Kerikeri school's pump track building skills, resilience

Ten-year-olds Sam Jahnke, left, and Cody Delani are possibly the biggest fans of Kerikeri Primary School's new pump track. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kerikeri kids now have one more reason to jump out of bed and go to school every morning — their own pump track.

Kerikeri Primary School opened the new bike track on the first day back at school last Tuesday and it's already proved a hit.

Ten-year-old Sam Jahnke, who's well versed in riding terminology, is one of the track's biggest fans.

"It's awesome. I love the berms, they're so smooth, and you can pump yourself over the double rollers," he said.

Cody Delani, 10, tries out Kerikeri Primary School's new pump track. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Principal Sarah Brown said the idea for the track came from the school's student council, who wanted something to keep fellow pupils busy during breaks and came up with an initial design.

The idea was taken up by the school PTA, which did a "huge amount of fundraising", and Bike On Charitable Trust donated a significant sum for bicycles, a storage container and riding lessons.

It was built during the summer holidays by a Northland landscaping firm, and staff from a local bike shop tested it and gave feedback for design tweaks.

Sam Jahnke, 10, loves the berms and double rollers of Kerikeri Primary School's new pump track. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Children can use their own bikes and helmets, or borrow any of the 20 bicycles of various sizes bought by the school as part of the project.

Brown said the school could have opted for an easier flat track.

"But this is giving them more of a challenge. It's been quite a resilience builder. The potential skills they can learn from it are endless."

The track can also be used by the public after school hours.

Principal Sarah Brown gives Year 3 kids a briefing on Kerikeri Primary School's new pump track. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A pump track gets its name because a skilled rider can complete a circuit without pedalling, instead creating forward momentum by using a pumping motion over obstacles known as rollers.

Pump tracks have been built at Paihia School, Waitangi Mountain Bike Park, Selwyn Park in Dargaville, Whangārei's Pohe Island, Korora St in Ahipara, Bank St in Kaitaia, and other locations.

Funding from the NZ Transport Agency's Bike Ready programme is distributed by the Bike On Charitable Trust via its Bikes in Schools Project.