HERBALIFE NUTRITION SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCES RENEWAL OF HERBALIFE BLU CRU YAMAHA RACING TEAM PARTNERSHIP

Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 March 2018 – Herbalife Nutrition South Africa is pleased to announce the partnership renewal of the Herbalife Nutrition bLU cRU Yamaha Racing Team, with Yamaha Distributors South Africa (YDSA) and Motorsport South Africa, for a second year running.

“We have enjoyed great success in the partnership with Yamaha and MSA, and are pleased to continue to play an active role in the development of aspiring riders of endurance off-road racing,” says Thilo Naidoo, Herbalife Nutrition Country Director, Southern Africa. “Our goal was to work closely with the Herbalife Nutrition bLU cRU Yamaha Racing team to raise awareness around the importance of nutrition and leading a healthy, active lifestyle through the very challenging sport of endurance off-road motorbike racing. The team’s passion and commitment to excellence align with our values at Herbalife Nutrition and we are thrilled to see the partnership grow in 2018.”

As with 2017, Herbalife will remain joint-title sponsors. The sponsorship is both monetary and product based, which includes product support. Herbalife’s experts will continue to work closely with the team to assist the riders with nutritional support. The riders have been actively using the Herbalife24 range to name a few, which offers comprehensive performance nutrition for athletes and amateur sports enthusiasts.

Says Peter Wilkins, General Manager of Yamaha Motorcycles South Africa: “Yamaha are thrilled to once again be able to partner with Herbalife Nutrition, and Motorsport South Africa, in conjunction with The Department of Sports and Recreation, on our Herbalife Nutrition bLU cRU Yamaha Race Team project. This, being the second year of our collective partnership in this project, should really add significant value, not only to the Companies and their respective brands involved, but also to the sport of National Enduro motorcycle racing and to our two riders, Thabang and Piwe, who have really stepped up to the plate in their chosen sport, for the betterment of themselves and to the significant benefit of their sponsors, and adding significant following and appeal to National Enduro from previously disadvantaged communities around the country. We look forward to growing their abilities and presence even further in 2018. The similarities in our three companies’ brand ethos and common commitment to product greatness really do make this partnership a natural ‘fit’”.”

The Herbalife Nutrition bLU cRU Yamaha endurance racing stars are 27-year-old Thabang Katees from Pretoria and 33-year-old Piwe Zulu from Margate. Both riders showed fantastic results throughout the 2017 racing season, due to both their commitment to training and their improved physical status.

Adrian Scholtz CEO from Motorsport South Africa says, “MSA, with funding assistance from Sport & Recreation SA, is pleased to once again partner for 2018 with Yamaha and Herbalife in the extremely worthwhile bLU cRU initiative, which provides two development riders the opportunity to race with a top level team and thereby hopefully entice a broader audience to show interest in the sport.  MSA wishes the team well during the 2018 racing season and trusts that both Thabang and Piwe have an enjoyable and successful season that they can look back on with pride.”

Yamaha formed the bLU cRU Yamaha Team in 2017 to provide a stepping stone for the next generation of off-road motorbike endurance racers who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Being selected on merit for the bLU cRU team provides the first-tier goal for ultimately being selected for the Yamaha factory team.

“Last year was definitely a highlight of my riding career,” says Thabang. “I am really looking forward to taking my training and results to the next level with the ongoing support of this sponsorship.”

Piwe adds: “2017 was a year of great learning and success which we could not have done without the support of our sponsors.  Like Thabang, I am looking forward to moving my racing to the next level which certainly means greater body strength through proper sports nutrition.”

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