The Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide, which is particularly interested in the fortunes of Swiss downhillers, is also aware that downhill sport is in a difficult position in Switzerland. With the Bike Kingdom Academy, the bike region is now trying to help the Swiss downhill sport with a grassroots campaign, as there is a lot of catching up to do in the youth sector in particular. The first of four videos explains exactly where the problem lies and how the Bike Kingdom aims to remedy the situation.

Few professional racing teams and hardly any competitions at junior level are currently preventing Switzerland from tapping into its great downhill potential. Three-time Swiss champion and former World Cup athlete Carina Cappellari, who as Switzerland's national mountain bike gravity coach is delighted with the Bike Kingdom initiative, is well aware of this: "Until recently, the Bike Kingdom Kids Cup was one of the few opportunities for our young mountain bikers to gain racing experience - with Emma Iten and Loris Schäpper, two former Kids Cup riders have made it into the Junior World Cup. Providing targeted support for two more motivated young riders as part of the Bike Kingdom Academy is helping us to professionalize the Swiss downhill sport."

In addition to equipment support, the two young participants can also look forward to a coaching program with national coach Cappellari and former Swiss World Cup athlete Basil Weber. Bike Kingdom Brand Manager Pascal Krieger explains the main aim of the Bike Kingdom Academy as follows: "If we set the course early enough and offer the kids of today the right infrastructure and support, they might be the Swiss downhill stars of tomorrow who will be at the top of the World Cup in a few years' time."

bikekingdom.ch