BIKE has been bringing young cross-country talents together with the absolute spearheads of the sport since 2003. At this unique youth camp, children and young people have the chance to train with their idols, get valuable tips from their coaches and have a great time together on the trails. The Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp was once again a complete success in 2023. For three and a half days, the BayerWaldAktivZentrum (BWAZ) Lunaris in Sankt Englmar was all about promoting young MTB talent.
World-class professionals and the best support
Who better to learn from than the best of the best? As a long-standing partner of the youth camp, Ghost not only brought along the complete World Cup set-up including a gigantic service truck this year, but also the professional athletes of the Ghost Factory Racing Team. Nicolle Koller, Isla Short, Anne Terpstra and Caroline Bohé have already stood on the starting line at the Olympics or on the podium of an XCO World Cup. At the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp, they accompany the youngsters on the trails. Team manager Thomas Wickles was also on hand to answer the participants' questions.
An old acquaintance at the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp is extreme biker and fourcross world champion Tomas Slavik. Together with Oliver Sonntag, the Ghost Factory Racing Team's riding technique coach, Slavik eagerly honed the young bikers' technique. World Cup mechanic Uwe Kampe gave the participants the support that every racer dreams of.
It is easiest to ask questions to experts when the age difference is small. That's why the riders of the BIKE Junior Team powered by Bulls and the racers from the Ghost Junior Team joined the field of participants. The children and young people were able to pick up all kinds of tips on XCO racing from the young professionals.
Thanks to the guides from Sportivo Sankt Englmar, the children and young people were able to work off all their energy in performance and age-appropriate groups. What's more, the locals know their trails in the Bavarian Forest better than anyone else. Each of the five groups was accompanied on their rides by local guides and several professionals. For the first time in the 20-year history of the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp, BIKE reported on the event in the Bavarian Forest in a live blog.
The MTB offspring: fast and motivated
In a total of 20 years, the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp has established itself as an important pillar of German MTB youth development. The camp has already been a springboard for many young athletes into a professional career. This year, 60 young bikers took part in the youth camp and once again showed what they are made of. Highly motivated and athletically fast, even the youngest were already racers to be taken seriously.
Once again, the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp made it clear how much potential there is in the German racers of tomorrow. Not only did they literally fly up the mountains of the Bavarian Forest on their feather-light bikes, they also impressed throughout with their excellent riding technique. Good thing, because together with the World Cup pros, they took on many a trail at racing speed.
Workshops with the best bikers in the world
The participants of the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp were able to learn a great deal from their role models in small groups, which were organised according to age and ability. For example, World Cup racer Isla Short accompanied a group on their ride to the Pröller and Olympic participant Anne Terpstra searched for the perfect line on the trail together with the girls and boys.
It's unbelievable how much power the boys and girls have. If they keep working on their riding technique, they can really achieve something! - Tomas Slavik, Fourcross World Champion
Urban downhill legend Tomas Slavik and riding technique coach Oliver Sonntag put the finishing touches to the participants' riding technique. Always on hand: the young pros of the BIKE Junior Team and the Ghost Junior Team. They were also on hand with riding technique and racing tips to promote the talents of the boys and girls.
The final race of the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp
As every year, a final fun race was the crowning finale of the 20th Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp. Separated by gender and age group, the participants took to the start line in small groups. Bernhard Bielmeier, "hostel father" of the BWAZ Lunaris, had dug a few fresh trails in the forest behind the house especially for the race.
Highly motivated and at an even higher speed, the girls and boys raced for great prizes on the cross-country course, sponsored by Ghost Bikes. The talented youngsters gave full throttle on the course, and the professional racers from the Ghost Factory Team and the BIKE Junior Team also cheered the children and youngsters on loudly.
Everything the young heart desires at BWAZ Lunaris
For the 20th anniversary edition of the Ghost BIKE Cross Country Youth Camp, the BayerWaldAktivZentrum (BWAZ) Lunaris in Sankt Englmar once again provided the perfect base camp for the 100 or so bikers taking part. In the group accommodation, the 60 adolescent participants could always look forward to a good meal and also found all kinds of things to do besides biking.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
