About 80 school-age kart racers, aged from 7 to 17 and coming from schools all around the country, will descend on the Western Bay of Plenty early next month to vie for national titles in their respective classes.

The Kartsport New Zealand National School Championships will take place at Apparelmaster Raceway in Te Puke on July 12, with a practice day on July 11.

The championship is for any national competitor who holds a tier-one licence and still attends school, Kartsport Bay of Plenty president Daniel Samuelson said.

Charlie Clarke and Nico Thomasen racing each other recently at the final round of the NZ ROK cup in Palmerston North.

“There will be drivers from all over the country trying to take away the national title in their respective classes,” he said.

There are seven classes offered; Cadet 7-10, VMR 10-13, Juniors Rotax and DVS 13-16 and senior Rotax and DVS 16-17. “We’re hoping for 80 competitors for the meeting split across the classes.”

Mount Maunganui College student Kahli Samuelson will represent her school at the championship.

The 14-year-old has been racing for a little more three years and will compete in the junior Rotax class. “Personally, I like racing because it’s a very different sport to others and it is so fun.

“I am very excited for the 2025 National school championship especially because it is at my home track, and I really enjoy the big meetings.”

Mount Maunganui karters, Kahli Samuelson, 14, from Mount Maunganui College and Tanner Samuelson, 9, from Omanu Primary School. Photo / Dan Samuelson

Nine-year-old Omanu Primary School student Tanner Samuelson hopes to win or get on the podium at the championships. “I’ve been racing for just less than two years.” Samuelson said he also enjoys karting because it is different to the other sports he plays.

Nico Thomasen from St Mary’s Catholic School and Charlie Clarke from Aquinas College will team up for the second year after winning the NZ title when representing St Mary’s Catholic School last year.

Charlie Clarke's most recent strong result was a 3rd place finish in the New Zealand ROK cup series which was run across four tracks in the first half of 2025. Photo / supplied

“This was the first time a Bay of Plenty primary school has won it in the over-20-year history of the competition,” said Clarke’s mum Bridget Clarke.

“Both Charlie and Nico have been karting since a young age and are great mates but also rivals on track travelling New Zealand racing each other most weekends.”

Thomasen, 10, and Clarke, 11, are excited to compete against each other for the top spot in the VMR class – and to do so at their home track by competing against each other for the top spot in the VMR class, said Thomasen’s mum Shannon Thomasen.

Tauranga karter, Charlie Clarke, 11, from Aquinas College is the current club champion of the Bay Of Plenty VMR class and holds the current lap record for the Te Puke track in VMR. Photo / supplied

“They are hopeful they can bring home the silverware again,” said Thomasen.

“They will have to remember they are still a team too and try not to take each other out. They are actually both exceptional racers and very respectful of one another. They race each other hard by fair,” she said.

Nico Thomasen 10 Tauranga karter, Nico Thomasen,11, from St Mary’s Catholic School. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Mount Maunganui Intermediate’s Van Merrett, 11, will also compete in the VMR class with Clarke and Thomasen. Merrett said he is “feeling good about the championship”.

All of these karters belong to the Kartsport BOP club. “Kartsport BOP is a good family racing club,” said Samuelson. “We have a good number of local drivers racing and in with a chance of a podium at least if not the national title with a lot of practice been put in over the last couple of weeks.”

Entry to watch will be free and there will be a kitchen open the day. Find out more at: www.kartsport.org.nz