Fish Eagle Rally

Rudi Bowe

 About 293 bikers from Namibia and South Africa participated in the 19th edition of the Fish Eagle Rally hosted by Play Boy Bikers Club in Walvis Bay.

 The Motor Bike Clubs from South Africa that participated in this year’s three-day rally included CMA, Divide and Conquer, Nyalas, Raptors, Hygna and Immortal Sisterhood.

The Namibian Motor Bike Clubs included hosts Playboys MCC, HOGs, Live to Ride, Northern Vikings, Shutz Troppe, Ulysses Namibia, Copper Bullets, One Percenter, Coded, Pirates, Desert Mus-tangs and Wild Bulls.

The Playboys were founded about 12 years ago with one founding member, who is also the president of the club, Rassie Erasmus.  Presently we are only 13 members who have found that by working together, we can do great things. The Playboys enjoy travelling together on their bikes. 10 Members are key holders and the other three members are pillion riders. We hold a firm stance that Charity starts at Home and our club has a very soft spot for sup-porting the elderly.

During this rally – without huge cash sponsors to cover costs, we were able to make a fair amount of money which will be held safe until a need comes to our attention, being it, a wheelchair, medical treatment or whatever help is necessary.  We are involved on a daily base with many people and news of need spreads fast and then we have funds available to help.

The festivities kicked off with the Barrel Rumble a special ceremony on Friday night, where bikers who had passed away were remembered and the crowning of Miss Fish Eagle.

The Barrel Rumble is an aged tradition whereby the fallen bikers are remembered. Early in 2011 an old Timer biker, Helen Fox, decided to come over all the way from the USA to Swakopmund to do a trip down to memory lane in remembrance of her late husband Ron Fox, this trip lead to the Old Timers Reunion and candle burning event which in turn led to the first ever Barrel rumble event on 15 December 2012 in the bikers office Swakopmund in memory of the fallen biker .Chock Nel provide the barrel.

Following is all the names which had helped to turn this dream into reality: Chock Nel, Ron Fox, Helen Fox, Rina & Hannes Moukarzel, Marion Hubner, Nicho & Alda Dauth. The Old Timers handed over the Barrel to Isabell Groenewald, she took good care of the barrel and keep it up to date. She organized the Barrel Rumble every year at the Fish Eagle Rally. The Barrel is not club related. Tilla Reitsma from Namibia Rubberstamps Windhoek supplies us with the name plates on the barrel.

The Saturday a mass ride was held through the streets of Swakopmund and then all the Bikers pushed their bikes to the limit on the drag strip in Walvis Bay and then it was games and fun with the price giving and a church service the Sunday morning.

Lollo De Klerk was crowned as Miss Fish Eagle with Penny Burger the first princess and Amanda Kotze the second princess.

The results of the event:

Beer drinking competition – guys – Tiaan

Beer drinking competition – girls – Bebe Scholtz

Balloon bumping game – mix team (Johan / Cloe / Justin / Hedley)

Water balloons from bike to bike – mix team (Otto & Jennifer and Pieter & Corlea)

Flour & Egg Competition – Biggie & Ruan (Desert Mustangs)

Concours de Elegance – Standard Class – Leon & Yvette

The drags;

C-Class champion (600cc to 999cc)

Johan Oosthuizen with a time of 7.15 seconds

D-Class (1000cc and bigger)

McAllen Husselmann with a time of 6.95 seconds

E-Class (Hot and Open)

Johny Voigts with a time of 5.94 seconds

F-class (Cruiser)

Zirk Jansen with a time of 7.66 seconds

G-class (Lady Drags) Amanda Kotze with a time of 9.03 seconds