Kid's MTB Race, 7th Annual Hilltop Grasshopper, Saturday, August 13

overbrook

overbrook

Active Member
The 7th Annual Hilltop Grasshopper Kid's Mountain Bike Race is on for August 13. Essex County Bike Racing for kids really does exist thanks to the Essex County Parks Department, JORBA, CycleCraft and secretive gnomes who live in the hilltop.

Kids racing on their bikes is all good and ripping around the Kid's Korse in the Hilltop Reservation is even better. The course is unchanged from last season and as always, the Kid's Korse is always open for practice laps. Don't call it training, call it learning the fast lines to the podium. This is the only kid's mountain bike race in Essex county, take advantage of it!

Watch this thread for more info on pre-registering, we're maybe going to use USA cycling registration this season but working it out, updates shortly

On August 13, onsite registration for the Grasshopper opens at 7:30 AM and competition starts at 9:00 AM for the youngest competitors, K – 1st grade. Grade level is grade in Fall 2016. There is a $10.00 registration fee per participant which includes a mandatory bicycle technical inspection. Any bike in good working order is eligible to race, we want to help ensure that this event is as safe as the previous 6 years.

Classes for boys and girls K – 1st grade, 2nd – 3rd grade, 4th – 5th grade, 6th – 8th grade, with prizes for top 3 class finishers.

Coming early to pre ride the Kid's Korse before the racing starts is strongly encouraged.

Helmets are mandatory.

Cheering for all racers is mandatory. Bring bells, whistles, air horns, trumpets or sitars

Kids will have a chance to cheer for their parents during the big kid's race just before the Grade 8 race, one race, no limits, open class......parent's be ready to line up at 1030 for the 3 lap race to prove to the family that you actually do go out and ride. No medals, fleeting glory only and a chance to beat the strava KOM and anyone brave enough to line up.

Helping to get this announcement out to as many parents and kids as possible isn't mandatory but it absolutely makes a monster difference.

Volunteers are needed to help on race day, email hilltopkidsrace@gmail.com with questions or send a private message through this forum

The spectator friendly course is next to the sports field parking lot on Courter Lane and Mountain Avenue in North Caldwell.

For up to the minute details and links to maps and a race flyer, see

o Hilltop Grasshopper Kid's Race | JORBA - You Dig?
o Map of the Hilltop Reservation Trails

Shameless plug for our primary shop sponsor who helps this event in so many ways, Brendan and CycleCraft......if the bike your kid rides needs to be bigger and faster, go see one of four stores and find out about parts, service and maybe even a new ride.
 
Definitely going to this with the kids! Already in the calendar :)

Thanks for putting this on.
 
online registration is almost available at bike reg, should have it up and running in a day or two, has to be "approved"

we are doing the correct thing this year after not doing it right 5 years in a row.....it's $10 to early register online or on site day of the event.....so that means another selling point to use to convince all those parents and kids who are on the fence and not on the saddle tearing it up on race day.....please let all your riding crew know about the event, we grow this organically with word of mouth, peer to peer advertising

and yes, the oversize kid bragging rights only event is definitely coming back, moms and dads bring the steeds and prove to your kids what you do when you disappear for a few hours early saturday morning

for all the returning racers and families, thanks so much for your continued support

and of course thanks to cyclecraft, (our biggest sponsor for all these years and the whip that got me into gear to do the event) .....consider some new kid race gear, some cool gloves, a proper helmet and a go fast set of enve carbon 20" race wheels with xtr disc brakes
 
thanks dominique, the registration is open and we look forward to hosting another great kid's race

sign up early so we have a really good idea of total number of racers to expect

and don't hesitate to pass on news about the event, put a link on Facebook, send out a tweet, email to all your riding crew, basically the stuff I can't do but is so important to helping get kids on bikes

https://www.bikereg.com/hilltop-grasshopper-kids-bike-race-7th-annual
 
Pre registrants already lining up, thanks for the early support

If you know families with kids who like to ride, this is the local even to tell them about, actually aside from the earlier event in bloomfield, this is the only other kid's race event i can think of in essex county! There's something wrong with that reality.

Happy training and happy trails
 
My daughter rode it on a 20" hotrock geared with a freewheel last year when she was 7. She had a rough time with the rocks - some sections of the course are pretty rocky for little wheels. She gutted it out and completed all 3 laps and finished 3rd place or mid pack, depending on how you want to spin a field of 5 ;) Was super proud of her!

Going to see if she's willing to give it another shot now that she's older and stronger - she's still too short to graduate to a 24" though. I'm concerned that her last experience was too tough and she'll be gun shy, so I'm not going to push the issue.
 
you might consider taking your kid(s) to pre ride the course- it will really give them the confidence to 'race'. I find both of my kids are pretty overwhelmed the first time through a trail, especially my daughter. this is a pretty 'short course' so you and the little ones would be able to get a few laps in during a visit. typically, the first pass I jog behind my daughter- within arms reach of her- so I can steady her if she gets hung up on a root or rock- second pass it's a lot more jogging and a lot less grabbing, by the third pass I'm lucky if she waits up for me.
 
had the good fortune to race on the xc course at mountain creek on sunday and i couldn't help but think of the kid's korse, lots of curves, passing areas, rocky sections and flowing downhill pieces.....the kid's korse is a scaled down mountainbike race course that is totally doable and challenging for every mini racer.....there's even racers out there on 16" wheel bikes going fast with a smile on their face

take an evening ride there with the kids and ride with the other kids that are always being spotted there riding with their parents, checking it out for race day on august 13

and parents, bring the bike on race day, there's an open parent participation event at 1030, participation award for top 11 finishers

kids on bikes, it's all good
happy trails
 
count down to the starting horn for the first kid's race at 9 am this saturday, can still pre-register online....onsite registration opens about 730 am

kid's korse prep work this friday evening at 530 pm, come out to help buff the course and mark it and bring the kids to pre-ride

saturday morning course opens at sun up, or bring lights and ride even earlier

all big kids are also invited to the "fun race" at 1030 on saturday.....no limits except bike must be human powered only......(may make an exception for a yamaha super tenere if i can borrow it for a week)
 
Hey @overbrook ... Will there be a NICA rep there? Would be a great spot for them to spread the word about the inaugural season coming up.
@BiknBen @Robin Not sure if Larry or Tom are on the board here...
 
I don't know if Tom or Larry of NICA will be there but they are surely welcome.....this a gathering of the young guns and great place to spot budding talent.
If you can spread the word to others about this event, it will be greatly appreciated
 
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