Last weekend was all about the young athletes, as the fourth round of the VPACE Kids Cup took place in Farchant, Bavaria—a perfect event with a family-friendly atmosphere and a clear sense of the passion put into it by the host club, TSV Farchant e.V.

The fourth of a total of seven races in the 2026 VPACE Kids Cup took place today at the Ried ski lift in Farchant near Garmisch-Partenkirchen. After the junior racing series for downhill bikers aged five to ten visited the Bavarian market town for the first time last year, Farchant was now hosting the scene’s youngest shredders for the second time—and once again, the event was well attended: 130 kids from 8 countries took to the starting line. The participants who traveled the farthest were from Israel, who combined the race with a vacation in the region.

The event was organized by TSV Farchant e.V., which had once again outdone itself. From an incredibly well-prepared course to homemade cakes, the organizers created a warm, family-like atmosphere to ensure an unforgettable day for the participants and their companions.

The schedule followed the series’ tried-and-true format: After race numbers were handed out on Friday and Saturday morning, the kids and their families were able to explore the course on foot during the track walk before everyone gathered at the start for the riders’ meeting. This was followed by free practice, and then, starting at noon, the serious part of the day began: two runs on the downhill course, with the faster of the two counting toward the final results.

The course itself was virtually unchanged from last year, but in the face of changeable weather, it proved anything but easy to navigate: The wet track demanded significantly more driving skill and concentration from the young drivers than it had during last year’s dry debut.

As with all stops on the VPACE Kids Cup series, the focus in Farchant wasn’t just on the competition, but above all on the fun of biking together. The kids had the opportunity to meet old friends from the biking scene, make new friends, and get their first taste of racing in a playful way. At the end, all participants received a medal—and the three fastest riders in each age group also made it to the podium. Particularly encouraging was the large number of Mini Girls, who, with 12 participants, likely set a new record.

For the young riders, the season continues in August: On August 7 and 8, the Kopřivná Bike Park in the Czech Republic will host the fifth round, before the sixth race takes place in Ilmenau at the end of August. The seven-part series concludes in October with the final round in Leogang.