The MiniGP Academy brought their young rider training to the Eastern Bay last weekend, attracting participants from as far away as Auckland.

The two-day event, held at the Kartsport Eastern Bay of Plenty track in Edgecumbe, provided training and riding opportunities for aspiring young road racers.

Five-year-old Lucas Jensen from Glenn Innes was the youngest to take part in the Saturday morning Have-A-Go session, where he learned the basics of riding then, decked out in full leathers, gloves and helmet, hopped on a MiniGP bike for two short rides around the kart track.

He returned in the afternoon for a dedicated track session, where he enjoyed a few more rounds of the kart track with an experienced rider trailing in support.

He loved it, and didn’t want to get off his bike. His dad, Paul, said they gave Lucas the option of watching TV or riding – and riding won, easily.

Eight-year-old James Drought was another who travelled, playing sport in Taupo in the morning, then travelling to Edgecumbe to ride.

He had taken part in a previous Have-a-Go training session and loved it – so much so that he has his own miniGP bike coming. Dad Paul Drought said James already did motocross but he considered road racing a safer alternative.

The training also attracted plenty of locals, to ride and watch.

Richard Baker was at the nearby skatepark with his sons when they heard the roar of the bikes.

Already keen motocross riders and mountainbikers, Finn, 12, and Cole, 10, were keen to give it a go.

Both said they loved it – although it’s unlikely to replace off-road riding for them.

“You gotta have some air time,” Finn said.

For MiniGP Academy programme director Neil Chappell, it was a successful visit and one that will likely be repeated.

He said they had 33 people attend a range of sessions over the weekend, including the Have-a-Go morning and higher level training on Sunday morning.  They ranged in age from five to adults.

The event in Edgecumbe was the Feilding based MiniGP Academy’s third formal training academy since opening five months ago.

Chappell said the academy’s aim was to foster growth in junior road racing through providing safe, structured training programmes.

“The academy was the brainchild of a couple of parents who have had kids come through road racing as teenagers.

“They realised there was nothing in place for kids to learn at a younger age, like there was for kart racing or motocross.

“In the North Island, you can’t do much in road racing till age 13, and that is pretty late.”

Chappell, a professional race coach by trade, said they knew that if they wanted to get kids involved, they had to have bikes and gear, and run Have-a-Go sessions which kids could go to and see if they liked it, And if they liked it, have something in place so they could take it further.

And so the academy concept was created.

He said the hardest part was getting all the protective gear, which had to be custom made; one-piece race suits that provided top-tier protection.

The Delirio bikes are New Zealand-branded machines, purpose-built for juniors to hone their riding skills with either 10 or 12-inch wheels and engines of either 110cc, 160cc or 190cc.

They predominantly ride on karting tracks such as that at Edgecumbe.

Chappell said many kart clubs were not supportive of bikes, but the Eastern Bay of Plenty Kart Club was very welcoming and they would like to come back.

They are also using tracks in Tokoroa, Taranaki, Palmerston North and Hastings and have a North Island race series in the pipeline for riders to test their skills in a competitive scene.