Reigning South African National Mini ROK Champion Kayde Cornofsky concluded his 2026 ROK Cup Superfinal campaign with a 19th-place finish in the Mini ROK Final at South Garda Karting in Lonato, Italy, on Saturday, 17 October. Competing against a formidable international field of 52 entrants, the Johannesburg driver gained valuable experience during five days of competition against some of the world's leading young karting talents.
Having secured his entry through his championship-winning performance in South Africa, Cornofsky arrived in Italy eager to measure himself against international opposition. The event proved demanding, with closely matched competitors and little room for error through the qualifying and elimination stages.
Cornofsky, with very little international experience, began his campaign by qualifying 35th overall, placing him in the midfield for the opening qualifying heats. In his first qualification heat, he advanced from 17th on the grid to finish 15th. He made further progress in Thursday's heat, gaining five positions to finish 13th after starting 18th.
Friday's third heat produced his strongest result of the elimination phase. Starting 18th, Cornofsky steadily worked his way through the field, gaining six positions to finish 12th. His performances across the three qualification heats placed him 26th in the combined qualifying-heat classification, securing his progression to Saturday's Prefinal.
Starting 13th in the eight-lap prefinal, Cornofsky delivered another determined performance, working his way into seventh position by the chequered flag. However, a five-second penalty imposed by the stewards after contact with two other competitors relegated him to 13th in the official classification. The setback left the South African with additional work to do in the all-important final.
Lining up 22nd for the 12-lap Mini ROK Final, Cornofsky faced another closely contested race. The young Johannesburg driver remained focused as he negotiated the tightly packed field, ultimately gaining three positions to take the chequered flag in 19th place, securing a top-20 finish in his international outing.
Although the final result did not reflect the front-running performances that characterised his successful domestic campaign, the Superfinal provided an important opportunity for Cornofsky to compete against international opposition and further develop his racecraft. His ability to make up positions throughout the qualifying heats and reach the final offered positives to take away from a demanding week in Italy.
The international appearance represents another milestone in Cornofsky's karting career. Having previously claimed the 2023 National Kid ROK Championship and finished as National Mini ROK Vice-Champion in 2025, he returned in 2026 to capture the Mini ROK national crown. His championship success earned him the opportunity to represent South Africa at one of the most prestigious events on the ROK karting calendar.
For Cornofsky, the experience gained in Lonato will form an important part of his continued development as he builds on an already successful national karting career.
Kayde extends his sincere appreciation to his family, team, as well as his valued sponsors, Allegiance Properties, Canario Cornofsky Attorneys, Calisto's Portuguese Restaurant, Smith Garage, the 357, Glads and AMW, whose contributions have made his national and international racing campaigns possible.
