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The pretenders have gone home, the party continues and we’re down to the final eight. Who can win it?

Netherlands V Brazil

A classic in the making with both teams unbeaten and looking very strong,  if unspectacular, so far. Sure, we get the odd moment of brilliance but both teams seem to be playing within themselves and hopefully this game will see an exciting and attacking clash between the yellow and orange.  Brazil in particular looks a fit and athletic side and while England were the epitome of dead legs the Brazilians always seem to get multiple yellow shirts behind the ball, whether in attack or defense, and seem to have plenty in reserve.

This game has the potential to be a classic;  Holland has a proven match winner in Arjen Robben and Brazil have a few with a rested Kaka a real threat.

Prediction: Brazil

Uruguay V Ghana

The heart says Ghana, the head says Uruguay. Ghana, with the entire continent behind them will be feeling the pressure. I don’t think they think they can really win this thing – beat Uruguay and they may think differently.

Uruguay are a good team with two excellent, and more importantly, in form strikers in Suarez and Forlan. They lack the skill and panache of other sides but are disciplined and a far cry from the Uruguay of old, once known as the dirtiest team in South America.

The teams look evenly balanced and I think the more attacking team will prosper. That might look like the South Americans at the moment but if the Ghanaians get an early goal, then anything can happen. This could be an important moment in soccer history, no African team has ever made the semi–finals before. It’s time.

Prediction: Ghana

Argentina v Germany
The two form teams of the tournament so far and should on current form be meeting in the final but one of these powerhouses will have to bow out before the final four.

I thought at the beginning of the tournament that Argentina can’t possibly win the tournament with that nutter, Diego Marradona in charge. Don’t get me wrong I love the guy – he’s a living legend and a complete loon but you can’t ignore him. He provides more entertainment than all the other coaches put together. He’s either carrying on like a six year old with a new bike when his team scores or saying it like it is at the press conferences, insulting whoever is necessary on the day.

Hey, Argentina could win it on his passion and enthusiasm alone. While they struggled to qualify for the finals they now look a happy and very entertaining team, unbeaten and probably the real form side at the moment – pity they have to play the Germans so early on.

The Germans are like a breath of fresh air compared to their teams of years gone by. They almost always perform well in major championships but in the past they have relied on a strong work ethic, discipline and a good physical presence. This time they can combine all that with attacking flair and lightning fast counter attacks, which cost England so dearly. Manager, Joachim Loew seems to have the right combo of youth and experience and the team is clearly enjoying their football.

Prediction: Argentina

Spain v Paraguay

I think this is a mismatch. Paraguay finished top of their group with victory over Slovakia and draws with the very poor Italy and the not so bad New Zealanders. They needed penalties to get past Japan and have acquitted themselves well but lack the class and skill of the Spanish. They have already made history by reaching the quarters for the first time, I don’t see them going further.

The Spanish are a class act and improving with every game. They can string dozens of passes together and deny the other team possession for long stretches of a game. Just ask the hapless Portuguese who chased shadows for most of their second round game with the Spanish. Get Torres firing and this team could go all the way, while David Villa has been one of the players of the tournament so far.

Prediction: Spain by three

That’s it – my C on a B. Bring on the soccer already, I’m having withdrawal symptoms.

Last year the Ocean2Ocean was run twice. Once in April, under very hot conditions, and once in June when it was cold, misty, wet and windy. This year was perfect, blue skies, a warm sun, a slight cooling breeze and views in every direction. Nice.

The O2O was originally conceived as the Real Two Oceans, a tongue in cheek reference to its more famous and popular long distance cousin, the Two Oceans Marathon, the 56km tour of duty for any road runner worth their sweat. It was originally also run on Easter weekend (although not on the same day as the marathon) and on some occasions runners have run the 56km tar version on the Saturday and then the 50km off road version on the Monday. This year we ran a week after Easter so the tar bunnies had a week to rest up and get their mountain legs in shape.

The run, now called Ocean2Ocean, is led by my mate, Dirk. I had run the 50km twice with him before finding myself at the back of the back in 2008 and in no mood to catch up. At the first seconding table at Silvermine, fellow runner Winston and I decided we weren’t going to play catch up all day and we would do our own route, a slightly shortened one to the finish, and so we did. The next year I suggested to Dirk that we offer a 42km (approximate) route to those who don’t want to go as far and as fast, he agreed and the shortened version was born.

We ran the 42km twice last year and once this year on April 10. Make no mistake the 50km is the tougher one, its longer and faster and comes with the added bonus of being a Puffer qualifier. The Puffer, for the unaware, is the grand daddy of Cape Town trail races. It starts at Cape Point and takes in 80km of mostly mountains (barring the chunk of tar at the start and bits here and there) ending eventually at Ferrymans at the Waterfront.

Dizzys was our target for this year’s run. Dirk led 20 runners on the longer route and I had nine in mine. I had five pullouts in the week prior but a small group works well. We started at Muizenberg and ran along the dark and empty beach, the tide low and the wind still. We made our way to St James where we headed up through the sleepy suburb and onto the mountain. We ran/walked through plenty Fynbos, an indigenous forest and some single track before hitting the jeep track back to Ou Kaapse weg, crossing the road and running via the River Trail to the waiting snacks and drinks at the Silvermine car park.

With the sun warm but pleasant we headed up to Noordhoek Peak, along the roller coaster route that is the skyline

panorama before stopping for a rest at the Hout Bay lookout. We spotted Dirk and his crowd well on their way up to the Constantiaberg mast but we headed down and around passing the abandoned manganese mines and stretching our legs on the flattish slightly undulating path before going up and over Vlakkenberg to our next seconding stop at Constantia Nek.

Having refueled it was a hop, skip and a jump over Table Mountain to

Camps Bay, where we enjoyed cold beers and pizzas at Dizzys. 10 hours and some change to cover about 42.km (and some change) but its not about numbers, nor speed, its about spending a day out on the Cape Mountains enjoying nature at her finest and Cape Town at its best.

The 50km crowd arrived an hour and a bit later looking tired but happy and the following week Dirk led another 50km run which I joined from Constantia Nek to sweep the last leg. We might run another this year – watch www.ocean2ocean.co.za for details.

I completed my fourth Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour on Sunday (14 March). I rode a PB (personal best) and felt strong at the end but no medal for my efforts. Just regular taunts of “you’re cheating” on route and then a final insult when I wasn’t allowed to cross the finish line. No glory for me, instead I was ushered into a side road for motorised vehicles. I didn’t take it too personally but it might have something to do with my first Cycle Tour a few years back when I raced some back markers to the finish, almost falling off my scooter as I raised my hands and crossed the finish line just in front of them, poring scorn and exhaust fumes on them in the process.

O.k, so I was on my scooter, my trusty Vuka 110, doing its fourth tour and still going strong.  Scooters and motorbikes don’t get to cross the finish line and the cries of cheat are good natured but as much as the idea of cycling 110km with 35 000 other cyclists doesn’t appeal to me, this is a special event and I think it might be fun to do a slow cycle around the peninsula, it is a stunning route after all. This is the one day of the year that cyclists rule the roads in Cape Town and get to circumnavigate the entire peninsula without having to dodge cars, busses and manic taxi drivers. All they need to worry about is one dodgy photographer on a scooter.

I might not have cycled the route but I still completed it, stopping every few minutes to take pics of the branding for the organisers. And despite my efforts and managing to stay upright the entire route, not easy when surrounded by a bunch of wobbly cyclists, I still didn’t get to finish with respect, no they leave that to the cyclists.

I had left home at about 5.30am hoping for two things; a wind free ride and some pics of Lance Armstrong, who would be riding his first tour. My wobbly ride to the start put paid to the wind free idea but getting some pics of Armstrong proved relatively easy despite the “media frenzy” that surrounded him. Imagine the world’s biggest cycling superstar at the world’s largest cycle race and you get the picture, or at least I did.

Once the leading group had gone off I spent the next couple of hours (I can only enter the route after 8am) taking pics of the start and searching desperately for the Pick n Pay tent which in earlier years provided an early morning snack and juice for hungry cyclists and photographers. But the wind, or the recession, put paid to that. The wind also put paid to most of the branding that usually decorates the start area. The consoling factor for most, especially those who rode last year’s tour was that compared to the gale force winds of 2009 this year’s southeaster seemed like a breeze.

I finally hit the route and played chicken with the south easter every time I got off to take a photograph. The spectators weren’t daunted by the south ester, hardy folk the Capetonians who come out each year to support and the thousands of friends and family who traveled down south to cheer on their kids, moms, dads, sisters, brothers, lovers and others. Most set up camp on route, be it on couches, the back of a bakkie, in a beer tent, a trailer or deck chair, they get comfortable and make a day of it. They’re out there stocked up with a days worth of picnicking and they essentially make the event what it is,  35 000 cyclists cycling 110km around the Cape Peninsula, and thousands more showing their appreciation and having fun at the same time.

I particularly enjoyed the Kalk Bay Main Road, which was closed to most traffic. Cyclists went over Boyes Drive while I was diverted to the Main Road. The kids had taken over with their skateboards, bikes and roller blades reminding me of Israel on the their day of atonement, when most Israelis stay off the usually manic streets, leaving it clear for the kids to take over with their unmotorised means of transport.

Back to the route and besides dodging a baboon nonchalantly crossing the road near Cape Point I enjoyed a leisurely ride to the finish, stopping regularly to photograph, snack on bananas and Barones offered to the cyclists and enjoy the views which I never tire of.

Maybe I’ll dust off my bike next year.