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 
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2. As always the rotax class was a a strongly contested class. These guys went at it all weekend with the same level of enthusiasmHTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO
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. HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO
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 HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO
5. An array of different views on how to take the opening corners on cold tyresHTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO
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.HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO
CC most welcome and for the record Te Puke I'm told is pronounced Tea Pookie and not what I was saying
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