Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking part in Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day spring edition at Hardwood Hills, ON in conjunction with the Canada Cup taking place that weekend. Even with some inclement weather it was clear to see the fun and stoke written on the kids faces!
Over 100 kids registered and participated at this year’s event at Hardwood Hills, ON. Add to that the Canada Cup race taking place the next day and the trails at Hardwood were packed with riders from beginners all the way up to Olympic level pros. Saturday was dedicated to the kids with great activities taking place all day long all around the facility. The Simcoe County Mountain Bike Club was out taking kids on guided rides along some of the great beginner progression trails for kids. The obstacle course was packed with kids all trying their luck and balance at one of the many skinny’s and teeter-totters as well. Unfortunately, the rain kept people off the pump track due to some slippery conditions.
One of the highlights for both kids and parents alike was when the Trek Elite Team came down and split the kids up in small groups for some one-on-one race and riding pointers. That gave way to the Trillium Kids Race, which saw all participants tearing up the trails for some much needed swag and bragging rights. Add to that all the fantastic prizing and swag on hand through all of our partners and supporters and it was clear to see that the sport of mountain biking is growing more and more with kids each year.
I would like to thank Hardwood Hills for having me out and hosting a fantastic event! I would also like to thank our Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day partners and supporters in MEC, Clif Bar, Sprockids and Parks Canada for their support of this great program and for providing the fantastic prizing, giveaways and swag that had kids and parents excited all day. Lastly, I would like to thank all the parents and others that brought their kids out and rode with them to help get them excited about the sport we all love so much!
For photos from my day at Hardwood Hills, click here!
-Justin Truelove
If you would like more information about Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day, or if you would like to register your event for our October date, click here!