Kerikeri scooter rider heading to Scooter World Championships in Spain

Cooper Steen (right) and his mum Tania at the scooter nationals in Napier where Steen qualified for the Scooter World Championships in Spain this month.

Far North scooter rider Cooper Steen is taking his sport to the world stage for the second time in two years.

Scooter fans from all over the world will converge in Madrid, Spain this month to watch the world’s best riders – including 16-year-old Steen - compete in the Scooter World Championships from June 16 to 18.

Steen, who attends Kerikeri High School, leaves for Madrid on Tuesday, June 5.

He will be entering the street category, the same category that he won a bronze medal for at the World Skate Games in Argentina last year.

The teenager competed at the multi-sport event from October 24 to November 13 in Buenos Aires and San Juan.

He is hoping to “achieve podium” in Madrid.

“I’ve been going pretty good recently,” Steen said.

“This is the biggest one [event], but I won’t know till I’m there.”

Cooper in action at the World Skate Games in Argentina where he won a bronze medal in the street category last year.

Scooter riding has taken off as a sport over the last decade or so, changing from being a fun way for kids to get around to a competitive sport.

Freestyle scooter riding involves using kick scooters to perform freestyle tricks such as flips and twists, usually at skate parks but also in urban environments, using obstacles such as stairs, handrails and curbs.

Steen competed in the Freestyle Roller Sports Scooter nationals held in Napier in February and won the junior street division which qualified him to attend world events.

The world champs in Madrid are hosted by Urban World Series and Madrid Deporte, and take place in Parque Madrid Rio-Matadero.

They feature several different contest disciplines: men’s, women’s, and juniors’ and park and street.

Also competing from New Zealand are Seth Smith, also in the junior street category, and Cory Griffiths in the men’s street category. Alexandra Madsen will compete in the women’s park category.

In the leadup to the event, Steen has been practising at Kerikeri skate park, at Victoria skate park in Auckland, and riding with his mates.

In 2022, Steen also won the under-15 category at the ASA New Zealand Scooter Nationals and the under-17 street category at the FRS National Scooter Champs both held in Napier.