Airborne brothers airbound for big event
Timaru brothers Makaia and Kahu Day-Brown will once again compete with the best when they represent New Zealand at the Australasian Scooter Championships.
The boys will compete for the second time in the competition in Sydney, after qualifying at the New Zealand nationals in January. The pair qualified last year as well.
Makaia, 11, is also the only sponsored rider from the South Island competing at the event. He earned a brand sponsorship with scooter equipment company Madd Gear at the end of last year.
The boys, and mother Rachel Day-Brown, will leave for Sydney on Monday to get some practise in before the competition on April 21 and 22.
The brothers said they were excited about the competition which will give them an opportunity to compete against riders from throughout Australasia. Qualifiers from that competition will then take on riders from throughout the world.
Makaia will compete in the 12 and under event on the Saturday, while Kahu, 14, will take part in the 16 and under section.
‘‘That will be tough as there will be riders a couple of years older than him,’’ Rachael Day-Brown said.
Makaia said he is excited about the competition but has little idea out on Sunday.
Rachel said the event will be a well-deserved reward for the boys who spend hours each week at the Caroline Bay skate park perfecting their backflips and other specialised moves. ‘‘This is their life. ‘‘They spend 47 hours a week - about three hours a day at the skate park and eight hours a day at the weekend. Their only days off are when it’s raining.’’
She said when they get home from the park they spend hours editing videos of their scooter moves and working on what they can improve.
‘‘They are really encouraging of each other. It’s all scooter talk at home.
‘‘It’s a great bonding thing for them too - that’s what I love about it.’’
Rachel said the boys’ scooter love had started at Caroline Bay, at a skate park many considered to be tops.
‘‘We had a pro scooter rep staying with us and he loved the skate park here.’’
As a mother watching her two sons performing some remarkably airborne moves at the skate park, Rachel said the sport could make her quite nervous.
‘‘Scootering is one of the fastest growing extreme sports in the world,’’ she said.
Rachel said the boys have been lucky to receive support from Aspect Trust, Jeremy and Celia O’Connor of Turf Services and Stu Heap Building.