The annual Hilltop Grasshopper, a mountain bike race for elementary and middle school children, will be held on Saturday, August 10, this year. The race will once again start near the new Cedar Grove Community Center on Fairview Avenue. The new “Kid’s Korse” location includes a piece of the West Essex rail trail and a winding trail known as Boogaloo.
Even though it is still early, you can already register your rider online. In-person registration and inspection opens at 7:30 a.m., with races for kindergarteners through 8th graders beginning at 9 a.m. Children must be registered no later than 15 minutes before the start of the race for their age group. There are separate starts for boys and girls, although they may be combined if there are a low number of registrants for an age group.
Participants must pay a $10 registration fee and sign a waiver, and the participant’s bicycle must pass a technical inspection. A parent or guardian must be present to sign waiver and must be present during the race. Any bike with fatter tires is ideal and mechanics will inspect all bikes for safety and last-minute race tuning. Awards ceremonies will commence shortly after each class finishes, with medals for top three finishers in each class.
Start Times–Categories/Classes–Distance
K – 1st grade: boys 9:00 a.m., girls 9:05 a.m., 0.6 miles
2nd – 3rd grade: boys 9:35 a.m., girls 9:40 a.m., 0.9 miles
4th – 5th grade: boys 10:15 a.m., girls 10:20 a.m., 1.2 miles
6th – 8th grade: boys 11:00 a.m., girls 11:05 a.m., 1.5 miles
The Hilltop Grasshopper is sponsored by the Essex County Parks Department, the Hilltop Conservancy, Cycle Craft and Jersey Off Road Bicycle Association.
