The Rookies Cup came to a close in Winterberg with the fifth and final race of the season. Nearly 350 competitors from 18 countries battled for daily victories and the crucial points for the overall standings—under conditions that ranged from a wet, windy start to late-summer sunshine on the final day.

A wet start, perfect conditions for the final

The first day was all about unofficial practice in the bike park. In wet and windy weather, the course was extremely slippery—yet many kids didn’t miss the opportunity to improve their skills on the challenging course. It was already clear at that point that line choices would change significantly by the time of the seeding run, as a noticeable improvement in the weather was forecast for the weekend. After the distribution of start numbers and the track walk—the first official event on the schedule—it was time to prepare both riders and bikes for the rest of the weekend.

The course itself proved to be a real challenge: Spanning 1,300 meters in length and with 170 meters of elevation gain, it featured numerous off-camber sections, jumps, rock fields, root-covered sections, and some very steep stretches that awaited the athletes.

As announced, Saturday turned out to be a perfect day: dry, fast conditions for practice and the seeding run starting at 2:30 p.m. At stake were not only the starting order for the final but also important points for the overall standings. On that day alone, for example, Gal Novak (SLO, Rajd Ljubljana) secured the overall season title in the Boys U15 class ahead of schedule and headed into the final day feeling correspondingly relaxed.

Sunday, with its late-summer weather, provided the perfect conditions for the grand season finale. After the morning practice session, the races began at 12:00 p.m. The finish area at the valley station gradually filled up, and there was plenty of activity along the course as well—with a great mood, a relaxed atmosphere, and racing at the highest level.

The daily winners of the finals in Winterberg

• Open Women: Alena Strunk (GER - BikeFactory Frohnhausen)
• Kids U11: Robin Chalupa (CZE)
• Boys U13: Mika Schnaars (GER - iXS Gravity Alliance)
• Girls U13/U15: Clara Rocher (FRA - Season Racing)
• Boys U15: Gal Novak (SLO - Rajd Ljubljana)
• Girls U17/U19: Nelly-Sophie Rössler (GER - KSV Baunatal)
• Open Youth U17 Male: Till Barkmann (GER)
• Open Junior U19 Male: Samuel Kerda (GER - RSV Dingolfing)
• Pro U17 Male: Reece Everett (NZL - Viris Nukeproof Racing)

The competition was particularly close in the junior categories: Samuel Kerda won the Open Junior U19 Men’s class with a time of 01:39.940 minutes, while Reece Everett secured the day’s victory in the Pro U17 class with a time of 01:39.709 minutes.

Overall Standings: Some titles have already been decided, while others will be decided in the finals

Not every stage victory in Winterberg automatically meant winning the overall season standings—in several classes, a competitor’s performance on a given day differed from their overall season results. The overall winners of the 2026 season are as follows:

• Open Women: Zoe Speer (GER - Speerlaufräder)
• Kids U11: Robin Chalupa (CZE - Black Crew)
• Boys U13: Mika Schnaars (GER - iXS Gravity Alliance)
• Girls U13/U15: Clara Rocher (FRA - Season Racing)
• Boys U15: Gal Novak (SLO - Rajd Ljubljana)
• Girls U17/U19: Maria Strobl (AUT - Freeride Union)
• Open Youth U17 Male: Maksim Balkanov (GER)
• Open Junior U19 Male: Samuel Kerda (GER - RSV Dingolfing)
• Pro U17 Male: Mika Droste (GER - Raceteam Bikepark Samerberg) 

While Robin Chalupa, Mika Schnaars, Clara Rocher, Gal Novak, and Samuel Kerda claimed both the stage victory in Winterberg and the overall title in their respective classes, the picture was different in other classes: In the Girls U17/U19 category, Nelly-Sophie Rössler won the final, but Maria Strobl took the overall victory for the season. The situation was similar in the Open Youth U17 Boys class, where Till Barkmann claimed the day’s victory, while Maksim Balkanov won the overall title. In the Pro U17 class as well, Reece Everett took the day’s victory, but Mika Droste secured the season title.

Supporting Young Talent Despite Changes to the Bike Park Calendar

2026 marks a turning point: For the first time in twenty years, the iXS Dirt Masters Festival will not take place. This makes it all the more gratifying that the bike park continues to provide a platform for youth sports and is sending a clear message by hosting the season finale of the Rookies Cup. Flawless organization, top-notch infrastructure, and a challenging yet age-appropriate course set the stage for a first-class finale to an exciting season.