.

Wellington is the base of the oldest mountain pass in the country, Bain’s Kloof Pass, which used to be the only gateway between the Cape and the north. The area is filled with breath taking fynbos as well as olive trees, another draw card for those looking for a non-alcoholic alternative. Wellington boasts two leather factories, producing beautiful and quality leather products such as shoes, handbags, book covers and other smaller articles. 

Stage 4 ABSA Cape Epic

Today the riders took off from Saronsberg Wine Estate, Tulbagh, and finished in Wellington. Congratulations to the following teams for being first over the line in their respective categories:

Winners Stage 4 - Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy

Ladies - Yolande Speedy and Catherine Williamson

Mixed - Erik and Ariane Kleinhans for a 5th time!

Telkom Masters - Nico Pfitzenmaier and Abraao Azevedo

Grand Masters - Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg

ABSA African - Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes

Exxaro - Prince Maseko and Phillimon Sebona

Christoph Sauser & Jaroslav Kulhavy finally snatch back a win
since the Prologue. They have been creeping up the pack with 4th
for S1, 3rd for S2 and 2nd in S3. 

Human Rights and Earth Hour

Since 1994, 21 March has been declared a public holiday under the name Human Rights Day. It is in remembrance of the Sharpeville Massacre of in 1960.

The official Human Rights day celebration will be held at  Embekweni Township Hall in Paarl.
Some other events (that might not necessarily have to do with Human Rights Day) happening today:
Johnny Clegg will be performing at Vergelegen Wine Farm in Somerset West at 7pm.
The West Coast town of Darling will be hosting a Human Rights Day Box Cart Race.
The Springbok Nude Girls will be performing at The Assembly in Cape Town as well as Fokofpolisiekar and Jackal and Wolf.
The Cape Town Festival will be taking place from today, through the weekend, at the Company's Gardens, Cape Town.
Goldfish will be performing at Spier in Stellenbosch.
Woodstock Academy of Music official launch party will take place in Albert Road, Woodstock.
Shadowclub will be performing at Bohemia in Stellenbosch.
As part of Cape Town's Human Rights Day celebrations, an official street renaming ceremony will be taking place at the CTICC.

________________________________________________________________

Saturday, 23 March is the day Earth Hour 2013 will be taking place. Uniting People to Save the Planet, please switch off all your lights, TVs and other electrical appliances between 20:30 & 21:30. A small change can make a big difference!

"Earth Hour is the single, largest, symbolic mass participation event in the world.   Born out of a hope that we could mobilize people to take action on climate change, Earth Hour now inspires a global community of millions of people in 7,001 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories to switch lights off for an hour as a massive show of concern for the environment."

Stage 3 end ABSA Cape Epic

Heartbreaking stuff today as a momentary lapse of judgement just before the finish line saw leaders  Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy take a wrong turn and Karl Platt and Urs Huber keeping the yellow leaders jersey for tomorrow.

Congratulations to Karl Platt and Urs Huber
for winning Stage 3 of the Cape Epic.

Congratulations to :

Erik and Ariane Kleinhans for keeping the green mixed leaders jersey for a third time.

Nico Pfitzenmaier and Abraao Azevedo who will be riding out in the blue Telkom masters leaders jersey tomorrow. 

Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg who keep the purple grand masters leaders jersey.

Darren Lill and Charles Keey who will be keeping the red ABSA African leaders jersey.

Yolande Speedy and Catherine Williamson who are keeping the orange ladies leader jersey again tomorrow.

William Mokgopo and Luke Mashiane for being the first Exarro team across the line today.

ABSA Cape Epic - Saronsberg, Tulbagh

Tulbagh is hosting Stage 3 and the beginning of Stage 4 of the ABSA Cape Epic.

 The charming, historical town of Tulbagh is found in the Cape Winelands region as you cruise along the majestic Route 62 that starts in Cape Town and ends in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The town is very proud of to have the highest concentration of declared historical monuments in a single street in South Africa (a total of 32) which can be seen all along Church Street. Damaged by an earthquake in 1969, all the buildings have since been restored to their former glory.The fertile Tulbagh Valley produces some of the best red and white wines in the country as well as olives and the majority of the country’s plums. Wine lovers are in for a treat as there are many wineries to choose from along the Tulbagh Wine Route which is dotted with many well-known names as well as boutique and micro-producers.

There is a wealth of activities for tourists such as bird watching, horse riding, hiking, fishing, rock art, luxury accommodation and gourmet delights. For that charming country wedding, Tulbagh is the opportune place with its majestic scenery and top notch facilities.

Saronsberg consists of two farm portions formerly known as Waveren and Welgegund. The farm originally formed part of the beautiful and historic Twee Jonge Gezellen (TJG) until it was divided between the two Krone brothers in the 1950s. Waveren and Welgegund, which lie on either side of TJG, were acquired in 2002 and renamed after the commanding mountain whose slopes are home to a portion of their vines: Saronsberg. The two sites are distinctly different in terroir, with broad disparities in altitude, aspect, soil type and temperature producing grapes with strongly contrasting characteristics.A consistent level of excellence since the outstanding 2004 vintage has annually earned Saronsberg a notable collection of awards and accolades, while the unwavering commitment to producing wines of such quality helped Dewaldt earn membership of the prestigious Cape Wine Makers' Guild - an association of the best winemakers in South Africa aimed at raising the quality and international profile of South African winemaking - in late 2007. (Saronsberg.com)

Stage 3 start ABSA Cape Epic

The temperature has cooled down significantly since the riders came in yesterday afternoon and they are set and ready to start Stage 3 today around Tulbagh.

Stage 2 The ABSA Cape Epic

Today was a longest day for the riders as the course took them 146km from icy Citrusdal this morning to the hot Saronsberg Wine Estate in Tulbagh. The cut-off time today was extended frm 18:00 to 18:11 and we would like to congratulate all those who finished especially Karl Platt and Urs Huber that won Stage 2 of The Cape Epic and will be starting in the yellow leaders jersey tomorrow morning.

Congratulations also go out to:

Yolande Speedy and Catherine Williamson who were first over the line for the ladies

Erik and Ariane Kleinhans who have once again taken the lead in the mixed category

Carsten Bresser and Udo Boelts who lead the masters

Bärti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg who are leading the grand masters

Darren Lill and Charles Keey who will be going out in the ABSA african red jersey tomorrow

and Prince Maseko and Phillimon Sebona who lead the Exxaro pack.

Events 18 - 24 March

The ABSA Cape Epic is in full swing with riders setting off in Citrusdal today, other stages include Tulbagh, Wellington and Stellenbosch, with the final at Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West on Sunday, 24 March.

Wesgro IQ will be hosting a trade event at the Wesgro Offices on Tuesday, 19 March. The focus will be on the food and beverage sector.

On Wednesday, 20 March, the UCT SRC will be hosting Rock The Mile at 3pm on the Green Mile. Featuring Locnville, Basshunter and Jimmy Nevis, in aid of raising funds for the SRC Student Crises Fund. Go out and support a good cause! Tickets are R100 at the door.

South Africans will be celebrating Human Rights Day on Thursday, 21 March, in remembrance of the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960.

21 -22 March sees Music Exchange, an independent music conference being held at the Cape Town City Hall, with speakers such as Chad Saaiman, Jimmy Nevis, Bubmasta China and Mark Haze to mention a few. 

The Lambert's Bay Crayfish Festival will be taking place from 22-24 March. Artists such as Steve Hofmeyr and Monique will be performing, and of course crayfish will be in abundance at low prices.

The Presidents trophy will be held at Oudtshoorn Airfield from 23-25 March.

23 March is when the annual earth hour event will be taking place from 8:30pm-9:30pm. South Africans are encouraged to switch off all their electrical appliances and lights.

For Events visit the Wesgro Events Calender.

Stage 2 start The ABSA Cape Epic

Its an icy morning here in Citrusdal and the riders are ready for stage2 from here to Tulbagh.

Stage1 The ABSA Cape Epic

The sun is blazing and the stage1 winners have crossed the line after a gruelling day around Citrusdal! Congratulations to all those that finished.



Stage 1 winners Jose Hermida & Rudi van Houts

The 1st mixed team across the line for stage 1 Erik and
Ariane Kleinhans getting a much needed scrub down

The 1st woman's team across the line for stage 1
 Esther Süss and Jane Nuessli

ABSA Cape Epic - Citrusdal

Citrusdal is hosting Stage 1 and the beginning of Stage 2 of the ABSA Cape Epic.

 Part of the West Coast region of the Western Cape. Aptly named after its renowned citrus industry, where the oldest orange tree in South Africa can be found, Citrusdal is a picturesque valley nestled between the Cederberg and Swartberg mountains in the Cape West Coast region along the banks of the Olifants River.

Situated to the North of Cape Town, Citrusdal can be found along the N7 on the Cape to Namibia Route.  In spring, Citrusdal is filled with the flowers of the Namaqualand and in winter, it is a busy hive with the harvest and packing of the world class citrus fruits after which this town is named. Besides for the beautiful citrus orchards, there are vineyards that produce quality wines and farmers also grow a South African favourite, Rooibos tea and Buchu.

There are many activities for tourists from hiking, biking, horse riding, bird watching and 4x4 trails to the natural hot spring that can be found within the area. For those looking for more culture, there are rock art sites depicting the original works of the San people in days gone by, as this is one of their original homes.

ABSA Cape Epic - Meerendal, Durbanville

As we follow the Cape Epic, we will be profiling the towns that will be playing host to the race this year. First up is Durbanville and Meerendal Wine Estate that is hosting the Prologue and opening.

Named after Sir Benjamin D’Urban, the Governor of the Cape (1834-1838), Durbanville is one of the Western Cape’s oldest municipalities and falls within the Cape Town region. Formally known as Pampoenkraal, it became a meeting point for local farmers after its establishment as a wine farming area in the 17th century. Filled with an array of shopping malls and upmarket residences, Durbanville is most famous for its wine estates and amazing mountain views and is now one of the fastest growing suburbs in Cape Town. At its heart lies the Durbanville Nature Reserve, a small reserve set up to protect a rare flower, the Aristea lugens, and conserve the area’s natural fynbos.

Meerendal, situated in Durbanville, is one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. Meerendal is proud to treasure one of the oldest vineyards of Pinotage bush vines in South Africa that were planted in 1955 and produces a limited number of bottles from this Heritage Block. Meerendal has scooped up many top wine awards over the past five years and is exporting its quality wine to more than 12 countries.

Meerendal is filled with eager riders and spectators ready to start the 10th edition of the ABSA Cape Epic...

The Luck of the Irish

Sunday, March 17 is St Patrick's Day, commonly known as St Paddy's Day. Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity to the country. St Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide. In American cities with a large Irish population, St Patrick's Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, colouring and games.

 (st-patricks-day.com)

Globally, the spirit of St Paddy has taken off and has become a day to drink, be merry and paint the town green and the Western Cape is no exception! Here are some of the activities taking place on St Paddy's:

• The Dubliner, Irish Restaurant and Pub or O' Driscoll’s Irish Pub & Restaurant would be the perfect place to celebrate with a Guinness and be part of the green and gold celebration of culture.
• 4Leaf Agency and Roodebloem Studios will be hosting an Irish themed party on Saturday, March 16. 
• Perseverance Tavern in Buitenkant Street, Cape Town will have an Irish themed day on Sunday.
• The V&A Waterfront will be hosting free events in the amphitheatre, spectators are encouraged to wear green, with prizes for the best dressed. Restaurants such as Quay Four, Ferryman's and Hildebrand with be hosting Irish Themes for the day with Guinness on tap.
• Durbanville Hills will also be adopting an Irish theme for the day as well as pubs and taverns such as The Toad in the Village in Noordhoek, The Royal Oak in Table View, Forrester Arms in Newlands, The Brazen Head in Stellenbosch and The Fox in Napier.
• The Wheel of Excellence at the Waterfront as well as Table Mountain will be shining green in honour of the Gaelic.

The ABSA Cape Epic

The biggest and best mountain bikers from around the globe are descending on Cape Town and the Western Cape for the start of the 10th edition of the ABSA Cape Epic. The Race has grown to "epic" proportions and is the largest full service mountain bike race in the world. the race is held over 8 days and spans approximately  800km of the Western Cape's unspoiled nature and spectacular passes.

Every year the race route changes, thus allowing more towns to benefit from the event. This year sees the race start at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, thereafter riders will make there way to Citrusdal, Tulbagh, Wellington, Stellenbosch and finally end off at Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West.

CT&WC is the official destination partner of the event and will be bringing you updates from our activators during the race.

Race Programme
16 March	Registration, Expo	V&A Waterfront
17 March	Prologue	Meerendal Wine Estate
18 March	Stage 1	Citrusdal
19 March	Stage 2	Citrusdal to Tulbagh
20 March	Stage 3	Tulbagh
21 March	Stage 4	Tulbagh to Wellington
22 March	Stage 5	Wellington
23 March	Stage 6	Wellington to Stellenbosch
24 March	Grand Finale	Stellenbosch to Lourensford Wine Estate

9 years of history, and the 2013 promotional videos:

 http://www.youtube.com/absacapeepic

Join us from anywhere in the world:

Visit, Live streaming and Live Tracking: www.cape-epic.com

Newsletter: http://capeepic.igroup.co.za/subscribe.php

Watch: www.youtube.com/absacapeepic

Like: www.facebook.com/capeepic

Follow: www.twitter.com/absacapeepic

TV Schedule for daily highlights and Live TV:

http://www.cape-epic.com/content.php?page_id=237&title=/2013_TV_Schedules/

The Cape Overberg

The Overberg, a region filled with diversity, home to The Southernmost Tip of Africa, the Whale Coast, Shark Alley as well as Apple Country.

From Grabouw to Barrydale, the region has much to offer in experiences as well as landscapes. Travelling through the region is a feast for the eyes; green vineyards, orchards and pastures, brown wheat fields and  the golden beaches of the coast.

Well-known towns in the region include:

Caledon, famous for its hot springs which were discovered by the Khoi people who once roamed this area. Another draw card to this town is the renowned Wild Flower Garden and Reserve, showcasing a diverse range of Fynbos in its natural habitat. The wheat and barley fields surrounding the town are home to South Africa's national bird, the Blue Crane.

Genadendal, the oldest mission station in South Africa. Former president Nelson Mandela renamed his official Cape Town residence to 'Genadendal' in 1995.

L'Agulhas, the southernmost tip of the African continent, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Infamous for a number of shipwrecks, the early Portuguese explorers named it L'Agulhas or "Cape of Needles" due to the jagged rocks of the coastline.

Hermanus, situated along the Whale Coast, renown for the best land based whale watching in the world, as well as the only place where you may find the Whale Crier signalling the location of the whales with his kelp horn.

Gansbaai, home of the infamous Shark Alley, a strip of ocean between Dyer Island (home to colony of African Penguins) and Geyser Rock (a smaller island, home to a colony of Cape Fur Seals). This is the perfect spot to get up close and personal with a shark through one of the many shark cage-diving operators in the town.

Barrydale, at the end of the Tradouw's Pass, this quint little village produces world class wines from its fertile, rich soil. Exceptional brandy's are also produced here, the local Joseph Barry Brandy was voted the "best brandy in the world" in 2009 at London’s International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Elgin Valley, this idyllic area is where you might find yourself  in apple country, the birth place of a South African favourite, Appletiser. The Elgin Valley is also famous for its fresh cut flowers and the Green Mountain Eco Route, the world's first biodiversity wine route.

Visit the The Overberg Tourism Website for more info.

Events 11 - 17 March

Infecting the City, a public arts festival will be held all around the city centre this week from 11-16 March, as part of the festival, the City Lights Orchestra will happen every night. 

Wesgro will be hosting an EDP 1 seminar on Monday, March 11, this is a seminar aimed at those businesses who would like to get into the export market.

The India Clothing and Textile Trade Show will be at the CTICC on Monday and Tuesday. Top class manufacturers from India will be showcasing their designer collections to Southern African buyers.

Pro Label Africa, an exhibition for the label packaging and processing machinery materials industry will be at the CTICC from 12-15 March.

On Tuesday,  12 March, Wesgro will be hosting an EDP2 Seminar, part of the EDP programme, this will be module 6.

The 43rd Annual Congress Ophthalmological Society South Africa conference will be held at the CTICC from 13-17 March. 

The Mount Nelson Hotel will be hosting Risk and Return South Africa on 13-15 March. Risk & Return South Africa is the premier event for senior risk management and investment professionals.

Investment Solutions will be hosting a BRICS dialogue with its focus on India at the CTICC on Thursday, March 14.

From 15-24 March, the CTICC will play host to the Best of India Expo .Exhibitors from India selling fashion wear, home decor, jewellery, gift items and lots more. 

25 -17 March sees Klein Plaasie in Worcester come alive with Clubbers Campout, featuring some of Cape Towns top club DJ's, this 3 day camp will be the 1st of its kind.

Paul Cluver Amphitheatre will play host to PJ Powers on Saturday, March 16 in the Elgin Valley.

Spier's winemakers will be having a Harvest Braai on Saturday, booking is essential, bring along the whole family as there will be other activities to partake in.

The Fan Walk will once again come alive to the annual Cape Town Carnival on Saturday, it's a celebration of culture and heritage so do not miss out on the fun.

Sunday, March 17 sees the kick off to the 10th edition of the ABSA Cape Epic at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville.

For more events, please see our events calender.

The Cape Karoo

Carrying on with our series of regional profiles, today we shall take a look at the Cape Karoo.

Just after Touwsrivier, along the N1, you will enter a land of stark beauty, an arid, desert-like landscape evoking images of cowboys in Country Western movies. The Karoo was home to the original inhabitants of this earth, the Bushmen, this fossil-rich region near Beaufort West and Nelspoort, houses some of the most important archaeological sites in the world . Here, sites and engravings have been dated back to the Stone Age. One could very well imagine this to be the "Bedrock" of the "Flintstones".

The name Karoo comes from the word 'Karusa' which means dry, barren or thirsty land in the Khoi language. The Khoi, along with the San, inhabited these harsh plains over 500 000 years ago and have left their mark inside caves and along the rock formations.

Well known towns in the Karoo include: 

• Beaufort West - the gateway into the Western Cape for those travelling from up country. Also the birthplace of world renowned heart surgeon, Dr Christiaan Barnard, the first man to perform a heart transplant.
• Matjiesfontein - a town from a bygone era that transports you back to a Victorian age. Adding to the charm of this town is the romantic Lord Milner hotel as well as the Old London Bus tour, a double decker bus reminiscent of yesteryear.
• Laingsburg - devastated by a flood in the 1980's, the town has been restored with a museum in remembrance of those who lost their lives. The area around the town is rich in fossils, with evidence dating back to when the Karoo used to be swamp!
• Prince Albert - a thriving apricot and fig industry is possible in this town due to the availability of water from the mountains, unlike other Karoo towns. Olives, cheese and wines add to the splendour that this town has to offer.
• Murraysburg - the town is blessed with a wealth of artists and crafters of a high calibre and has been called the "crafters Mecca of the Karoo".

The best star-gazing in the province can be experienced in the Karoo region. A range of accommodation options are available including the Karoo National Park which is home to many endangered species, including the once extinct quagga.

For adventure and nature lovers alike, there are a range of 4x4 and hiking trails available, for more information contact the tourism office.