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Blokarting – exhilarating fun for everyone!

Blokart HB

Based at Lagoon Farm, off Prebensen Drive, Blokart HB is home to one of the country’s most exhilarating land-based adventure sports.

Dubbed ‘land yachting’, blokarting sees riders sit in a small cart attached to a sail and blown around a tar-seal track, getting up to speeds of over 50km/h.

“The blokarting fraternity often refers to something called “The Blokart Grin” where you see a broad smile on the faces of blokarting beginners, as the speed increases and the tyres skid a little on cornering,” Blokart HB President, John Marshall says.

“The sense of excitement is a common reason why people take part in blokarting.”

Since the club was established in 2015, Blokart HB has grown from having 15 members to 75 in just six years, making it the second largest blokart club in New Zealand. It also has the largest blokart youth membership with 15 high school students.

Due to its growing popularity, the club sought funding from Napier City Council’s Recovery Projects Fund to extend its track by 2850m2, making it 10,850 m2, and increasing the course sailed from 280m to around 500m.

Now completed, John says the track extension has made the club one of the best blokarting venues in the country, enabling it to host major national race meets for seniors and juniors alike, as well as enhance the experience for corporate and have a-go sailors.

“We have hosted a number of school groups and in March we are hoping to host our inaugural Hawke’s Bay secondary championships.

“The extension has provided tactical challenges for our development squad and club members preparing for the world championships next year.

“It has also provided a better range of courses for different wind conditions and allows more karts to safely race on the track at any one time too.”

As well as speed and excitement, older members of the club, which make up around 95% of the membership, delight in the companionship afforded by the club.

“Our older members have a real sense of purpose as they maintain the asset, especially with the extension. The club has been a particularly important component in several members’ mental wellbeing exacerbated by the loneliness associated with Lockdown and Covid.”

The blokart was invented and produced in New Zealand by Paul Beckett of Blokart International, based in Tauranga and are exported internationally.  International races are held in Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK and Europe. In Scandanavian countries they replace the wheels with ice skids.

Blokart HB provides heavily subsidised youth sailing and sailing experiences for children both at school and in after school/holiday programmes. It also welcomes anyone keen to give blokarting a try. They have 30-minute rides available for $25. The Club also caters for corporate functions and even has a BBQ onsite!

25 February 2021

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