October is a busy month for BikeTexas KidsKup, with three races on the calendar! First up is the Huntsville Classic on October 6 in Huntsville, followed by the Bent Wheel Bash on October 20 in Abilene, and finally the Outback Fallout on October 27 in Waco. The last KidsKup race of the fall will be Tyler Speed Waves on November 10 in Tyler. Check the TMBRA site for directions to each race– GPS or Google maps directions to many KidsKup venues are not accurate.
If your child has never done a KidsKup race and you’d like to get in on the action, here’s what you need to know:
Bike Texas KidsKup is always free, and open to the general public, and you don’t have to be a mountain bike racer to have your child participate! (Note: some venues are private ranches or state parks and may charge an entrance fee.) Registration starts at noon. A short safety clinic with helmet fitting and fun demonstrations is followed by racing.
Course: All KidsKup courses are designed for safety and fun, with beginner kids in mind, and are usually about 1/4 mile in length. At many events, a separate shorter course is set up for kids on training wheels. The courses are always close to the TMBRA venue area to allow easy spectating for parents and friends.
Categories: Training Wheels (all ages), 6 & under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12. Depending on number of racers, fields may be combined or split into boys and girls classes. The younger categories will usually do one lap, and the older categories will do two laps.
Schedule: Registration will run from noon – 2pm. The safety clinic is at 2, with racing starting immediately following the clinic.
Awards: All participants will receive products from Clif Bar and Shimano. Medals will be handed out at the finish of each race; all kids will win a medal.
Rules:
- Kids must be 12 years old or younger to participate
- Helmets must be worn at all times during Kids Kup. If your child does not have a helmet, BikeTexas will provide one.
- Bikes can be any size, and must have at least one working brake. Strider-type ‘bikes’ are allowed and don’t have to have brakes.
- Kids MUST attend the safety clinic to race.
- Parents are allowed (and for younger kids, encouraged) to follow their children on foot while they are racing.
- When not racing, Kids Kup participants cheer for everyone racing.