Meet the local lad leading the Total Karting Zero (TKZ) Championship

Ethan Waters, from Denton, is currently excelling in the world of electric karting.

It is a relatively new sport, similar to regular karting, but it of course uses electric karts instead of petrol ones, in a bid to be more environmentally friendly. Ethan is the current leader of the Northern Total Karting Zero Championship (Northern TKZ Championship), with just three rounds to go in the competition.

The 14-year-old is one of the finest racers around for his age group, and is set to go very far in the sport. His karting journey started back when he was just 11 years old, when he started racing at TeamSport Indoor Karting, in Manchester. There, they use petrol karts, unlike the electric ones he is used to now. During his time racing at TeamSport, Ethan was involved in 173 competitive races and won 127 of them, finishing in a podium position on 165 occasions.

Despite his phenomenal record at TeamSport, Ethan says it wasn’t until he got involved with the British Indoor Karting Championships (BIKC), that he realised just how talented he was at racing. He first raced in the BIKC around age 12 and is currently at the qualifying stage in his second season. Earlier this year he set the record for fastest lap at a BIKC event in Warrington, and he says winning this event is the highlight of his achievements. “Winning the championship in Warrington was special because there were a lot of riders I was competing against, and all of them were extremely talented.”

As mentioned, Ethan also races in electric karts, and is in his rookie year with the vehicles. The TZK (Total Karting Zero) Championships, which he currently races in, were founded by Rob Smedley, who engineers electric battery-powered karts. This year is only the second year the championships have been running, and Ethan is currently in pole position on points with just three rounds to go, with the next round being held this weekend (Saturday 22 July).

Ethan says his favourite part about driving is the noise of the karts going around the track, and the adrenaline he gets while driving.

When asked about what the toughest aspect of the sport is, Ethan said, “It is a very competitive sport, some people you face have been racing all their life so when you’re just a rookie coming in it can be quite scary sometimes.”

“I also have to do quite a lot of weight training to make sure I have control of the karts, and feel comfortable in them, which can be quite tough”, he added.

Despite his talent, Ethan says he still sometimes gets nervous before races, “When I’m sat in the pit lane waiting to start, I can get quite nervous, but nerves can be helpful because they make you focus a lot more”.

When asked about his goals for the future, Ethan noted, “I would love to get into Formula 1 one day, that would mean everything to me, Lewis Hamilton is my idol.”

Ethan was also keen to highlight the importance of sponsorships to him and other racers, “They are crucial, they help pay for the majority of your races and it means your parents don’t have to spend all their money on them, as it is quite an expensive hobby.”

Ethan is always on the lookout for new sponsorship opportunities, if you would like to get in touch regarding this, you can contact his team via email: nige456@hotmail.com

The youngster from Denton has a bright future ahead of him and this will not be the last time you see his name.