FOLLOWING his return from the Tour of East Java in Indonesia, Erik Hoffmann last weekend won his first race on German soil this season.
At the Tour of East Java Erik showed good form with a sixth place in the overall classification, a second place in the mountain classification and top ten finishes in the last three stages.
A third place in stage three was well deserved after a hard, hilly criterium.
The following day was characterised by a 30-kilometre climb, rising from sea level to 2000 metres, on which Hoffmann not only finished sixth, but also secured his second place in the “King of the Mountains” classification.
On the final day the Namibian proved that he can also sprint, when he was narrowly beaten in the dash for the line, finishing second.
A week later Hoffmann, again gave a good account of himself.
In Backnang, a city close to Stuttgart in Germany, the experience Hoffmann had gained, both at home and abroad, in recent years paid off.
“I race very differently these days,” he says and believes that this is improving his racing tactics considerably.
Rather than going with every attack in the early part of each race, he conserved his strength until the end.
With ten of the 34 laps remaining, he put the hammer down and only two competitors were able to hang on.
On the finishing straight he showed his sprinting ability again, leaving the other two no chance and winning comfortably.
Erik returns to Namibia next week for some altitude training and to prepare himself for more events in Asia and the Beijing Olympic Games.
Source: http://allafrica.com/
April 18th, 2008
SURABAYA - Alunan musik orkestra membius undangan di ruang Multifunction Hall Plaza Tunjungan tadi malam. Alunan musik klasik tersebut datang dari kelincahan jemari duet pianis asal Belanda, Wyneke Jordans dan Leo van Doeselaar.
Keduanya dengan kompak memainkan komposisi Tocatta en Fuga in D karya Johann Sebastian Bach dengan satu piano dalam Resital Piano Amsterdam Duo.
Komposisi karya musisi ternama dari segala zaman tersebut mengalun indah dan menakjubkan sekitar 350 undangan. Konser piano duet itu dibuka oleh komposisi milik Johann Sebastian Bach. Kemudian, nuansa rancak menyapa dalam komposisi Rondo in A, op 17 karya Franz Schubert. Berturut-berturut, duo pianis tersebut memainkan komposisi Uit Traumblatter (Robert Nasveld), 3 Legenden, op 59 (Antonin Dvorak), Uit L’Enfant et Les Sortileges (Maurice Ravel), Uit “Façade” (William Walton), hingga Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin).
Permainan piano dari deret komposisi tersebut merupakan gabungan nuansa zaman baroque hingga modern. Misalnya, komposisi 3 Legenden, op 59 yang dimainkan dengan tempo agak cepat, sedang, dan cepat tersebut merupakan komposisi zaman romantik. Dari masa modern, duet pianis yang sudah memiliki nama di belantika musik Eropa tersebut memainkan karya George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue, yang mengalun ringan, namun rancak.
Di antara sekian komposisi yang dimainkan, Wyneke Jordans dan Leo van Doeselaar memiliki komposisi yang spesial, yaitu karya Robert Nasveld bertajuk Uit “Traumblatter”. “Komposisi tersebut khusus diciptakan Nasveld buat kami berdua,” ujar Wyneke.
Sebelum mengadakan konser, keduanya sempat memberikan masterclass di Sekolah Musik Irama Mas. Layaknya duo pianis tersebut, yang menghadiri kelas tersebut kebanyakan adalah pianis yang bermain berpasangan dalam satu piano.
Salah satunya adalah kakak-beradik Juliana Njoviana dan Jenny Njoviana. Dua guru privat piano itu mengaku puas dengan pengajaran singkat oleh duo pianis tersebut. “Kami jadi mendapat ide-ide baru sekaligus belajar menempatkan feel yang cocok ketika memainkan sebuah komposisi,” ungkap Juliana diiringi anggukan adiknya, Jenny. (ken/nw)
Source: Jawa Pos Online
April 18th, 2008