NZ National Schools Kart Championship - Te Puke

[Picturesports]

Asked to think of a school sport and the chances are that Rugby, Soccer, Swimming, Netball and Cricket would be amongst your top choices. Kart racing is not likely to figure in the list of sports that you would expect a school to be represented in. Nonetheless now in its 5th year NZ has a National Schools Karting Championship.

How it works is that drivers race in their normal karting class and their individual results are combined to find the school that has had the best overall results. Primary schools are counted as part of the Intermediate school in to which a significant number of pupils transfer.

Several of the class were over subscribed such is the popularity of the event with schools from across the nation taking part, some making the trip from the bottom of the south island. The racing was excellent close quarter stuff without the stupid "rush of youth" you might expect.

Enough with the twaddle here are the pics.

1. The Maranellokart has to be one of the most pleasing designs. I'm not sure it it makes any difference to the handeling but it looks better

2. As always the rotax class was a a strongly contested class. These guys went at it all weekend with the same level of enthusiasm

3. Paul Blomqvist (yes that Blomqvist WRC 1984) trying Swedish cross through the right - left flicks. Might have been just luck, but he got pushed wide on to the grass in one of the races but just kept his foot in and brought it back on to the track so as to have the inside line for the next corner.

4. The view most people had of Hayden Sarcich in the Yamaha Heavy Class. Consideringthe level of competition he just might be one to watch

5. An array of different views on how to take the opening corners on cold tyres

6. The stong sunshine was most welcome on Sunday after a dull Saturday. Hiding under the trees and in the shadows I was in a thick jacket and needed gloves, while the Kartsport Offical 10 meters away was in shirt sleeves enjoying the sunshine.


CC most welcome and for the record Te Puke I'm told is pronounced Tea Pookie and not what I was saying

[asylumxl]

nice photos .

[willy b]

love the shot from the rear! All in all very nice pics, i love karting! I wish i coudl go to school in NZ!!

[despot]

Great photos Dave.
Andy

[klippe]

Great work as usual Dave.

Cliff

[tag141]

Great pics. Wish they had that when I was at school.

Can I ask what lens?

[Cadwell]

These are great. Thanks for posting and for the write up! Much more interesting than just a sequence of photos (no matter how good).

[Picturesports]

All will have been taken with a Canon 2.8 300L with the possible exception of the Blomqvist photo which may have been the 70-200 2.8L. Body is a 20D @ 1/320 Shutter priority.

Thanks for the kind words folks