(Feb 25, 2011 Brugge, Belgium) - Earlier this week, Indoor Kart World Champion Kenny Geldhof was the recipient of an unusual award for an indoor kart driver. Geldhof found himself nominated in an award category at the 2011 West-Flemish Sports Awards. The Celebration rewards stand-out sports figures in the Belgian Province of West Flanders, home to over 1 million people. The Gala evening was staged at the Concert Hall in Brugge, and Geldhof stood alongside the best athletes in the region, and to his surprise, won the most votes in his category.

 

Although Geldhof and indoor kart racing fell in the award category of "Best Athlete in a Lesser Known Sport", the fact that indoor karting was featured at all during the West-Flemish Awards reflects the wider acceptance of indoor kart racing as a legitimate competitive sport which exists in Europe, specially in Belgium. The fact that Geldhof also received enough votes to actually win the category shows that Geldhof's achievements are recognized and valued by his fan base.

 

After pinching himself to make sure he was not dreaming, Geldhof went home with a nice trophy and an even nicer €1000 Euros in his pocket.

 

Geldhof won the 2010 Indoor Kart World Championship in Phoenix, USA, and earlier this month also won the 2011 Italian Indoor Kart Championship. The Belgian driver is one of the favorites at this year's World Championship, which will be July 24 - 29, 2011 at Eupener Karting Center in the city of Eupen, in his home country of Belgium.