It seems you're never too young to get into cycle racing: balance bike racing is coming to the UK in 2012.
The Strider Cup series, which opens on 1 April at Nottingham’s Outlaws BMX track, will see kids aged 18 months to five years race the pedal-less bikes round a pre-set course. The series continues with events at Stratford Racecourse (26 May) and London (September – location TBC).
Sandwiched in between is the Strider UK World Cup event on 30 June at the new indoor BMX track at Manchester’s National Cycling Centre. The event is free to enter and organisers expect over 100 children to enter across the age categories. Winners of each category will take home a Strider ST-3 balance bike, while one of the winners will be chosen at random as British Champion. This lofty title will see them gain entry to the Strider World Championships in Sarasota, Florida in October, along with free flights and accommodation for them and one parent/guardian.
Melanie Thomas, Director of Melrose Kids Ltd, the official UK distributor for Strider, said: “This is a really exciting program of events which aims to encourage our younger cycling talent to have a go. No experience is necessary as children use their feet on the ground to push the balance bike along rather than pedalling which is a much more complex skill.
Places at the Strider Cup on 1 April are limited and parents are encouraged to pre-register their children for the event. Email register@stridercup.org with your child’s name and date of birth or fill in the relevant event form online at www.stridercup.org.
