Carving Class Now In Session

The Trikke Academy and Riding Skkool are rocking and rolling this weekend in Hollywood, Florida, where participants are learning the ins and outs of selling, servicing and riding the three-wheeled carving vehicle at the heart of the carving revolution.

Created in 2007 by Director Fred Welch, the Academy was designed to be an organized and structured training program covering three areas: sales and marketing, the inner workings of the Trikke, and learning to ride and teach.

“There's both a lecture and lab format,” said Welch. "The classes go from hotel conference room to hotel grounds, where riding skills are evaluated."

The ultimate goal of the Academy is teaching people so that they in turn can teach others.

“It’s a pay-it-forward situation,” explained Welch. “We all know that there is a learning curve with the Trikke. Training is an important part of the equation."For those aspiring to become local Trikke dealers, the Academy provides instruction on how to sell, market and maintain Trikkes.

“Teaching the tech side of the Trikke is a passion of mine," said Andy Pliska, tech director of the Academy and president of SouthBay Trikke (official local dealer of TrikkeWorld). "The more you understand the vehicle, the better the rider becomes. Knowledge is best when shared.”

The third of seven academies planned for 2011, this Academy features a separate riding Clinikk, or Skkool for those solely interested in becoming better riders.

“Sometimes it’s easier to teach someone with no skills,” said Fred Welch. “That way, they don’t have to re-learn how to ride.”

The hope is for trainers, local dealers and general Trikke enthusiasts to leave the Academy with a full understanding of this thing called Trikke.

“The Academy is a masterful place to get much deeper with Trikke," said John Simpson, CEO of Trikke Tech. “People ask a lot of questions and we give the attendees something to take forward into the world to represent Trikke and to prepare them to be a part of the team."

But the learning works both ways, said Welch. “It’s a very interactive program where you end up learning from each other and us."

Welch also says he’s glad to be back in Florida. It's the second time the Academy has been in the sunshine state, but the first time it's been on a Florida beach, the exact type of location people dream of trikking in, said Welch.

Also hosting the event is Hollywood Beach Trikke’s Danilo Cedeno, the only dealer who has a store on the waterfront anywhere in the state.