Cycling: At the "Kona International Rookie Games" in the Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis from August 6th to 9th, it's "clear the stage" again for the young mountain bike sport talents. In addition to the "iXS Rookies Cup", the "Rookie of the Year Slopestyle" and the "Pumptrack Challenge", the program also includes the premiere of the "Dual Slalom Race". As a highlight of the race weekend, the fastest young downhillers will once again fight for the “unofficial” title of downhill world champion in the U17, U15 and U13 classes at the “iXS International Rookies Championships”. Registration for the competitions opens on June 9, 2015.
Giving tomorrow's champions a stage today - the region in the Tyrolean Oberland has committed itself to this goal with the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis MTB Festival and is therefore handing over the command to the youngsters of what are probably the most spectacular mountain bike disciplines at the beginning of August. At the successful premiere of the "Kona International Rookie Games" last year, young riders from around 20 nations not only took to the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis bike park with a lot of fun, but also at a very high level.
The basic idea of the "Kona International Rookie Games": Talented young drivers can not only gain valuable experience in an international starting field and thus get closer to entering professional business, they can also do this in a relaxed atmosphere. Rafal Wypor from Poland gave his own offspring this unique opportunity last year and would like to come again this year with the whole family. "It's just a perfect idea! My kids have been racing since they were seven and at some point the national races weren't enough for them. That's why it was only a logical consequence to take part in the "International Rookie Games". This year my whole family will be competing in various races in Poland and abroad, but the Kona International Rookie Games is the absolute highlight of the season!”
From August 7th to 9th, it's all down the mountain when young downhillers hit the bike park Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis. At the fifth stop of the "iXS Rookies Cup" on August 7th and 8th, not only will the individual victory be contested, the two runs also count as a seeding run for the "iXS International Rookies Championships", the "unofficial" downhill world championships for the U17 classes, U15 and U13. Parents who are enthusiastic about downhill can also get involved in the "Family Challenge" on Sunday. At the top of the podium is the family team with the fastest overall time on the track.
In addition to the racers, the stylers also get their money's worth on the race weekend. On August 7th and 8th, the “Rookie of the Year Slopestyle” event, the mountain bike discipline with probably the longest airtime, is on the program. The very special contest for all age groups under 19 is the only youth slopestyle in the FMB series and is held on an age-appropriate and specially modified course right at the foot of the bike park. Young slopestylers can show off their tricks on six obstacles with step-up and step-down, road gap, dirt jumps and quarters.
Pump it up! First to the left, then to the right and back again! At the Rookies Pumptrack Challenge on August 7th, things are going “round” in the truest sense of the word. On the course specially designed for the race at the foot of the bike park, boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18 duel in pairs and a KO system for victories in the categories U19, U17, U15 and U13.