Introducing the VPace Kids Cup: The pre-school for the big downhill racing series
Jan Timmermann
· 23.02.2024
In the European racing scene, the Rookies Cup has long since established itself as the most important focal point for ambitious young downhillers. The Downhill Cup and the European Downhill Cup also originate from the same organisation. Many of the participants have families. They travel with their children to the race series stops and have a good time together in the bike park. Until a few years ago, the youngest family members were mainly spectators on such weekends. Now, however, the VPace Kids Cup has its own downhill racing series for children aged between five and ten. The demand is huge and when talking to the participating families, it becomes clear that the VPace Kids Cup is here to stay. We show how a race weekend for children works and dive deep into the fascination of children's downhill racing.
How a children's downhill race works
1. first steps: The trackwalk
The Kids Cup sees itself as a preliminary stage to the Rookies Cup and is in high demand among cycling-enthusiastic families. When registration opens eight weeks before the race, they have to be quick to get one of the maximum 120 starting places. The series of five events is designed to familiarise children from the age of five with the entire course of a race weekend. After registering and collecting their start number, the routine of a budding downhiller also includes running the course. This includes around 400 metres of obstacles suitable for children, such as grass bends, berms, waves, stone fields and small jumps. Together with bike stars such as Jasper Jauch and Markus Klausmann, the young racers identify the best lines and key points on the track walk.
2. with announcement: the driver briefing
As with the adults, there is also a briefing for the field of riders before the action in the Kids Cup. Parallels like this should help the children to deal with nervousness in later races in higher age groups. Young talent expert Sabine Oswald from MTB-Agency prepares them for the races at the riders' briefing. As these always take place as part of a larger festival, she is regularly supported by bike celebrities such as Gabriel Wibmer. Such synergies with the major series make the Kids Cup format unique in Europe and children's names from nine different nations are sometimes on the starting list. In the meantime, a family network has formed around the Kids Cup that continues to grow. The large community of parents is very committed. Many of them spontaneously pick up a high-visibility waistcoat and provide assistance at the challenging sections of the course.
3. practice early: the training
Of course, what the children enjoy most is riding. Together with their friends, they have the opportunity to memorise the course during training time. In the meantime, families with racing ambitions are also working on the speed of their protégés at home. The Kids Cup practice runs give them the chance to transfer what they have learnt to the racetrack.
4th Showtime: The race
Unlike the races for older downhillers, each child starts in two heats in the Kids Cup. Only the better one counts. This ensures that the pressure to perform is not too high. What some of the youngsters show between the tape is impressive and makes the Kids Cup a spectator magnet. The standard of riding increases every year. This clearly shows how strongly the bike socialisation of families affects their youngest members. Many children are now used to whizzing through berms and holding on to the handlebars in root fields. And if the little ones do have a problem getting over an obstacle, helpers are on hand to secure them and give them the necessary push.
5 A win-win situation for everyone: the award ceremony
Every child without exception is honoured at the Kids' Cup. They all rode their bikes down a downhill course in front of many eager eyes. The Olympic idea is what counts: participation alone is a great achievement. That's why every child receives a medal. However, the three fastest in each category can look forward to a very special one. The hour of the fast kids then comes on the big stage. This moment is so emotional that some of them get carried away and make spontaneous speeches to their friends. Either way, the families are full of memories after the race and there is plenty to talk about in the paddock. The Kids Cup weekend is not over for them with the award ceremony. Many take the opportunity to go for a bike ride together. The organisers therefore deliberately choose particularly beautiful locations for the stops in the series.
The families of the Kids Cup
To understand what makes the VPace Kids Cup so special, we spoke to regularly participating kids and their parents. We got to know families who live out their passion for mountain biking to the full. Their enthusiasm is infectious!
Goose family
When Paula was riding with her dad through the forest in Immenhausen in northern Hesse, another father recommended the Everyman race in the neighbouring town. Paula got a taste for it and the family's passion for biking took off. Of course, Paula has long since got her two younger sisters and some friends hooked too. The nine-year-old hasn't missed a Kids Cup race since 2019. In summer, the family's camper van is the centre of their lives and they tour from bike park to bike park across Europe.
Although Paula doesn't train according to a set plan, she regularly works on her riding technique - for example, when the family is camping in Finale Ligure. In winter, she also enjoys pedalling through virtual Zwift worlds on a roller. It all pays off and Paula regularly comes top in the Kids' Cup. These are the best moments for her: together with her friends on the podium. Lasting friendships have also developed between the parents around the campfire in the paddock. Between the summer toboggan run, swimming lake and trampoline park, there is always something on offer for everyone at the Kids' Cup.
Profile Paula Gans
- Age: 8 years
- Weight: 28 kg
- Size: 135 cm
- Place of residence: Immenhausen
- Bike: YT Jeffsy Primus
- Instagram: @gans.mtb
Wiemeyer family
Toni and Titus' classmates suspect that the two are the best mountain bikers at school. They should be right, after all, almost no descent can shock the brothers. When their mum prefers to dismount and push, they simply hurtle through root fields and fly over jumps. On trail rides with their friends, the two of them prefer to hang on to the back wheels of the ten and twelve-year-olds. They train their riding technique and strength in a playful way at the local club.
Profile Toni Wiemeyer
- Age: 8 years
- Weight: 31 kg
- Size: 142 cm
- Place of residence: Brilon
- Bike: VPace Fred
- Instagram (Toni & Titus): @2boys4wheels
Profile Titus Wiemeyer
- Age: 6 years
- Weight: 28 kg
- Size: 128 cm
- Place of residence: Brilon
- Bike: Nize Full Suspension
Because they live in Brilon, the family never had far to travel to the two stops of the Kids Cup in the Sauerland. Although they have taken part in every race in the series since 2021, the parents don't necessarily have to plan their holidays around the race calendar, but regularly spend them in various bike parks. At the Kids Cup, the Wiemeyers initially spent the night in a tent. They have since upgraded to a sports caravan. On a race weekend, they also like to take advantage of other family offers, such as riding technique training. While the parents barbecue with the other families in the evening, Toni and Titus shred around on their bikes with their friends until bedtime.
Balancing act between fun and competition
Downhill races for children, some of whom are still of kindergarten age, cannot be a one-to-one copy of the competitions for adults. Taking into account the needs of the increasingly professional youngsters and still organising a family event suitable for children poses a number of challenges for those responsible. We asked André Baumbach from Kids Cup organiser Racement three burning questions.
BIKE: How did the idea for a race series for such young children come about?
ANDRÉ BAUMBACH: Many participants in our other racing series travel to the events as a complete family. It was their wish that even the youngest ones should not just have to watch. What's more, the kids are getting better and better. As a race organiser, we see it as our responsibility to promote the next generation. The demand was huge right from the start.
How do you manage to keep the races child-friendly despite their competitive nature?
It has to be said quite clearly: it's a competition and we ride downhill properly. We don't do anything wilfully difficult, but it's becoming clear that the demands are getting higher and higher. Nevertheless, we want everyone to have fun. That's quite a balancing act, but we manage it. The crew on site plays an important role here. Despite many demands, we have so far decided against a competitive overall ranking. We analyse the demand very carefully every year.
Will the kids all become top racing drivers one day?
That is already foreseeable. However, a lot will happen in the children's lives, from moving house to getting their moped driving licence. Parents and children need a lot of patience. The Rookies Cup has been around for 15 years and only now are we seeing the fruits in international racing with Vali Höll and Jackson Goldstone. There has long been a lack of young talent in downhill racing and many great talents are still being lost.
As a qualified social pedagogue and educationalist, I am confronted with well-known discrepancies. While race organisers try to keep bike offers as child-friendly and low-threshold as possible, parents want more and more support for their high-performing offspring. And with good reason. We have to understand: The world of most kids from passionate bike families is no longer the same as it was a generation ago. Park descents and high-tech equipment have long been the norm for many. Anyone who sees the latest kids' bikes and events will understand why so many mums and dads are drawn into this colourful world. More and more parents are investing a lot of resources to enable their children to develop a sustainable passion. The next generation of bikers has a bright future ahead of them and - even a social pedagogue can only approve of this. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
VPace Kids Cup dates 2024
- Winterberg, 19.05. The kick-off of the popular racing series starts again this year in the Sauerland.
- Willingen, 25.05. At the BIKE Festival, the Kids Cup is one of the highlights among the many family events.
- Oberhof, 08.06. The ridge of the Thuringian Forest offers ideal conditions for a children's downhill race.
- Ilmenau, 17.06. Here, the Kids Cup shares the race weekend with the German Downhill Championships
- Leogang, 14.09. The grandiose end to the season takes place in a fantastic setting at the BIKE Festival.
Other current children's topics at BIKE
Jan Timmermann
Editor
