Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Austria, June 21st 2016 – Attention gravity fans! The MTB-Festival Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis is celebrating mountain biking from August 1st to 7th and especially the young riders have a lot to look forward to. One week of MTB madness kicks off with the “Rookie Camp 2016”: an experienced team, built around UCI Masters Downhill World Champion Alice Kühne, will coach the participating youngsters. Everyone, who wasn’t lucky enough to get a spot in the camp, can count on plenty of biking action during the “Kona Rookie Games” from August 4th to 7th. Kids and grownups alike can let off some steam in the bike park. Registration for both iXS events on that weekend can be done online.
Time to shred and have fun at Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis! The highlight of the summer is taking place this August, when the rookies are in the spotlight and many bike activities will put smiles on their faces. 30 participants of the “Rookie Camp 2016” will be coached and lead through the bike park. Alice Kühne, who won the UCI Masters Downhill World Championship last year, will show the young downhillers and freeriders how to improve their riding technique, tactic and line choice. She also brings plenty of knowledge to the table being a sport scientist and will be leading a whole team of coaches and guides.
Jonathan Maunsell is also part of the team. The Irish Kona athlete will share his experience with the participants and show them tips and tricks. His sister will also be amongst those, who will be listening intently. 17-year-old Leah Maunsell is an enduro specialist and has just recently been introduced as a newcomer to the Kona team. Leah is seen as one of the biggest talents in Ireland and also aims to reach the next level with the help of Alice Kühne’s and her team’s expertise. The rookies have got three days to prepare themselves for the highlight of the week and improve their riding skills: from August 4th the “Kona Rookie Games” will put the newly acquired skills to the test.
The games are packed with action and will give every gravity heart a surge of adrenaline. Everyone is invited to join the fun during the last four days of the MTBFestival. If you feel like wanting to shred in Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, cruise the trails of the region and test your riding abilities, then come round. After the pasta party with a live band on Thursday evening from 6.00 pm (CEST) a day full of pump track action will follow on Friday. All kids, who want to shoot over the dirt mounds, can register on-site for the session.
From Saturday onwards everything is all about speed! Europe’s MTB rookies will meet and send it on the downhill track in SFL. All speed lovers will be racing against the clock during the iXS Rookies Cup on Saturday from 12.30 pm (CEST) and during the iXS International Rookies Championships on Sunday from 1.00 pm (CEST). All licenced and hobby downhill riders can register here. On Sunday even the grown-ups can get into the mix during the iXS International Rookies Championships. The “Family Challenge” lets them pair up with their son, daughter, nephew or niece. Both times are added together and the fastest team wins!
All girls wanting to race in the iXS Rookies Cup must be born in 2005 or earlier. Boys born from 1998 to 2005 are admitted to the starting list. In order to participate in the iXS International Rookies Championships all kids and teenagers born in 2000 to 2005 can sign up for the race. Protective gear is obligatory for all and written consent must be handed in by all guardians of children, who are below the age of eighteen, when collecting the start numbers.
If you cannot manage to come and take a look at or maybe even take part in this exciting weekend of biking, the iXS races will be streamed live on pinkbike.com, mtb-news.de and Freeride Magazine. Two massive LED walls will also show the broadcast in the start and finish area, so the fans on-site can also watch the races from top to bottom.
Click here for further information and registration. Highlights from the MTB-Festival last year can be found here. Check out the trailer for the “Rookie Camp 2016”.
For more information about Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis visit our website: bikepark-sfl.at/en or: facebook.com/bikepark.serfaus.fiss.ladis. Find more information on the region Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis visit: serfaus-fiss-ladis.at/en or facebook.com/serfausfissladis.
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Photos: Christian Waldegger