Karters are divided into classes which usually start at 8 years old and are in 3 year age divisions until a senior class at about 16 years old.

The World Karting Association organises kart racing at more than 120 tracks throughout the nation. The largest body regulating karting in the US, it was established in 1971 and is also one of the largest bodies for sanctioning kart racing in the world.

Kart racing has grown in popularity since the very beginning in the 1950′s when karters used parking lots for their racing circuits. It grew rapidly into a much more organised sport as purpose built circuits were built until today when over 100,000 people in the US enjoy this recreational activity. The Association of British Kart Clubs In Britain, regulated by the MTA consists of over thirty associations which each hold meetings regularly.

Some Different Types of Kart Racing

Sprint kart racing uses specially built circuits of between 400 and 1600 meters. A typical race lasts about 14 minutes with the emphasis on overtaking and speed. Sprint races are usually short races with only a few laps that qualify for a final. Championships held by the FIA and the Karting World Championship are sprint races.

Endurance races are for long periods, sometimes up to 24 hours with drivers taking turns. Emphasis is on pit strategy and reliability rather than speed. One of the most famous endurance races takes place on th kart circuit in France at Le Mans owned by Alain Prost, the Formula 1 racing driver. In this 24 hour race past winners have been Toro Rosso, a Formula 1 driver and Sébastien Bourdais, a Car Champ winner. Endurance races usually take place on one mile to four mile circuits.

In the US endurance racing is called Enduro and takes place on circuits from between 1 1/2 miles to 4 miles long. races are typically 30 to 45 minutes without any pit stops.

Speedway races take place on clay or asphalt tracks that are one sixth to one quarter miles long. Asymetric tracks are usually used with four left turns and two straight lengths. Because of the left turns karts with off set chassis have been specially developed for these types of tracks. Races consist of four to twenty laps.

Formats Used for Kart Racing

The International Kart Federation uses heat races which consist of heats of two laps, the winners entering the final which is usually twenty laps.

The World Karting Association uses timed laps where karters compete in groups for the fastest lap time. A twenty lap final is then the featured event.

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Arriving in Cape Town is over whelming, the first thing you notice is the warmth and friendly attitude to you the surfer.  This country has been through so much in the past 30 years and it has always been my dream to set foot on its soil to surf the glorious waves that caress its shores daily. South Africa is blessed with some of the best and most consistent surf the world has to offer. Couple this with the mild climate and you have a surfing paradise. During the South African winter the coastline is supplied with almost endless groundswell and offshore winds due to the constant flow of cold front activity in the southern Atlantic.  So as a surfer arriving from a rainy Oregon to find warmth and amazing surf is a dream come true.

The tour I was on, involved sessions at numerous South African premier surf spots which include Jeffrey’s Bay, Seal Point, Victoria Bay, Bruce’s Beauties and as well as many other spots that “crank” in winter. Dylan collected me after arrival and we were all packed up to head off along the coast.  South African surfers are always so stoked it is amazing and Dylan was no acceptation to that rule and assured me that he had a thorough knowledge of surfing in the area and that he was our tour guide.  Furthermore he practically guaranteed me that I will get to the respective spots when they are at their best, he just fell short in advising me he had arranged the swell as well.

As we arrived at the lodge on the outskirts of town I was greeted by the other surfers on the tour who had arrived a day or two earlier.  Dylan whispered in my ear and ensured me with an eager smile that the tour remains personal and that by limiting the number of people on each tour guarantees we all get a great time. Like all South African’s he is proud of the countries surf and then could not refrain from telling me yet again for the 5th time that he would ensure I surfed as many African barrels as possible. Umm…. I went to bed with that thought. My second day started with Dylan taking the tour to a place at Muzuimbrug, an ideal spot he assured me to get acquainted to African Waves. ‘Muzies’ as it is known, is renowned for its rolling and very consistent A-Frame waves and endless stretch of beach.  Whilst Dylan provided surf lessons for some learners on the tour I paddled out the back to enjoy some glass morning surf.
 
After a hearty lunch we set off on an orientation tour of the stunning Cape Peninsula, Dylan believed this would help us get our bearing on the land and we also had a visit to the Cape Point Nature reserve as well as Cape Towns more famous tourist sights including a visit to boulders beach where wild penguins happily play.

The morning of day 3 was an important one for me personally as I could not wait to set out on our first port of call which was a 65-meter bungee at Gouritz. This is optional on the tour but it’s highly recommended to get you stoked and ready for the adventure that lies ahead and I was game for it. If you plan on doing the worlds highest one later in the trip, I suggest you do this one first to get a feel for it! I did not opt for the higher…

Along the way we stopped at Mossel Bay for a surf session, there was a selection of 3 breaks to choose from, Inner and Outer Pool as well as Ding Dangs. Depending on the conditions and your standard the surf guides will take you to the one with most zest, and they selected one just fine for me.

Inner Pool’s wave breaks very close to famed outer Pool off a section of rocks, walls up when at its best and is usually surfed when Outers is flat. Outer Pool Gets large and challenging in solid winter swell but is usually surfed when clean and orderly in light westerly winds. Outer offers a cooking right hand reef break with a solid wall and a long ride. Ding Dang’s a fun hotdog wave that works when winter swell wraps around cape St Blaise.

After the surf, we set off on the road again, the most beautiful scenery as we enter the ‘Garden Route’ is breath taking and most of us all sighed with disbelief at the views and the panorama that was unrolling ahead of us. Depending on the time of year, apparently the guides can surprise the group and dive for some crayfish (Cape Rock lobster) along the way for the evening dinner, this was not the case for my tour but I gather it can be the norm.

It’s up early to get the best swell the next morning and we all opted to head for a spot called Buffalo Bay Point – a very similar wave to Bruce’s Beauties that too me was going to be the highlight of the tour and was to come so I took this as a trial event.  The point can get superlative in the right conditions by all accounts and before leaving the US I had heard great reports of the conditions that can be found here so was please to see a perfect 3ft day.

That evening we checked into another local surf lodge, and zipped out for and evening surf! We headed off to a place I had dreamed of since first seeing the movie Endless Summer – Bruce’s Beauties – it breaks a lot more often than is thought of and is by know means a gentle long boarders paradise. When cooking, Bruce’s is a screaming right hand point that freight trains along a jagged line of rocks. “Get ready for mean gaping barrels” Dylan shouted as he disappeared into the water, leaving the rest of us half changed, running and falling every other step!  It was just like a clip from the movie here I was about to hit the surf of Endless Summer.

The next day I found it very difficult to get up to be honest, three great days of epic surf and with another few more to comes I just could not cope… my body was feeling the flight and the perfect surf of the night before.  So rather than surf I just joined the tour to watch the rest of the group under a go some lessons on the beach and sat back enjoying the wild environment that seemed as if Portland and US Airports was just a forgotten memory.  I could not believe that only 90+ hours ago I was crammed into a bus in Portland with a huge longboard knocking everyone that moved.  Now I lay head back on the sand listening to the sounds of sea birds and knowing that I am totally at peace and having the best surf trip in my life.  Sure I have surfed some amazing spots but to surf a spot I have seen over a thousand time son video and then to actually enjoy it going off better than in the film was beyond even my wildest thoughts of surfing in South Africa.

After a few more days of touring and surfing spots such as Boneyards, Supertubes, Salad bowls, J-Bay, Tubes, Point and Albatross it was time to start to head back in the direction of the Cape.  Everyone on the tour had become exhausted and tired but we were now a travelling surf family too tired to talk but desperate for one more last surf before the Cape and we were not disappointed as slowly we drove towards Buffalo Bay again and it was just as we left it, perfect……

As we drove in to Cape Town the next day Dylan turned to us all and said “How about Sky diving, or Paragliding? – We can even arrange a shark dive if you wish!” – in a great chorus we all said “shut up man… we are exhausted!”  The one thing you can say about South African’s they are a great friendly bunch and the stoke of surfing runs deep in there veins.

The beauty of the tour I think was summed up by the people on it, from 6 surfers who were learning to surf for the first time and having lessons daily to the rest of us who ranged from beginner to advanced.  We all surfed well and all experienced the conditions first hand.  We all had our own experiences and that is something all of us will take away and is our surf memory – an amazing surf trip.

I travelled with Xoxxi ( http://www.xoxxisurf.com ) which is a surf brand run by regula
r surfers for regular surfers and they were very helpful in this unique travel surfing experience.  You can also visit the South African tourism website at ( http://www.southafrica.net ) for other information on visiting the country.  You may also like to purchase a book, and I would recommend Surfing in South Africa, By Steve Pike (ISBN: 1919833153).

The Thrill of Snowboarding

Snowboarding, the art of gliding across snowy slopes on a single elongated board, has become highly popular among lovers of winter sports. Even those who don’t like the cold, but love the thrill of physical activity, have found joy in snowboarding. No matter where in the world you live, there is a dreamy snowboarding location nearby. Before you plan your next vacation, you may want to consider the condition of the slopes.

Snowboarding Resorts

The nation is peppered with resorts that offer snowboarding lessons, to suit any vacation plan. You’ll find snowboarding resorts in states across the US, if you know where to look. In Canada, Lake Louise and Whistler are two highly popular spots for snowboarding and snowboarding lessons. California’s Squaw Valley is a great, dreamy snowboarding vacation resort for those wishing to learn the craft of snowboarding. Sun Valley in Idaho, and Moonlight Basin in Montana are popular Rocky Mountain snowboarding vacation destinations.

In Nevada, Heavenly is the best resort for snowboarding, and Jackson Hole is where you want to go if Wyoming is the state of your choice. If the resort you choose features snowboarding, there will be a bevy of other winter sports to enjoy as well. Amid lush mountain scenery and crisp white snow, you may discover that snowboarding is the answer to your dream vacation.

Utah is filled with great resorts; where you can do all the snowboarding you please and even receive lessons. Deer Valley, The Canyons, Snowbird, and Park City are all well-known and beautiful resorts that you might want to check out if you’re visiting Utah. For snowboarding, you can hardly do better than the beautiful peaks of Utah.

Unless, of course, you go to Colorado. The US capital of winter resorts, Colorado is known for their famous resorts…and their beautiful snow. No matter what winter activity you wish to engage in, this is one of the best places to go. Aspen is probably the most well-known of Colorado snowboarding and skiing hotspots. Other Colorado vacation locales include Snowmass, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Breckenridge, Telluride, Steamboat Springs, Vail, Winter Park, and Beaver Creek.

A Dreamy Snowboarding Vacation

To have the perfect snowboarding vacation, location is important. But the willingness to try something new is also a must when it comes to snowboarding. Snowboarding is a sport that can be very thrilling and exciting, but also dangerous – so be sure to have all the right gear and take all the proper precautions. Inexperienced snowboarders should receive instruction from experts for safety’s sake. With proper instruction, snowboarding can be one of the greatest life experiences. A snowboarding vacation is not just a trip to a snowy land, but a true adventure.

Consider where you will go, and be sure to take all the equipment and gear you need for your dreamy snowboarding vacation. Proper planning is a must, so try to leave snowboarding lessons pre-arranged if they are needed. Once you get to your snowboarding vacation destination, you don’t want to waste any time. You want to get out there and hit the slopes right away, and get boarding out in the snow. So get everything ready beforehand, to get your dreamy snowboarding vacation off and running right away.

If you’re planning a snowboarding vacation, then you’re in for a lot of fun and excitement. Remember to stay safe, your dreamy snowboarding vacation will be a dream come true.

The growing recognition of snowboarding around the world is evidenced by its establishment as a sports discipline in 1995. As such, snowboarding has been included in events in Winter Olympics and Winter X-games. It even has a US Open tournament of its own. The growth of snowboarding as a sport is undeniable as more and more people get hooked on it.

Now that you are among the countless ones who want to try out the fun and excitement that only snowboarding can give, it is high time that you learn the basics of making your very first downhill ride on a snowboard. So how do you begin?

First, you need to procure the necessary snowboarding equipment. You need to have the right snowboarding gear, clothing, boots, and of course, snowboard. Make sure that your snowboard is the right size for you; not too expansive or narrow.

If you already have the necessary equipment, you can start learning the basics of riding your snowboard. Here are a few important things to remember as you start to find your destiny in snowboarding.

Keep in mind that snowboarding is similar to snow skiing. The body movements that enable you to control and stabilize your snowboard are the same as the movements in skiing. Therefore, if you are already a skilled skier, there will be fewer problems for you ahead. A skier will have easier time than a skateboard thrasher to learn snowboarding.

Always be in a relaxed position. Like any sport, snowboarding requires a calm and hang-loose mindset. Most accidents and injuries in snowboarding happen when one is in tensed position. As you mount your snowboard, keep your knees bent; a stiff stance will only make you absorb impacts between your snowboard and snow.

Do not start learning how to snowboard by immediately riding down the snowy slope during the first time. Instead, begin with snowboarding across a small patch of snow. Get a feel for the sport. Be conscious of your snowboard and your movement. Are you comfortable in your getup and equipment?

Try steering the snowboard over the small area you are in. Practice making turns, learn the finer points of toe-side turns, which means turning by lifting your heels up while pressing your toes to the snowboard; or heel-side turns, which make use of your heels for your turning. Once you have mastered the basics of balancing and steering your snowboard, you can move to a bigger patch of snow, but do not try a long and steep slope just yet.

Now that you have actually moved on your snowboard, you have to learn how to stop your snowboard. Stopping a snowboard basically requires making more turns until you find your self going for an uphill position. An uphill direction will certainly slow your snowboard down until you are in a complete stop.

After learning all the basic riding movements, you can now try a full-scale ride down a longer and steeper snow slope.